One day a special invitation arrived at Cinderella’s house. It was from the royal palace. The king’s only son was a truly handsome prince was going to have a grand ball. Three girls were invited to come. Cinderella knew she wouldn’t be allowed to go to the ball. But the ugly sisters, ho ho ho, they were excited. They couldn’t talk about anything else.

When the day of the ball came, they made such a fuss. Poor Cinderella had to rush about upstairs and downstairs.  She fixed their hair in fancy waves and curls. She helped them put on their expensive new dresses. And she arranged their jewels just so. As soon as they had gone, Cinderella sat down by the fire and she said. “Oh I do wish I could go to the ball”.

The next moment, standing beside her was a lovely old lady with a silver wand in here hand. “Cinderella, she said ” I am your fairy godmother and you shall go to the ball. But first you must go into the garden and pick a golden pumpkin, then bring me six mice from the mousetraps, a whiskered rat from the rat trap, and six lizards. You’ll find the lizards behind the watering can.

So Cinderella fetched a golden pumpkin, six grey mice, a whiskered rate, six lizards. The fairy godmother touched them with her wand and the pumpkin became a golden coach, the mice became six grey horses, the rat became a coachman with the most enormous moustache, and the lizards became six footmen dressed in green and yellow, then the fairy godmother touched Cinderella with the wand and her old dress became a golden dress sparkling with jewels while on her feet was the prettiest pair of glass slippers ever seen.

Remember said the fairy godmother you must leave the ball before the clock strikes twelve because at midnight the magic ends. “Thank you fairy godmother” said Cinderella and she climbed into the coach.

When Cinderella arrived at the ball she looked so beautiful that everyone wondered who she was! Even the ugly sisters. The Prince of course asked here to dance with him and they danced all evening. He would not dance with anyone else. Now Cinderella was enjoying the ball so much that she forgot her fairy godmothers warning until it was almost midnight and the clock began to strike. One. Two. Three. She hurried out of the ballroom. Four. Five. Six. As she ran down the palace steps one of her glass slippers fell off. Seven. Eight. Nine. She ran on toward the golden coach. Ten Eleven Twelve. Then there was Cinderella in her old dress. The golden pumpkin lay in her feet. And scampering down off down the road were six grey mice, a whiskered rat and six green lizards.. So Cinderella had to walk home and by the time the ugly sisters returned home was sitting quietly by the fire.

Now when Cinderella ran from the palace, the prince tried to follow her and he found the glass slipper. He said, “I shall marry the beautiful girl whose foot fits this slipper and only her. IN the morning the prince went from house to house with the glass slipper and every young lady tried to squeeze her foot into it. But it didn’t’ fit any of them.

At last the prince came to Cinderella’s house. First one ugly sister tried to squash her foot into the slipper. But her foot was too wide and fat. Then the other ugly sister tried but her foot was too long and thin. Please said Cinderella, let me try. “The slipper won’t fit you”, said the ugly sisters. “You didn’t go to the ball!” But Cinderella slipped her foot into the glass slipper and it fit perfectly. The next moment standing beside her was the fairy godmother. She touched Cinderella with the wand and there she was in a golden dress sparkling with jewels and on her feet was the prettiest pair of glass slippers ever seen. The ugly sisters were so surprised that, for once they couldn’t think of anything to say. But the Prince knew what to say. He asked Cinderella to marry him.

And then there was a happy wedding. Everyone who had gone to the ball was invited, even the ugly sisters. There was wonderful food, lots of music and dancing. And the Prince of course danced every dance with Cinderella. He would not dance with anyone else.

That I’m worth less than a half-ruined mill or a mangy donkey? Give me a cloak, a hat with a feather in it, a bag and a pair of boots, and you will see what I can do.” The young man, by no means surprised, for it was quite common for cats to talk in those days, gave the cat what he asked for, and as he strode away, confident and cheerful. the cat said. “Don’t look so glum, Master. See you soon!”

Swift of foot as he was, the cat caught a fat wild rabbit, popped it into his bag, knocked at the castle gate, went before the King and, removing his hat, with a sweeping bow, he said: “Sire, the famous Marquis of Carabas sends you this fine plump rabbit as a gift.” “Oh,” said the King, “thanks so much.” “Till tomorrow,” replied the cat as he went out.

And the next day, back he came with some partridges tucked away in his bag. “Another gift from the brave Marquis of Carabas,” he announced. The Queen remarked, “This Marquis of Carabas is indeed a very courteous gentleman.” In the days that followed, Puss in Boots regularly visited the castle, carrying rabbits, hares, partridges and skylarks, presenting them all to the King in the name of the Marquis of Carabas. Folk at the palace began to talk about this noble gentleman. “He must be a great hunter,” someone remarked. “He must be very loyal to the King,” said someone else.

And yet another, “But who is he? I’ve never heard of him.” At this someone who wanted to show people how much he knew, replied, “Oh, yes, I’ve heard his name before. In fact, I knew his father.” The Queen was very interested in this generous man who sent these gifts. “Is your master young and handsome?” she asked the cat. “Oh yes. And very rich, too,” answered Puss in Boots.

“In fact, he would be very honoured if you and the King called to see him in his castle.” When the cat returned home and told his master that the King and Queen were going to visit him, he was horrified. “Whatever shall we do?” he cried. “As soon as they see me they will know how poor I am.” “Leave everything to me,” replied Puss in Boots. “I have a plan.”

For several days, the crafty cat kept on taking gifts to the King and Queen, and one day he discovered that they were taking the Princess on a carriage ride that very afternoon. The cat hurried home in great excitement. “Master, come along,” he cried. “It is time to carry out my plan. You must go for a swim in the river.” “But I can’t swim,” replied the young man.

“That’s all right,” replied Puss in Boots. “Just trust me.” So they went to the river and when the King’s carriage appeared the cat pushed his master into the water. “Help!” cried the cat. “The Marquis of Carabas is drowning.” The King heard his cries and sent his escorts to the rescue. They arrived just in time to save the poor man, who really was drowning.

The King, the Queen and the Princess fussed around and ordered new clothes to be brought for the Marquis of Carabas. “Wouldn’t you like to marry such a handsome man?” the Queen asked her daughter. “Oh, yes,” replied the Princess. However, the cat overheard one of the ministers remark that they must find out how rich he was. “He is very rich indeed,” said Puss in Boots.

“He owns the castle and all this land. Come and see for yourself. I will meet you at the castle.” And with these words, the cat rushed off in the direction of the castle, shouting at the peasants working in the fields, “If anyone asks you who your master is, answer: the Marquis of Carabas. Otherwise you will all be sorry.”

And so, when the King’s carriage swept past, the peasants told the King that their master was the Marquis of Carabas. In the meantime, Puss in Boots had arrived at the castle, the home of a huge, cruel ogre. Before knocking at the gate, the cat said to himself, “I must be very careful, or I’ll never get out of here alive.”

When the door opened, Puss in Boots removed his feather hat, exclaiming, “My Lord Ogre, my respects!” “What do you want, cat?” asked the ogre rudely. “Sire, I’ve heard you possess great powers. That, for instance, you can change into a lion or an elephant.” “That’s perfectly true,” said the ogre, “and so what?” “Well,” said the cat, “I was talking to certain friends of mine who said that you can’t turn into a tiny little creature, like a mouse.”

“Oh, so that’s what they say, is it?” exclaimed the ogre. The cat nodded, “Well, Sire, that’s my opinion too, because folk that can do big things never can manage little ones.” “Oh, yes? Well, just watch this!” retorted the ogre, turning into a mouse.

In a flash, the cat leapt on the mouse and ate it whole. Then he dashed to the castle gate, just in time, for the King’s carriage was drawing up. With a bow, Puss in Boots said, “Sire, welcome to the castle of the Marquis of Carabas!” The King and Queen, the Princess and the miller’s son who, dressed in his princely clothes, really did look like a marquis, got out of the carriage and the King spoke: “My dear Marquis, you’re a fine, handsome, young man, you have a great deal of land and a magnificent castle. Tell me, are you married?”

“No,” the young man answered, “but I would like to find a wife.” He looked at the Princess as he spoke. She in turn smiled at him. To cut a long story short, the miller’s son, now Marquis of Carabas, married the Princess and lived happily with her in the castle. And from time to time, the cat would wink and whisper, “You see, Master, I am worth a lot more than any mangy donkey or half-ruined mill, aren’t I?”