Кот в сапогах

           Therewasamiller,wholeftnomoreestatetothethreesonshehad,thanhisMill,hisAss,andhisCat. Thepartitionwassoonmade.Neitherthescrivenernorattorneyweresentfor.Theywouldsoonhaveeatenupallthepoorpatrimony. TheeldesthadtheMill,thesecondtheAss,andtheyoungestnothingbuttheCat. 

           Thepooryoungfellowwasquitecomfortlessathavingsopooralot. 

           "Mybrothers,"saidhe,"maygettheirlivinghandsomelyenough,byjoiningtheirstockstogether;butformypart,whenIhaveeatenupmyCat,andmademeamuffofhisskin,Imustdiewithhunger." 

           TheCat,whoheardallthis,butmadeasifhedidnot,saidtohimwithagraveandseriousair: 

           "Donotthusafflictyourself,mygoodmaster;youhaveonlytogivemeabag,andgetapairofbootsmadeforme,thatImayscamperthro’thedirtandthebrambles,andyoushallseethatyouhavenotsobadaportionofmeasyouimagine." 

           Tho’theCat’smasterdidnotbuildverymuchuponwhathesaid,hehadhoweveroftenseenhimplayagreatmanycunningtrickstocatchratsandmice;aswhenheusedtohangbytheheels,orhidehimselfinthemeal,andmakeasifheweredead;sothathedidnotaltogetherdespairofhisaffordinghimsomehelpinhismiserablecondition. 

           WhentheCathadwhatheaskedfor,hebootedhimselfverygallantly;andputtinghisbagabouthisneck,heheldthestringsofitinhistwoforepaws,andwentintoawarrenwherewasgreatabundanceofrabbits.