PUSS IN BOOTS
Part Two
From the humblest beginnings one may rise to the highest position by enterprise and good fortune.
Things were going very well with Puss and his master. The king was delighted, the princess was blushing, and the young master was looking very handsome, while Puss ran on ahead of the carriage. Puss came to a field where laborers were mowing grass.
“Some men are coming and you must tell them this field belongs to the Marquis of Carabas, or you will be ground into mince meat,” said Puss and ran on down the road. Soon the king came by and asked:
“Who owns this fine land?” The men were so terrified that they spoke right off:
“The Marquis of Carabas, sir,” and went on with their work.
Puss soon came to some reapers and said: “You must tell everybody that this grain belongs to the Marquis of Carabas, or you will be ground into mince meat.” So when the king came by and asked: “Whose grain is this?” they answered very promptly: “The Marquis of Carabas, sir,” and went on with their work.
“The Marquis must be a rich man to own all this land,” said the king; but the young master said nothing, for he was looking at the princess and wondering if she would ever marry him.