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Puss in Boots

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Puss in Boots

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A miller died and left his youngest son nothing but a cat. The boy lamented his fate, but the cat spoke up: 'Give me a bag and a pair of boots, and you shall see what I can do.' The cat caught rabbits and partridges in the bag and presented them to the king as gifts from the 'Marquis of Carabas.'

Puss then tricked the king into believing his master was wealthy. He persuaded the ogre who owned the finest lands to transform into a mouse, then ate him and claimed the castle. When the king arrived, he found the miller's son in splendid estate and gave him his daughter in marriage. The cat became a great lord.

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Cultural Note

The oldest known version is by Italian writer Giovanni Francesco Straparola in the 1550s, though Charles Perrault's 1697 version made it famous across Europe.

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Editorial Review

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Reviewed by

Dr. Eleanor Vance, Folklore Studies

Last updated

April 1, 2026

Sources & References

  • 1.Aarne, A. & Thompson, S.The Types of the Folktale (1961)
  • 2.Lindahl, C.European Folklore: An Encyclopedia (2004)
  • 3.Dorson, R.Peasant Customs and Savage Myths (1968)

Community Discussion

F
FolkloreFan2 days ago

I love how this variant emphasizes the role of the magical helper. It's so different from the version I grew up with!

S
Scholar_Jane5 hours ago

The ATU 510A classification really helps in seeing the structural similarities with Ye Xian. Fascinating stuff.

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