15
attendants to go directly to the assistance of my lord marquis of Carabas.
While they were employed in taking the marquis out of the river, the cat ran to the king's carriage and told his majesty that while his master was bathing some thieves had run off with his clothes as they lay by the river side, the cunning cat all the time having hid them under a large stone.
The king hearing this, commanded the officers of his wardrobe to fetch one of the handsomest suits it contained, and present it to my lord marquis of Carabas, at the same time loading him with a thousand attentions. As the fine clothes they brought him made him look like a gentleman, and set off his person, which was very comely, to the greatest advantage, the king's daughter was mightily taken with his appearance, and the marquis of Carabas had no sooner cast upon her two or three respectful glances, than she became violently in love with him.
The king insisted on his getting into the carriage, and taking a ridc with them. The cat, enchanted to see how well his scheme was likely to succeed, ran before to a meadow that was reaping, and said to the reapers, "Good people, if you do not tell the king, who will soon pass this way, that the meadow you are rcaping belongs to my lord marquis of Carabas, you shall be chopped as small as minced meat."
The king did not fail to ask the reapers to whom the mcadow belonged. "To my lord marquis of Carabas," said they all at once; for the threats of the cat had terribly frightened them. "You have here a very fine piece of land, my lord marquis," said the king. "Truly, sire," replied he, "it docs not fail to bring me every year a plentiful harvest."
The cat, which still went on before, now came to a field where some other labourers were making sheaves of the corn they had reaped, to whom he said as before, "Good people, if you do not tell the king, who will presently pass this way, that the corn you have reaped in this field belongs to my lord marquis of Carabas, you shall be chopped as small as minced meat."
The king accordingly passed a moment after, and inquired to whom the corn he saw belonged. "To my lord marquis of Carabas," answered they very glibly; upon which the king again complimented the marquis on his noble possessions.
The cat still continued to go before, and gave the same charge to all the people he met with; so that the king was greatly astonished at the splendid fortune of my lord marquis of Carabas.
Puss at length arrived at a stately eastle, which belonged
