Puss in Boots – Short Story for Kids
Puss in Boots by Charles Perrault
The mill went to the eldest son and the ass to the second. The youngest got nothing but the cat. He was quite unhappy to have received so little.
“My brothers can make a good living by working together,” he said,” but for my part, once I’ve eaten my cat and made a muff from his skin, I’ll die of hunger.”
The Cat, who heard all this but pretended he had not, said to him with a grave and serious air, “Do not concern yourself, my good master. All you have to do is to give me a bag and have a pair of boots made for me so that I can scamper through the dirt and brambles. Then you’ll see that being left with me is not so bad as you imagine.”
The Cat’s master did not take what he said very seriously. Still, he had often seen him play a great many cunning tricks to catch rats and mice such as hanging by his heels, hiding in the meal, or playing dead. So, he thought there was at least a chance the cat might be of some help in his miserable condition.
When the Cat had what he asked for he put on his boots, looking very gallant, and, putting his bag on his neck, he held its strings in his two forepaws and went into a warren where there were many rabbits.
He put some bran and sow-thistle into his bag, and stretching out on the ground as if he were dead, he waited for some young rabbits, not yet wise to the ways of the world, to come and rummage through his bag for what he had put into it.
Hardly a minute after he had laid down he had what he wanted. A rash and foolish young rabbit jumped into his bag, and Monsieur Puss immediately closed the bag and killed him without pity.
Proud of his prey, he went with it to the palace and asked to speak with his majesty.
He was shown upstairs into the King’s apartment, and, making a low bow, said to him:
“I have brought you, sir, a rabbit of the warren, which my noble lord the Marquis of Carabas” (for that was the title which puss was pleased to give his master) “has commanded me to present to your majesty from him.”
“Tell your master,” said the king, “that I thank him and that he has caused me a great deal of pleasure.”
Another time he went and hid in some corn-rows, holding open his bag, so that when a brace of partridges ran into it he drew the strings and so caught them both.
Just as with the rabbit before, he went and made a present of these to the king.
The king, as before, received the partridges with great pleasure and ordered the cat to be given some money for drink.
The Cat continued in this manner for two or three months, carrying game, which he claimed to have been taken by his master, to the king.
One day in particular, when he knew for certain that the king was going to go for a ride along the river-side with his daughter, the most beautiful princess in the world, the cat said to his master,
“If you will follow my advice you will have your fortune. All you have to do is go and wash yourself in the river and leave the rest to me.”
The Marquis of Carabas did what the Cat advised him to, without having any idea why.
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 drown.”
At this noise the King poked his head out of the coach window, and, finding it was the Cat who had so often brought him such good game, he commanded his guards to run immediately to help his Lordship the Marquis of Carabas.
While they were pulling the poor Marquis out of the river, the Cat came up to the coach and told the King that, while his master was washing, some rogues had come by and made off with his clothes, though he had cried out “Thieves! thieves!” several times, as loud as he could.
The clothes, of course, had not been stolen. The cunning Cat had hidden them under a great stone.
The King immediately commanded the officers of his wardrobe to run and fetch one of his best suits for the Lord Marquis of Carabas.
The King treated him in an extraordinarily kind way, and, as the fine clothes really suited him (for he was a well-built and very handsome man), the King’s daughter took a secret liking to him.
And, when the Marquis of Carabas cast two or three respectful and somewhat tender glances at her, well, she fell head over heels in love with him.
The King insisted he come into the coach and take part in the coach ride and enjoy the fresh air.
The Cat, quite overjoyed to see his project was beginning to succeed, marched on ahead and came upon some countrymen who were mowing a meadow. He said to them,
“Good people, 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 who owned the meadow they were mowing.
“It belongs to my Lord Marquis of Carabas,” they answered in unison, for the Cat’s threats had made them terribly afraid.
“You see, sir,” said the Marquis, “this is a meadow which never fails to yield a plentiful harvest every year.”
The Master Cat, who continued on ahead, met with some reapers, and said to them: “Good people, if you do not tell the King that all this grain belongs to the Marquis of Carabas, you shall be chopped as small as herbs for the pot.”
The King, who passed by a moment after, wanted to know who owned all that grain.
“It belongs to my Lord Marquis of Carabas,” replied the reapers and the King was very well pleased with the grain, as well as the Marquis, whom he then congratulated.
The Master Cat, who, as always, went on ahead, said the same words to everyone he met, and the King was astonished at the vast estates of the Lord Marquis of Carabas.
Monsieur Puss at last came to a stately castle, the master of which was an ogre. This ogre was the richest that had ever been known, for all the lands which the King had just passed through belonged to this castle.
The Cat, who had made a point to find out who this ogre was and what he could do, asked to speak with him, saying he could not pass so near his castle without having the honor of paying his respects to him.
The ogre received him as civilly as an ogre could do, and asked him to sit down.
“I have been assured,” said the Cat, “that you have the gift of being able to change yourself into any creature you desire. You can, for example, transform yourself into a lion, or elephant, and the like.”
“That is true,” answered the ogre very briskly, “and to convince you, you shall now see me become a lion.”
Puss was so terrified at the sight of a lion so near him that he immediately got up into the gutter, but not without great trouble and danger because of his boots, which were of no use at all to him in walking on the tiles.
A little while after, when Puss saw that the ogre had resumed his natural form, he came down and admitted that he had been extremely frightened.
“I have also been informed,” said the Cat, “but I can hardly believe it, that you also have the power to take on the shape of even the smallest of animals.
For example, you can change yourself into a rat or a mouse. I must admit that I find this to be impossible.”
“Impossible!” cried the ogre; “you’ll see!.”
And at that, he changed himself into a mouse and began to run around on the floor.
Puss no sooner saw this but he pounced on him and ate him up.
Meanwhile, the King, who saw, as he passed, this fine castle of the ogre’s, was of a mind to go into it.
Puss, who heard the noise of his Majesty’s coach running over the draw-bridge, ran out, and said to the King, “Your Majesty is welcome to the castle of my Lord Marquis of Carabas.”
“What! my Lord Marquis,” cried the King, “does this castle also belong to you? There can be nothing finer than this court and all the stately buildings surrounding it. Let’s go in, if you please.”
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 meal, which the ogre had prepared for his friends, who were that very day going to visit him, but dared not enter, knowing the King was there.
His Majesty was perfectly charmed with the good qualities of my Lord Marquis of Carabas, as was his daughter, who had fallen violently in love with him, and, seeing the vast estate he possessed, said to him, after having drunk five or six glasses:
“It will be owing to yourself only, my Lord Marquis, if you are not my son-in-law.”
The Marquis, making several low bows, accepted the honor which his Majesty conferred upon him, and without delay, that very same day, married the Princess.
Puss in Boots became a great lord, and after that no longer ran after mice, except for his own enjoyment, of course.
The poor young fellow was quite comfortless at having so poor a lot.
The Cat, who heard all this, but made as if he did not, said to him with
"Do not thus afflict yourself, my good master; you have only to give me a bag, and get a pair of boots made for me, that I may scamper thro'
Tho' the Cat's master did not build very much upon what he said, he had however often seen him play a great many cunning tricks to catch rats and mice; as when he used to hang by the heels, or hide himself in the meal, and make as if he were dead; so that he did not altogether despair of his affording him some help in his miserable condition.
When the Cat had what he asked for, he booted himself very gallantly; and putting his bag about his neck, he held the strings of it in his two fore paws, and went into a warren where was great abundance of rabbits.
Scarce was he lain down, but he had what he wanted; a rash and foolish young rabbit jumped into his bag, and Monsieur Puss, immediately drawing close the strings, took and killed him without pity.
"I have brought you, sir, a rabbit of the warren which my noble lord
"Tell thy master," said the King, "that I thank him, and that he does me
Another time he went and hid himself among some standing corn, holding still his bag open; and when a brace of partridges ran into it,
The Cat continued for two or three months, thus to carry 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 river side, with his daughter, the most beautiful Princess in the world,
"If you will follow my advice, your fortune is made; you have nothing else to do, but go and wash yourself in the river, in that part I shall shew you, and leave the rest to me."
The Marquis of Carabas did what the Cat advised him to, without knowing why or wherefore.
While he was washing, the King passed by, and the Cat began to cry out, as loud as he could:
"Help, help, my lord Marquis of Carabas is drowning."
At this noise the King put his head out of his coach-window, and finding it was the Cat who had so often brought him such good game, he commanded his guards to run immediately to the assistance of his lordship the Marquis of Carabas.
While they were drawing the poor Marquis out of the river, the Cat came up to the coach, and told the King that while his master was washing, there came by some rogues, who went off with his clothes, tho' he had cried out "Thieves, thieves," several times, as loud as he could. This cunning Cat had hidden them under a great stone. The King immediately commanded the officers of his wardrobe to run and fetch one of his best suits for the lord Marquis of Carabas.
The King received him with great kindness, and as the fine clothes he had given him extremely set off his good mien (for he was well made, and very handsome in his person), the King's daughter took a secret inclination to him, and the Marquis of Carabas had no sooner cast two
"Good people, you who are mowing, if you do not tell the King,
The King did not fail asking of the mowers, to whom the meadow they were mowing belonged.
"To my lord Marquis of Carabas," answered they all together;
"Truly a fine estate," said the King to the Marquis of Carabas.
"You see, sir," said the Marquis, "this is a meadow which never fails to yield a plentiful harvest every year."
The Master Cat, who still went on before, met with some reapers, and said to them:
"Good people, you who are reaping, if you do not tell the King that all this corn belongs to the Marquis of Carabas, you shall be chopped as small as mince-meat."
The King, who passed by a moment after, would needs know to whom all that corn, which he then saw, did belong. "To my lord Marquis of Carabas," replied the reapers; and the King again congratulated the Marquis.
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 my lord Marquis of Carabas.
Monsieur Puss came at last to a stately castle, the master of which was an Ogre, the richest had ever been known; for all the lands which the King had then gone over belonged to this castle. The Cat, who had taken care to inform himself who this Ogre was, and what he could do, asked to speak with him, saying, he could not pass so near his castle, without having the honour of paying his respects to him.
The Ogre received him as civilly as an Ogre could do, and made him sit down.
"I have been assured," said the Cat, "that you have the gift of being
"This is true," answered the Ogre very briskly, "and to convince you,
Puss was so sadly terrified at the sight of a lion so near him, that he immediately got into the gutter, not without abundance of trouble and danger, because of his boots, which were ill-suited for walking upon
"I have been moreover informed," said the Cat, "but I know not how to believe it, that you have also the power to take on you the shape of the smallest animals; for example, to change yourself into a rat or a mouse; but I must own to you, I take this to be impossible."
"Impossible?" cried the Ogre, "you shall see that presently," and at
Puss no sooner perceived this, but he fell upon him, and ate him up.
Meanwhile the King, who saw, as he passed, this fine castle of the Ogre's, had a mind to go into it. Puss, who heard the noise of his Majesty's coach running over the drawbridge, 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? There can be nothing finer than this court, and all
The Marquis gave his hand to the Princess, and followed the King,
"It will be owing to yourself only, my lord Marquis, if you are not my son-in-law."
The Marquis making several low bows, accepted the honour which his Majesty conferred upon him, and forthwith, that very same day,
Puss became a great lord, and never ran after mice any more,
Bratři Grimmové
yl jednou jeden mlynář a ten měl na tomto světě tři syny, k tomu mlýn, osla a kocoura a bylo mu to k užitku. Synové pracovali ve mlýně, osel přinášel pytle s obilím a odnášel pytle s moukou a kocour? Inu, ten přece chytal myši! Když mlynář zemřel, rozdělili si synové dědictví, ten nejstarší dostal mlýn, ten prostřední osla a ten nejmladší? Inu, ten přece dostal kocoura! Nic jiného na něj taky nezbylo! Takové dědictví by nebylo nikomu k radosti. „To jsem dopadl.“ řekl si ten nejmladší: „Dostal jsem to nejhorší! Nejstarší bratr má mlýn a může mlít, prostřední má osla a ten je mu taky k užitku, ale co si já počnu s kocourem? Nechám si z jeho kožešiny udělat palčáky a bude to!“ „Poslouchej,“ měl se k řeči kocour, který rozuměl všemu, co se řeklo: „kvůli tomu, abys měl z mé pelichavé kožešiny pár špatných rukavic, mě zabíjet nemusíš. Nechej mi raději udělat pár holínek, abych vypadal dobře a mohl se ukázat mezi lidmi a rázem ti budu k užitku.“ Mlynářský synek se věru podivil, že kocour mluví, ale protože šel kolem mlýna zrovna švec, zavolal ho dovnitř a nechal kocourovi vzít míru na pár holínek. Když byly hotové, kocour si je natáhnul, vzal pytel obilí, nahoře uvázal šňůru, jakoby ho chtěl táhnout po zemi, pak si ho hodil na záda a šel po dvou nohách jako člověk do lesa.
oho času vládl v té zemi král, který jedl k smrti rád koroptve, ale na trhu jich bylo tak málo, že to bylo k soužení. Královské lesy byly koroptví plné, ale byly vám tak plaché a opatrné, že to nebylo ani k lovu ani k nástrahám a lovci se vraceli s prázdnou. Ale kocour se na to rozhodl jít od lesa. Když přišel na mýtinu, položil pytel na zem, otevřel ho a rozsypal část obilí do trávy. Smyčku, kterou byl pytel zavázaný, vedl za jeden keř, kde se sám pak ukryl a čekal a čekal. Za nějakou chvíli přicupitaly zvědavé koroptve, našly zrní a daly se do zobání zob! zob! a jedna po druhé vlezla za obilím až do pytle. Když kocourovi přišlo, že je jich uvnitř už pěkná řádka, utáhl smyčku a bylo to! Uvězněným koroptvím pak jedné po druhé zakroutil krkem, pytel si hodil na záda a vydal se rovnou cestou na královský zámek. Tam se mu do cesty postavila královská stráž: „Stát! Kampak?“ „Ke králi.“ odvětil. „Ty jsi mi vtipálek! Kocour a ke králi?“ smál se strážce. „Jen ho nech jít.“ řekl druhý voják: „Pan král má často dlouhou chvíli, třeba ho mluvící kocour trochu rozptýlí.“ A bylo to!
řed králem se kocour hluboce poklonil a řekl: „Můj pán, hrabě,“ k tomu titulu pronesl jakési dlouhé a urozené jméno, které si už nikdo nepamatuje: „se nechá panu králi poroučet a posílá mu koroptve, které zrovna ulovil.“ Králi se sbíhaly sliny, když kulaťoučké ptáčky zpěváčky uviděl, a nedal jinak, než že musejí tomu kocourovi z pokladnice nandat do pytle tolik zlata, kolik jen unese. „To zanes svému pánu a poděkuj mu mnohokrát za dárek.“ Však kocour taky nečekal nic jiného a rázoval rovnou do mlýna, kde seděl ten nejmladší u okna v chalupě s hlavou v dlaních, protože si činil výčitky a levity, že poslední groš utratil za to, aby pořídil holínky pro kocoura, svět většího hlupáka neviděl! Z toho zadumání ho vytrhnul kocour, který mu shodil u nohou pytel, a když ho rozvázali, bylo v něm samé zlato. „Tady máš něco za ty holínky, pan král tě nechává pozdravovat a mockrát děkuje.“ Z takové řeči hoch nezmoudřel, ale to zlato ho potěšilo, ať se vzalo, kde se vzalo. Zatímco si kocour po lidském způsobu stahoval holínky, vyprávěl mu vše, co a jak bylo a nakonec řekl: „Inu, zlata máš teď sice dost, ale u toho nemůžeme zůstat! Ráno si zase natáhnu holínky a poohlídnu se, jak z tebe udělat něco onačejšího. Však jsem panu králi řekl, že jsi hrabě.“
ruhého dne se kocour vydal opět na lov a králi přinesl bohatý úlovek. Tak to šlo i třetí den a čtvrtý i ten desátý a každý den přinesl domů zlato a nejen to, král si kocoura v botách oblíbil, mohl si chodit i smýčit po zámku jak chtěl a nebylo nikoho, kdo by mu chtěl zkřivit vlásek. Jednou se zase kocour vyhříval u kamen v královské kuchyni, když tu přišel kočí a láteřil: „K čertu s králem i princeznou! Chtěl jsem jít do hospody, dát si něco k pití a zahrát si karty, místo toho s nimi musím k jezeru!“ Jak to kocour uslyšel, pelášil do mlýna a řekl svému pánovi: „Jestli chceš být bohatý a k tomu hrabě, pojď se mnou ven k jezeru a vlez do vody.“ Jinoch nevěděl, co si s takovým nápadem počít, ale protože bylo zatím vše, co kocour udělal, k dobrému, poslechl a šel s ním. U jezera se svlékl se a skočil do vody. Kocour vzal jeho šaty a někam je schoval. A už tam byl král i princezna, přijeli v krásném kočáře a pod kola se jim vrhnul kocour, který lamentoval a naříkal: „Ach, nejurozenější králi, byl tu zloděj a mému pánu, urozenému hraběti, který se tu v jezeru koupal, ukradl šaty! Teď je ubohý hrabě ve vodě a nemůže ven, jestli tam ještě nějakou chvíli zůstane, určitě prochladne a umře.“ Jen to král uslyšel, nechal zastavit a jeden z jeho lidí musel na zámek, aby přinesl královské šaty. Když si pan hrabě si ty nádherné šaty oblékl, vypadal k světu, to se líbilo králi i princezně a nedali jinak než, že si musí sednout k nim do kočáru.
ocour běžel po svých napřed a ocitl se na jedné obrovské louce, kde přes sto sekáčů kosilo seno. „Čípak je ta louka lidičky?“ zeptal se. „Jednoho mocného kouzelníka.“ odvětili mu. „Poslouchejte, brzy tudy pojede král. Když se vás bude ptát, komu patří ta louka, raději mu odpovězte, že panu hraběti, jinak se král nezná vzteky a všechny vás zabijí.“ Potom běžel kocour dál a dorazil na velikánské žitné pole, políčko, kde žalo dvě sta ženců obilí. „Komu patří to žito, lidičky?“ zeptal se. „Jednomu mocnému kouzelníkovi.“ odvětili. „Poslouchejte, brzy tudy pojede král. Když se vás bude ptát, komu patří to pole, raději mu odpovězte, že panu hraběti, jinak se král nezná vzteky a všechny vás zabijí.“ A běžel dál, až doběhnul do hustého černého lesa, kde kácelo tři sta dřevorubců mohutné buky. „Komupak patří ten les, lidičky?“ zeptal se. „Jednomu mocnému kouzelníkovi.“ odvětili. „Poslouchejte, brzy tudy pojede král. Když se vás bude ptát, komu patří ten les, raději mu odpovězte, že panu hraběti, jinak se král nezná vzteky a všechny vás zabijí.“ Kdo by odporoval kocourovi, který chodí světem v botách a k tomu ještě mluví?
atímco se lidi radili, co to má všechno znamenat, dorazil kocour do čarodějova zámku a hned se hnal dovnitř. Čaroděj se tvářil nevrle a přezíravě se ptal, co tu pohledává. Ale kocour se měl k úkloně a k lichotce: „Slyšel jsem, že se umíš proměnit v jakékoliv zvíře, co jich na světě je, prý v psa, lišku nebo vlka. Inu, tomu bych i věřil! Ale proměnit se ve slona, to se mi zdá zhola nemožné, a proto jsem přišel, abych se sám přesvědčil.“ Kouzelník pravil pyšně: „To je pro mne maličkost.“ A byl tu slon! „Hm, to je dobré! A co takhle lev? To bys taky uměl?“ „To také nic není.“ ušklíbnul se čaroděj a byl tu lev! Kocour se stavěl strachy bez sebe a zvolal: „To je neuvěřitelné a neslýchané! Něco takového bych si ani ve snu nepomyslel. Ale co v malé zvířátko, třeba myš, to bys taky dokázal? To bys byl pak opravdu ten největší čaroděj na světě!“ Čarodějové si rádi přihýbají z pohárů lichotek a tento byl málem opilý: „Ano, milý kocourku, to umím také.“ A byla tu myš! Inu, ne dlouho. Kocourovi stačil jeden skok a bylo po ní, jen se olíznul, jak to už kocouři dělají.
a vybraná společnost zatím přijela k louce. „Komu patří to seno, lidičky?“ zeptal se král. „Panu hraběti! Panu hraběti! “ volali nakonec všichni, jak jim kocour poradil. „Máte pěkný kousek země, pane hrabě.“ řekl král. Potom přijeli k žitnému poli. „Komu patří to obilí, lidičky?“ „Panu hraběti! Panu hraběti!“ znělo jednohlasně. „Máte velký a krásný lán, pane hrabě.“ řekl král. A u lesa to bylo podobné. „Komu patří to dřevo, lidičky?“ ptal se král. „Panu hraběti! Panu hraběti!“ volali všichni. Král se podivil ještě víc a řekl: „Vy musíte být opravdu bohatý muž, pane hrabě, nemyslím, že já sám mám tak nádherný les.“ Konečně přijeli k zámku, kocour stál na schodech, a když dole zastavil kočár, otevřel dveře a řekl: „Pane králi, přijeli jste na zámek mého pána, je to pro nás ta nejvyšší pocta.“ A ten zámek byl větší a krásnější než královský zámek, a tak král udělal to nejlepší, co mohl a dal hraběti princeznu za ženu.
dyž král umřel, stal se hrabě králem a kocour? Inu, ten byl přeci jeho prvním ministrem!
