Once there was a poor miller's son whose only inheritance was a cat. "Whatever shall I do with a cat?" sighed the lad. But the cat looked up and said, "Do not worry, master. Only get me a bag, and a fine pair of soft leather boots, and I'll show you what I can do."

So the lad found a bag, then he fetched his best pair of soft leather boots. Puss pulled on the boots and they shrank until they fit him perfectly. Then he rose up on his hind legs, slung the bag over his shoulder, and marched down the road.

When he came to a field where there were many rabbit holes, he picked some dandelion leaves, stuffed them in the bag, and made a rabbit trap. Before long a plump rabbit poked its head from a hole, hopped into the bag, and began to nibble the leaves. Quick as a wink, Puss pulled the strings tight.

Then that clever Puss slung the bag over his shoulder, marched off to the king's palace, and gave the rabbit to the king. "Your Majesty," said Puss, bowing very low, "here is a present from my master, the Duke of Carrabas." "I thank your master the Duke of Carrabas," said the king. And off went Puss with an empty bag over his shoulder.

Next morning he marched down the road again. When he came to a cornfield full of partridges, he scattered some corn in the bag and made a partridge trap, and that clever Puss caught two plump partridges and carried them to the king. Day after day he brought fine gifts, always "from my master, the Duke of Carrabas."

One morning Puss said to the lad, "Today you must come with me and do exactly as I tell you." So they marched off side by side until they came to a river that flowed right past the king's palace. "Every afternoon," said Puss, "the king goes for a drive with his daughter, who is the most beautiful princess in all the world. Today you shall meet her — and one day you shall marry her. But first, take off your shabby old clothes and jump into the river."

So the lad took off his clothes and jumped in and swam about. Puss snatched the ragged clothes, stuffed them in his bag, and hid the bag beneath a large stone. Before long the royal coach came bowling down the road. "Help! Help!" cried Puss, waving a paw. "My master, the Duke of Carrabas, was swimming, and robbers have carried off his clothes!"

When the king saw the wonderful cat who had brought him such lovely presents, he stopped the coach. "That won't do!" he said, and he ordered a guard to fetch some splendid new clothes from the palace. The lad climbed from the river and put them on, and he looked so handsome and grand that he might have been a real duke indeed. He bowed to the king and to the beautiful princess, and they invited him to ride with them through the country.

And Puss — what about him? He ran on ahead until he came to an enormous cornfield where men were cutting the corn. "Listen," said Puss, "when the king passes by, you must tell him this field and all the land around it belong to the Duke of Carrabas." So when the royal coach came by and the king called out, "Who owns this field?" the men sang out, "This field and all the land around it belong to the Duke of Carrabas!" And the king thought, "Hmmm — this duke must be rich."

Puss ran on until he came to a huge castle that belonged to a fierce ogre. He marched up to the door, took hold of the great knocker, and banged it down. The window flew open and the ogre stuck out his head. "Who's there?" "A stranger," answered Puss, "one who has heard of your mighty powers and wishes to meet you."

The ogre came clumping down the stairs and let him in. "I have heard," said Puss, "that you can change yourself into any sort of animal — an elephant, a lion, anything at all." "True!" said the ogre, and hummph — he was a roaring lion. Puss was so frightened he leapt onto the mantelpiece and clung on tight, which was no easy thing with boots upon his feet. Then hrrumm — the lion was an ogre again.

"Amazing!" said Puss, climbing down. "You scared me then, just a little. But I have also heard you can change into a tiny animal — a mouse, say. Surely that is impossible for so huge an ogre." "Impossible?" roared the ogre. "What do you mean, impossible?" And hrrrmmm — there was a little mouse, scampering across the floor. Puss was quick. One great leap, and he caught the mouse and gobbled it up.

A few moments later Puss heard coach wheels and the clippity-clop of horses' hooves. He marched outside, bowed low, and said, "Welcome to the castle of my master, the Duke of Carrabas!" The king looked up at the splendid castle and thought, "This duke must be very rich." Puss led them into a great hall crammed with wonderful things, and the king thought, "Hmmm — this duke must be very, very rich."

"Duke of Carrabas," said the king, "if you wish to marry my daughter, you have only to ask." The lad looked at the beautiful princess, and she looked at him, and they both smiled. So he asked, and there was a wedding.

And clever Puss — what about him? He lived for many happy years in the ogre's castle with his master and the beautiful princess, who made a great fuss over him. He had his own velvet cushion by the fire, all the cream he could drink, and ever so many tasty treats. And that, dear children, is the whole of the tale.

~ The End ~