| Plot Summary |
An old miller, feeling that his end is near, assembles his three sons to divide his property among them. He leaves his mill to the oldest, his land and property to the second, and when his youngest son enters he has nothing to give him any more but the old, purring cat. After this the old man dies. The youngest son, despaired for having been so badly served, mourns over his sad lot, when the cat, getting suddenly taller, caresses and comforts him, telling him that she is in a position to procure him a fortune and honors. She asks him to dress her, and begs him to give her a pair of boots, hat and a wallet. Having left her master, the cat goes in the forest, where a lot of young rabbits are frolicking. She suddenly appears in the midst of them, provided with a bag, and seizes one, which she puts in the bag and carries it away. The cat then runs to the King's palace, where she offers the rabbit to the King as a present of his master, Marquis of Carabas. She asks her master to go to the bank of the river, take his clothes off and throw himself in the river, pretending to be drowning, at the very moment when the King's coach is passing by, wherein the King with the Princess is taking a ride. The miller's son jumps into the water. The coach stops, the King alights, followed by the Princess, and orders the servants to help the young man. The Princess, seeing the charming young man, falls in love with him. The King invites him to get into the coach, and the three ride towards the palace. The cat, in the meantime, went to the corn fields, where country men and women are harvesting. She asks the reapers to tell the King when his coach passes by that all these fields are the property of the Marquis of Carabas. If they do not tell so they will be minced in pie meat. The king's coach appears; he asks whose fields these are. They belong to the Marquis of Carabas answer the countrymen. While the King is reviewing the Marquis of Carabas' estate, the cat goes to the Ogres's Castle, asking him if it is true that he can assume any form he likes. The Ogre, to show his cleverness, changes himself immediately into a roaring lion. The cat admires this, but says she does not believe that he can make himself into one of the smallest animals, and asks him to transform himself into a rat, which the Ogre does. The cat immediately catches the rat and eats her up. The cat then goes to the dining room, where the servants are preparing a great dinner for the Ogre and tells them that they are released and that the castle and everything in it belongs now to the Marquis of Carabas. Soon after this the King and Princess enter, followed by their court. The young miller's son, who has been informed by the cat of the situation, does the honor of his house to his royal guests.
Written by Lubin Catalog
|
