When a certain miller felt his days were ending, he called his three sons to his side. To the eldest, he gave his mill. To the second, his sturdy donkey. But to the youngest son, he left only the family cat.

"Oh dear," sighed the young man. "A mill can grind flour, a donkey can carry sacks. But a cat? What good is a cat?"

Now, this wasn't just any cat. This cat, whose name was Puss, was extraordinarily clever. "Don't you worry, Master," said Puss, surprising the young man greatly. "Just get me a pair of fine boots and a sturdy bag, and you'll see. Your fortune is about to change!"

The young man was so surprised to hear a cat talk, he did exactly as Puss asked.

Puss put on the boots, slung the bag over his shoulder, and marched off to the forest. He cleverly caught a plump rabbit and, quick as a whisker, popped it into his bag. Then, Puss went straight to the King's palace. "Your Majesty," he said with a bow, "my master, the noble Marquis of Carabas, sends you this gift."

The King was very pleased. "The Marquis of Carabas?" he said. "I don't believe I know him, but he sounds like a fine fellow!"

Puss did this for many weeks, always bringing the King tasty treats from the "Marquis of Carabas."

One day, Puss heard the King was going for a ride with his beautiful daughter, the Princess. "Master," Puss said, "go and bathe in the river at the spot I show you. And whatever you do, don't say who you really are!"

The young man did as he was told. As the King's carriage passed by, Puss shouted, "Help! Help! The Marquis of Carabas is drowning! Thieves have stolen his clothes!"

The King, remembering all the lovely gifts, ordered his guards to rescue the Marquis. They pulled the young man from the water and dressed him in the King's finest clothes. He looked quite handsome! The Princess thought so too.

Puss, meanwhile, ran ahead of the King's carriage. He came to some farmers in a field. "Good people," he called, "if the King asks who owns this land, you must say it belongs to the Marquis of Carabas, or you'll be in big trouble!" He said the same to people harvesting wheat and tending to vineyards.

When the King passed by and asked, everyone said, "This land belongs to the Marquis of Carabas!"
"My goodness," said the King. "The Marquis is very wealthy indeed!"

Finally, Puss arrived at a magnificent castle. This castle belonged to a grumpy ogre who could change into any animal he wished.
"I've heard you are a very powerful ogre," Puss said politely. "They say you can even change into a lion!"
"Of course!" roared the ogre, and poof! He became a huge, fierce lion. Puss pretended to be very scared.
"Amazing!" said Puss, once the ogre was himself again. "But I bet you can't change into something very small... like a mouse?"
"Can't I?" boomed the ogre, annoyed. And poof! He became a tiny mouse.
And gobble! Puss ate the mouse in one bite.

Just then, the King's carriage arrived at the castle. "Welcome, Your Majesty, to the castle of the Marquis of Carabas!" Puss announced.
The King was astounded by the beautiful castle and the delicious feast Puss had quickly arranged (using the ogre's supplies, of course!).

The young man, now truly the Marquis of Carabas, was so charming, and the Princess was so lovely, that soon they were married. And Puss? He became a great lord, and never chased mice again, except for fun.

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