lect a suit of his finest clothes
for the marquis of Carabas.

The king received the marquis with many compliments, and as the fine
clothes which the latter had just put on set off his good looks (for he
was handsome and comely in appearance), the king's daughter found him
very much to her liking. Indeed, the marquis of Carabas had not bestowed
more than two or three respectful but sentimental glances upon her when
she fell madly in love with him. The king invited him to enter the coach
and join the party.

[Illustration: '_The cat went on ahead_']

Delighted to see his plan so successfully launched, the cat went on
ahead, and presently came upon some peasants who were mowing a field.

'Listen, my good fellows,' said he; 'if you do not tell the king that
the field which you are mowing belongs to the marquis of Carabas, you
will all be chopped up into little pieces like mince-meat.'

[Illustration: _Puss in Boots_]

In due course the king asked the mowers to whom the field on which they
were at work belonged.

'It is the property of the marquis of Carabas,' they all cried with one
voice, for the threat from Puss had frightened them.

'You have inherited a fine estate,' the king remarked to Carabas.

'As you see for yourself, Sire,' replied the marquis; 'this is a meadow
which never fails to yield an abundant crop each year.'

Still travelling ahead, the cat came upon some harvesters.

'Listen, my good fellows,' said he; 'if you do not declare that every
one of these fields belongs to the marquis of Carabas, you will all be
chopped up into little bits like mince-meat.'

The king came by a moment later, and wished to know who was the owner of
the fields in sight.

'It is the marquis of Carabas,' cried the harvesters.

At this the king was more pleased than ever with the marquis.

Preceding the coach on its journey, the cat made the same threat to all
whom he met, and the king grew astonished at the great wealth of the
marquis of Carabas.

Finally Master Puss reached a splendid castle, which belonged to an
ogre. He was the richest ogre that had ever been known, for all the
lands through which the king had passed were part of the castle domain.

The cat had taken care to find out who this ogre was, and what powers he
possessed. He now asked for an interview, declaring that he was
unwilling to pass so close to the castle without having the honour of
paying his respects to the owner.

The ogre received hi