Puss ran on ahead and came to the castle of the real owner of the land. He was a monster of whom every one was afraid, but Puss went on in to see him and spoke up boldly:
“I have heard that you can change yourself into any animal, and that you can be a lion or a tiger if you wish to.”
“Certainly I can,” said the monster, and at once became a lion, and roared so loud that Puss jumped on to the back of a chair and arched his back in spite of himself.
The monster came back to his own shape and laughed very loud. “Now watch me become a tiger,” said he; and at once he became a tiger, that showed his teeth and growled deep down in his throat.
When he came back to his own shape again, Puss said:
“I see you can become large beasts, but I doubt if you can become a little one, such as a mouse, for instance.”
“I can do that, too,” replied the monster, and at once became a mouse running around the floor. Puss leaped down from the chair, jumped on the mouse, and ate it up in a twinkling!
Just at that time the king’s carriage drove up.
“Welcome to the castle of the Marquis of Carabas,” cried Puss. They all came in, and the young master, seeing how things were, led the princess to the best seat in the house and kissed her right before the king himself. She seemed well pleased, and it was not long before she was living in the castle with the Marquis, and I think they are there to this very day.