e could assume, Puss marched up to the castle with his boots on, and
asked to see the owner of it, saying that he was on his travels, but
did not wish to pass so near the castle of such a noble gentleman
without paying his respects to him. When the Ogre heard this message,
he went to the door, received the cat as civilly as an Ogre can, and
begged him to walk in and repose himself.

"Thank you, sir," said the cat; "but first I hope you will satisfy a
traveller's curiosity. I have heard in far countries of your many
remarkable qualities, and especially how you have the power to change
yourself into any sort of beast you choose--a lion for instance, or an
elephant."

"That is quite true," replied the Ogre; "and lest you should doubt it,
I will immediately become a lion."

He did so; and the cat was so frightened that he sprang up to the roof
of the castle and hid himself in the gutter--a proceeding rather
inconvenient on account of his boots, which were not exactly fitted to
walk with upon tiles. At length, perceiving that the Ogre had resumed
his original form, he came down again stealthily, and confessed that
he had been very much frightened.

"But, sir," said he, "it may be easy enough for such a big gentleman
as you to change himself into a large animal: I do not suppose you
can become a small one--a rat or mouse for instance. I have heard
that you can; still, for my part, I consider it quite impossible."

"Impossible!" cried the other, indignantly. "You shall see!" and
immediately the cat saw the Ogre no longer, but a little mouse running
along on the floor.

This was exactly what he wanted; and he did the very best a cat could
do, and the most natural under the circumstances--he sprang upon the
mouse and gobbled it up in a trice. So there was an end of the Ogre.

By this time the king had arrived opposite the castle, and was seized
with a strong desire to enter it. The cat, hearing the noise of the
carriage-wheels, ran forward in a great hurry, and standing at the
gate, said in a loud voice, "Welcome, sire, to the castle of my lord
the Marquis of Carabas."

"What!" cried his majesty, very much surprised, "does the castle also
belong to you? Truly, Marquis, you have kept your secret well up to
the last minute. I have never seen anything finer than this courtyard
and these battlements. Indeed, I have nothing like them in the whole
of my dominions."

The Marquis, without speaking, offered his hand to the pri