Puss in Boots (Perrault)

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Puss in Boots

1697

Summary of the Fairy Tale

Microsummary: A clever cat helped a poor young man by tricking a king into believing he was wealthy. The cat then outsmarted an ogre, securing a castle for the man, who married the king's daughter.

A miller passed away, leaving his three sons a mill, an ass, and a cat. The youngest son inherited the cat and was initially disappointed with his share. However, the cat turned out to be very clever and promised to help the young man improve his fortune.

👦🏻

Youngest Son (Marquis of Carabas) — protagonist; miller's youngest son; handsome, comely; initially disappointed with his inheritance but later becomes wealthy and important.

The cat requested a pair of boots and a pouch, which the son provided.

🐱

Puss (The Cat) — clever, cunning cat; wears boots; helps the youngest son by tricking the king and the ogre; becomes a person of importance.

The cat, wearing the boots, began to bring gifts of game to the king, claiming they were from his master, the Marquis of Carabas. The king was impressed by these gifts.

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The King — ruler of the kingdom; impressed by the supposed wealth and status of the Marquis of Carabas; allows the youngest son to marry his daughter.

One day, the cat learned that the king and his daughter were going for a ride along the river. The cat instructed the youngest son to bathe in the river and leave the rest to him.

'If you will do as I tell you,' said Puss to his master, 'your fortune is made. You have only to go and bathe in the river at the spot which I shall point out to you. Leave the rest to me.'

As the king approached, the cat cried out that the Marquis of Carabas was drowning. The king recognized the cat and ordered his men to save the young man.

The cat then told the king that his master's clothes had been stolen while he was bathing. The king provided the Marquis of Carabas with a fine suit of clothes, and the young man looked very handsome in them. The king invited him to join their ride, and the princess became smitten with the Marquis.

The clever cat went ahead of the group, threatening peasants and harvesters to claim that their lands belonged to the Marquis of Carabas. The king was amazed by the supposed wealth of the Marquis. The cat then arrived at a splendid castle owned by an ogre. The cat tricked the ogre into turning into a mouse, which the cat promptly ate. When the king arrived, the cat claimed the castle belonged to the Marquis of Carabas.

The king was so impressed by the Marquis's wealth and status that he offered his daughter's hand in marriage.

'It rests with you, marquis, whether you will be my son-in-law.' The marquis, bowing very low, accepted the honour which the king bestowed upon him. The very same day he married the princess.

The Marquis accepted, and they were married that day. The cat became a person of great importance and stopped hunting mice, except for amusement.