The Cat’s master did not build very much upon what he said. He had often
seen him play a great many cunning tricks to catch rats and mice, as
when he used to hang by the heels, or hide himself in the meal, and
make as if he were dead; so that he did not altogether despair of his
affording him some help in his miserable condition. When the Cat had
what he asked for he booted himself very gallantly, and putting his bag
about his neck, he held the strings of it in his two forepaws and went
into a warren where was great abundance of rabbits. He put bran and
sow-thistle into his bag, and stretching out at length, as if he had
been dead, he waited for some young rabbits, not yet acquainted with the
deceits of the world, to come and rummage his bag for what he had put
into it.
Scarce was he lain down but he had what he wanted. A rash and foolish
young rabbit jumped into his bag, and Monsieur Puss, immediately drawing
close the strings, took and killed him without pity. Proud of his prey,
he went with it to the palace and asked to speak with his majesty.
He was shown upstairs into the King’s apartment, and, making a low
reverence, said to him:
“I have brought you, sir, a rabbit of the warren, which my noble lord
the Marquis of Carabas” (for that was the title which puss was pleased
to give his master) “has commanded me to present to your majesty from
him.”
“Tell thy master,” said the king, “that I thank him and that he does me
a great deal of pleasure.”
Another time he went and hid himself among some standing corn, holding
still his bag open, and when a brace of partridges ran into it he drew
the strings and so caught them both. He went and made a present of these
to the king, as he had done before of the rabbit which he took in the
warren. The king, in like manner, received the partridges with great
pleasure, and ordered him some money for drink.
The Cat continued for two or three months thus to carry his Majesty,
from time to time, game of his master’s taking. One day in particular,
when he knew for certain that he was to take the air along the
river-side, with his daughter, the most beautiful princess in the world,
he said to his master:
“If you will follow my advice your fortune is made. You have nothing
else to do but go and wash yourself in the river, in that part I shall
show you, and leave the rest to me.”
The Marquis of Carabas did what the Cat advised him to, without knowing
why or wherefore. While he was washing the King passed by, and the Cat
began to cry out:
“Help! help! My Lord Marquis of Carabas is going to be drowned.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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