The Junior Classics, Volume 1: Fairy and wonder tales
General
The Junior Classics, Volume 1: Fairy and wonder tales
Children's literature
When the cat got his boots, he drew them on with a grand air, and
slinging his sack over his shoulder, and drawing the cords of it round
his neck, he marched bravely to a rabbit warren hard by, with which he
was well acquainted. Then, putting some bran and lettuces into his bag,
and stretching himself out beside it as if he were dead, he waited till
some fine, fat young rabbit, ignorant of the wickedness and deceit of
the world, should peep into the sack to eat the food that was inside.
This happened very shortly, for there are plenty of foolish young
rabbits in every warren; and when one of them, who really was a
splendid fat fellow, put his head inside, Master Puss drew the cords
immediately, and took him and killed him without mercy. Then, very
proud of his prey, he marched direct to the palace, and begged to speak
with the King.
He was told to ascend to the apartment of his majesty, where, making a
low bow, he said: “Sire, here is a magnificent rabbit, killed in the
warren, which belongs to my lord the Marquis of Carabas, and which he
told me to offer humbly to your majesty.”
“Tell your master,” replied the King, politely, “that I accept his
present, and am very much obliged to him.”
Another time, Puss went out and hid himself and his sack in a wheat
field, and there caught two splendid fat partridges in the same manner
as he had done the rabbit. When he presented them to the King, with a
similar message as before, his majesty was so pleased that he ordered
the cat to be taken down into the kitchen and given something to eat
and drink; where, while enjoying himself, the faithful animal did not
cease to talk in the most cunning way of the large preserves and
abundant game which belonged to his lord the Marquis of Carabas.
One day, hearing that the King was intending to take a drive along the
riverside with his daughter, the most beautiful princess in the world,
Puss said to his master: “Sir, if you would only follow my advice, your
fortune is made.”
“Be it so,” said the miller’s son, who was growing disconsolate, and
cared very little what he did: “Say your say, cat.”
“It is but little,” replied Puss, looking wise, as cats can. “You have
only to go and bathe in the river at a place which I shall show you,
and leave all the rest to me. Only remember that you are no longer
yourself, but my lord the Marquis of Carabas.”
“Just so,” said the miller’s son, “it’s all the same to me;” but he did
as the cat told him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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