Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a rich man whose ways are perverse (Proverbs 28:6).

Once upon a time, there lived a farmer who had three sons.  When the farmer died, his estate was divided among the three sons.  The oldest received the farm and the family's only work-horse.  The second son received the house and the family's only milk-cow.  And the youngest son received nothing but the family cat.

One day, the youngest son was sitting on a tree stump, watching his cat, when he started to complain about his lot in life.  "My brothers are able to make a living from the inheritance that was left to them by my father.  But what am I to do with this cat!  I do not even have enough food and milk for myself, let alone a cat.  Soon we will die of hunger."

The cat heard his new master's complains and spoke up.  "Do not worry, my master.  If you will only give me a bag and a pair of boots, you shall see that your inheritance is not as bad as you think."  The cat's master complied with these requests, and watched as the cat pulled on the boots, threw the bag over his shoulder, and walked forth as Puss-in-Boots.

As Puss-in-Boots approached the forest, he noticed a number of rabbits nibbling clover in the cool evening twilight.  Quickly, he removed his boots, place the bag off to the side, and pounced upon the unsuspecting rabbits -- successfully capturing and killing three prize hares.  Immediately, the cat stuffed the hares into the bag and pulled on the boots, and then he marched directly to the palace where he presented the game to the king.  Bowing low, the cat said, "Sire, I have brought these rabbits for you from the warren of my master, the Marquis of Carabas."

The king was very much pleased with the gift, though he had never heard of the Marquis of Carabas before (because the cat had made the title up).  "Please tell your master that I am most pleased with his gifts," said the king.  Over the next several weeks, the cat repeated the scenario again and again, with various gifts of game presented to the king.  And each time, the king replied, "Please tell your master that I am most pleased with his gifts."

Then one day, Puss-in-Boots instructed his master:  "We must go to the river at once and bathe at the place where I show you."  The cat's master did exactly as he was told, and while he was bathing the king passed by in his carriage, riding with his daughter, the loveliest princess in the world.  As the royal carriage approached the spot where the cat's master was bathing, Puss-in-Boots began to cry out:  "Help!  Help!  My lord, the Marquis of Carabas, is drowning in the river!  Help, please, I beseech you!"

The king immediately called for his servants to rescue the young man from the river.  When he was presented to the king, the cat explained that thieves had ambushed his master, the Marquis of Carabas, and run off with all of his carriage and clothes -- though in fact the cat had simply hidden the poor boy's clothes beneath a rock.  Immediately, the king called for the finest clothes from his royal wardrobe and the boy was richly arrayed in royal splendor.  Then the young man was asked to join the king and his daughter in the carriage, while Puss-in-Boots waited outside.

"I have heard much about thee, the Marquis of Carabas," said the king.

The boy looked over his shoulder, trying to ascertain to whom the king was addressing his comments.  "Yeah, umm... Who is that, exactly?" said the boy, bewildered.

"Is it not thee, my lord?" asked the king.  "Is the Puss-in-Boots not thy servant?"

"Oh, right!  The cat.  Yes, that's my cat.  I don't know where he came up with the whole Marquis of Carabas thing, though!"

Outside the carriage, a spurt of hissing could be heard, as the cat overheard the unraveling of his plan.  He immediately jumped up onto the foot of the carriage.  "My lord," he said, "shall we not ride through the countryside and show his majesty the extent of your holdings in the area?"  As near as possible for a cat, he tried to wink at his master, desperate to regain control of the situation.

"What 'holdings in the area?'" said the boy.  "You're the only 'holdings' I've got, you silly old cat!" he exclaimed.  "You see, your majesty, my Dad died a couple of months ago.  And my older brothers got all the good stuff..."

"Silence!" the king roared.  "What is this?  What sabotage?  What trickery?"  Has this cursed Puss-in-Boots been deceiving me?"

The color drained from the boy's face, and he looked at the cat.  "What have you been doing, cat?  Have you been playing tricks on the king?"  The boy turned his attention to the king:  "I swear, your majesty, I had no idea what the cat was doing..."

"You fool!" said the king.  "Do you take me for a fool?  Your cat has been making a mockery of my court.  And you have let him do it.  Not only have you let him do it, but you have allowed yourself to take orders from a cat -- presenting your indecency to my daughter, in your perverse ignorance.  I will not have it!" the king pounded his fist on the armrest beside him.  The princess covered her eyes in shame.  The boy and the cat looked at each other in panic and then immediately bolted out the door and into the forest.

Since that day, no one has ever seen the poor boy and the Puss-in-Boots.  But the king and his daughter, they lived happily ever after.