op!"

At once the axe began to chop, now right, now left, and up and down,
till the branches tumbled down on the giant's head like hail in autumn.

"Stop, stop!" cried the giant. "Don't destroy my forest. Who the
mischief are you?"

"Sit down and I'll tell you the story of the famous Puss in Boots, who
once killed a giant and gave his castle to his Master, the Lord of
Carabas," said Ned.

"How could a cat kill a giant? You are making sport of me."

"Not at all," replied Ned. "Have you never read the story of Puss in
Boots?"

"No, but I once heard my cousin, the Giant of the Beanstalk, speak of a
cat who wore boots. But that was long ago when we were both boys."

"Well, I'll tell you then," said Ned. "Puss in Boots' master was the
youngest of three sons. When their father died, the two older brothers
received the farm and money, while he was left nothing but a Cat, who
said to him one day, 'Do just what I tell you and I will make you rich.
Give me a bag and a pair of boots, because the brambles scratch my legs,
and you shall see what I will do for you.'

"Well, when the boots were made and he had put them on, he hung the bag
about his neck, and set out for a rabbit warren where lived great
numbers of rabbits. Opening the bag he stretched himself out as though
he were dead, and waited for a hungry rabbit to poke his nose into the
bag to eat the bran. Pretty soon along came a young rabbit and as soon
as it had crept in to eat the bran, Puss in Boots pulled the string, and
that was the last of the little rabbit.

"Then, running off to the palace, he gave it to the king, saying it was
a present from his master, my Lord of Carabas, the name he had invented
for his young master. Every day he brought some kind of game, until by
and by the king thought my Lord of Carabas a great man and Puss in Boots
a most wonderful cat, which indeed he was."

"He was indeed," said the big giant, moving uneasily on the log on which
he was sitting.

"Well, one day," continued Ned, "Puss in Boots bade his master bathe in
the river, and leave the rest to him. Just then the King passed by.

"'Help, help!' cried Puss. 'Robbers have stolen my master's clothes!'

"At once the king ordered his guards to the rescue, and fitting out my
Lord of Carabas with a new suit of clothes, invited him to ride in the
coach with his beautiful daughter.

"As they rolled along they came in sight of a castle owned by a bad
giant."

MAGIC FOOD