Le Château du Chat Botté
(The Castle of Puss in Boots)
Once upon a time... in the region of Charente-Maritime in France...
A miller’s youngest son inherited… a cat.
While his brothers scored the mill and mules, he got fur and disappointment.
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But this was no ordinary cat—it talked, it schemed, and it demanded boots.
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Boots on, Puss snagged a rabbit.
And waltzed into the royal court, and gifted it to the king, claiming it came from his master the grand Marquis of Carabas
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(a title he completely made up).
The king, impressed, became a regular customer for these “Marquis” treats.
One day, Puss had his master strip and jump in a river.
When the king’s carriage passed, the cat cried,
“Help! The Marquis has been robbed!”
The king dressed the lad in royal clothes, gave him a lift, and, naturally, the princess fell in love with him.
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L’Histoire du Chat Botté
(The story of Puss in Boots)
Meanwhile, Puss dashed ahead, to a nearby castle,
Château de Crazannes to be exact...
It was here where Puss met an ogre with a flair for transformations.
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The ogre roared turnning Into a lion, nearly scaring the boots off Puss,
but the cat kept his cool.
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“Impressive" said Puss "Can you also turn into a mouse?”
The ogre obliged.
The ogre, now a mouse. Puss took his chance and pounced.
Dinner was served.
When the king’s carriage arrived at the ogre-free castle, he assumed it was part of the cats masters vast estate.
Delighted, he handed over his daughter’s hand in marriage. ​
The Marquis and princess lived happily ever after,
at Château de Crazannes...while Puss retired in luxury, chasing mice only for sport.
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Moral?
Fake it till you make it—and always trust the cat.