was once a miller who had three sons; and he had nothing else in the world but his mill, an old donkey, and a cat. When he came to die it was not much trouble to divide the property. The eldest son took the mill, and the second son took the donkey; and so there was nothing left for the youngest son but the cat. It was rather a poor start for the young man, and instead of going to work as he ought to have done, he sat down and began to cry.

"What will become of me?" he said. Jack and John can do well enough with the mill and the donkey, but what in the world can I do with nothing but a cat? I might kill him and eat him and sell his skin for a loaf of bread; but how long would that keep me alive?"

The cat had heard every word, and now came up and rubbed against his knee.

"My dear master," said the little beast, "if you only had what belongs to you, you would be as rich as the best of them."

The young man stroked the cat's back, and said: "Nothing belongs to me but you, my poor puss!"

"If you will only get me a strong game bag and a pair of boots," said the cat, "I will show you some things that you do not know."

The young man had seen the cat at his tricks many times. He had seen him hide himself in the meal tub and then spring out at the rats which came there after something to eat; and he had seen him play that he was dead until the mice came out of their holes, and then, snap! dash! he had them all under his paw. But how were such tricks as those going to help matters now? The young man could not believe they would help at all; and yet, to please the cat, he borrowed a bag from his brother the miller, and went in debt for a pair of boots.

When Puss had drawn the boots upon his feet and hung the bag about his neck, he told his master to be brave, and trust him for the rest. Then he set off for a field where he knew there were a good many rabbits. As soon as he came to the field he sprinkled a little bran in the bottom of the bag and left the mouth of it wide open so as to tempt the rabbits to venture into it. Then he lay down upon the ground and shut his eyes as though he were asleep.

Soon a foolish young rabbit which was passing that way smelled the bran, and being very hungry, hopped right into the bag. Puss drew the strings quickly, and the fellow was caught safe and tight.

Now it so happened that the King's palace was only a little way off, and to it the cat went with the rabbit under his arm.

"Please, sir, I want to speak to the King," he said to the servant at the door.

The servant led him upstairs into the King's great hall, and there he saw the King himself with his crown on his head. The cat made a low bow and said:

"May it please your royal highness, I have brought you a rabbit which my master sends you as a token of his love."

"Your master! Who is he?"

"The Marquis of Carabas, sir," said the cat, and he bowed very low.

"Tell your master that I thank him," said the King; and Puss took his leave and went proudly home.

Two or three days after that, the cat went into the cornfield, and hid himself, with the mouth of the bag standing open. This time a brace of quails flew in, and he carried them to the King. The King again sent his thanks to the cat's master, and, what was almost as good, he gave a nice little present to the cat.

Things went on in this way for five or six months. Every few days Puss carried some game to the King, and the King wondered who in the world this Marquis of Carabas could be, who was so good at hunting.

One day Puss heard that the King and his daughters were going to drive along the road by the river, and he ran to speak to his master.

"The time has come for me to tell you a secret," he said.

"Tell it, then," said the young man.

"Well, you must know," said the cat, "that all the land on both sides of the river for the space of ten miles belongs to you."

"How is that?" asked his master.

"Years and years ago," said the cat, "your great-grandfather owned that land; and it ought to have gone to your grandfather, who was his third son, and then to your father, who was his third son, and then to you. But a wicked ogre who lives in a great castle beyond the forest cheated your great-grandfather and took it for his own. If you had your rights, you would be the Marquis of Carabas to-day; for that was the title which your great-great-grandfather held."

"But how am I to get my rights?" asked the young man. "If I should set up a claim for the lands which you tell me about, everybody would call me mad."

"Do as I say," said the cat, "and you will be the luckiest man in the world. All you need to do is to go and bathe in the river where I tell you. I will manage the rest."