Once upon a time, there was a poor miller who had three sons. When he died, he left nothing but a cat to his youngest son. The poor young fellow was very unhappy.
But the cat looked up at him and said, 'Don’t worry! If you give me boots and a bag, I will make you rich!'
'If this cat can talk, I’d better listen!' thought the miller’s son. He gave Puss his late father’s boots and an empty flour bag.
Without delay, Puss set off to catch some rabbits. He caught two fine rabbits and took them to the king’s palace.
'Your Majesty,' said Puss as he bowed low, 'my master is the Marquis of Carabas. He sends you these gifts.'
For three months, the cat brought various catches, from partridges to fish, and the king grew to like the mysterious Marquis.
One day, the king and his beautiful daughter were taking a carriage ride through the countryside. That was exactly what Puss had hoped for.
'Master,' he said, 'if you do exactly as I say, I will make you a wealthy man. All you have to do is take a bath in the river.'
Puss told his master to take off his clothes and jump into the water. The miller’s son did as he was told, while Puss hid the clothes behind a bush. Just then, the king’s carriage came along.
'Help!' cried Puss loudly. 'The Marquis of Carabas is drowning!'
The king stopped and sent his men to the rescue. While they were pulling the miller’s son out of the water, the cat told the king that while his master was washing, bandits had stolen the marquis’s suit.
The king ordered some fine clothes from the royal wardrobe, and in the king’s clothing the miller’s son looked very handsome. The princess saw him and liked him at once.
The marquis got into the carriage, while Puss ran ahead. Meeting some farmers who were mowing a meadow, he asked them to say that the land belonged to the Marquis of Carabas. He promised to reward them, and the poor farmers agreed.
The king did not fail to ask the mowers whose meadow they were mowing.
'To our lord, the Marquis of Carabas,' they all answered.
'What a fine estate!' said the king.
Meanwhile Puss, who still ran ahead, met some reapers and asked them the same thing. When the king passed by a moment later, he wanted to know to whom all that corn belonged.
'To my lord, the Marquis of Carabas,' replied the reapers; and the king again congratulated the miller’s son.
Each time the carriage stopped, the king was told that the land belonged to the Marquis. The king was astonished at the vast estates of my lord, the Marquis of Carabas.
In the meantime, Puss reached a great castle that belonged to an ogre who also owned the land of the farmers.
'I have been told that you can turn into any kind of animal,' said Puss to the ogre.
'This is true,' answered the ogre proudly, 'and to prove it, you shall see me now become a lion.'
Puss was so terrified he nearly jumped out of his boots. But he didn't let it show.
'Now, can you turn into something smaller?' he asked.
'I can turn into anything!' boasted the ogre.
'Then let's see you turn into a mouse!' said Puss slyly.
The ogre laughed and turned into a tiny mouse. The cat didn't hesitate. He caught the mouse and did what cats do with mice.
When the carriage arrived at the castle, Puss ran out shouting, 'Welcome to the castle of the Marquis of Carabas!'
'What! My lord Marquis?' cried the king. 'And does this castle also belong to you?'
The king was impressed. 'I want you to be my son-in-law.'
That same day, the marquis married the princess. And they lived happily ever after.
Puss became a great lord and never chased mice anymore, except for fun.
What I fixed (simple steps)
- I used capital letters at the start of sentences and for names so the story is easier to read.
- I added commas and periods where needed to make the sentences clear and to help when you read aloud.
- I fixed a few words and small phrases so the meaning stays the same but the English is correct.
Would you like this story made even shorter for bedtime, or do you want a version with pictures? I can do that!