3 The Master Cat (France)
There was a miller who left no more estate to the three sons he had than his mill, his donkey and his cat. The division was soon made. The eldest had the mill, the second the donkey, and the youngest nothing but the cat.
“My brothers,”said the poor young fellow, “may get their living handsomely enough by joining their stocks together. But for my part, when I have eaten my cat, and made me a muff of his skin, I must die of hunger.”
The cat, who heard all this, said to him with a grave and serious air, “Do not thus afflict yourself, my good master.You need only give me a bag, and have a pair of boots made for me that I may scamper through the brambles. You shall see you have not so bad a portion with me as you imagine.”
When the cat had what he asked for, he booted himself very gallantly, and putting his bag about his neck, he went into a warren. He put bran and lettuce into his bag and,stretching out at length as if dead. Scarce had he lain down but he had what he wanted: a rash and foolish young rabbit jumped into his bag. Monsieur Puss[1], immediately drawing close the strings, killed him without pity. Proud of his prey,he went with it to the palace, and asked to speak with his majesty. He said to the king: “I have brought you, sir, a rabbit from the warren, which my noble lord, the Marquis of Carabas[2] has commanded me to present to Your Majesty from him.”
“Tell your master,”said the king, “that I thank him.”
The cat continued thus for two or three months to carry to his majesty, from time to time, game of his master’s taking.One day in particular, when he knew for certain that the king was to take the air along the riverside 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 to do but wash yourself in the river, and leave the rest to me.”
The Marquis of Carabas did what the cat advised him to do. 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.”At this the king commanded his guards to run immediately to the assistance of his lordship.
The cat came up to the coach and told the king that some rogues went off with his master’s clothes. The king immediately commanded the officers to fetch his suits for the Marquis of Carabas.
The fine clothes set off his good mien, for he was well made and very handsome in his person. The Marquis of Carabas had no sooner cast two or three respectful and tender glances upon the king’s daughter than she fell in love with him to distraction. The king would needs have[3] him come into the coach and take the air with them. The cat, marched on before, and meeting with some countrymen, who were mowing a meadow, he said to them: “Good people, you who are mowing, if you do not tell the king that the meadow you mow belongs to my Lord Marquis of Carabas, you shall be chopped as small as herbs for the pot.”
The king did not fail to ask the mowers to whom the meadow belonged. Altogether, they answered as what the cat had told them. The Master Cat, who went always before,said the same words to all he met, and the king was astonished at the vast estates of the Marquis of Carabas.
Monsieur Puss came at last to a stately castle, the master of which was an ogre, the richest ever known. The cat asked to speak with him. “I have been informed,”said the cat, “that you have the power to take on the shape of the smallest animal; for example, to change yourself into a mouse; but I must own to you I take this to be impossible.”
“Impossible!”cried the ogre. “You shall see that presently.”At the same time he changed himself into a mouse and began to run about the floor. Puss no sooner perceived this than he fell upon him and ate him up.
Meanwhile the king saw this fine castle and had a mind to go into it. Puss ran out, and said to the king: “Your Majesty is welcome to this castle of my Lord Marquis of Carabas.”“What, my Lord Marquis!”cried the king. “And does this castle also belong to you?”
The marquis gave his hand to the princess and followed the king, who went first. They passed into a spacious hall,where they found a magnificent collation. His majesty was charmed with the good qualities of the Lord Marquis of Carabas, as was his daughter, and seeing the vast estate he possessed, decided to make him his son-in-law. So the marquis married the princess that very same day. Puss became a great lord, and never ran after mice any more.
—Charles Perrault
[1] the Marquis of Carabas：貓為抬高其主人身價捏造出來的，實際無此爵位。
[2] Puss：源自pussy-cat，小孩對貓的暱稱。
[3] would needs have：﹝古﹞= would have; would oblige (him) to。