The Cat in Boots

HSK 5 · 358 characters · Classic Fables

A clever cat helps a young man.

从前cóng qián，一个yī ge磨坊主mò fáng zhǔ去世qù shì后hòu，Once upon a time, a miller died.留给liú gěi三个sān gè儿子ér zi的de财产cái chǎn只有zhǐ yǒu磨坊mò fáng、驴子lǘ zi和hé一只yī zhī猫māo。He left his three sons only a mill, a donkey, and a cat.小儿子xiǎo ér zi分到fēn dào了le猫māo，正zhèng发愁fā chóu怎么zěn me生活shēng huó，The youngest son got the cat and was worrying about how to live.猫māo却què开口kāi kǒu说话shuō huà了le：But the cat began to speak:“主人zhǔ rén，请qǐng给gěi我wǒ一双yī shuāng靴子xuē zi和hé一个yī ge布袋bù dài，我wǒ会huì让ràng你nǐ过上guò shàng好日子hǎo rì zi！”'Master, give me boots and a bag, and I’ll ensure you a good life!'

小儿子xiǎo ér zi半信半疑bàn xìn bàn yí，但dàn还是hái shi照做zhào zuò了le。The youngest son was doubtful but still complied.猫māo穿上chuān shang靴子xuē zi，跑到pǎo dào森林sēn lín里lǐ，用yòng布袋bù dài捉住zhuō zhù一只yī zhī野兔yě tù，The cat wore the boots and caught a rabbit in the forest with the bag.然后rán hòu跑到pǎo dào王宫wáng gōng对duì国王guó wáng说shuō：Then it ran to the palace and spoke to the king:“这是zhè shì我家wǒ jiā‘卡拉巴侯爵kǎ lā bā hóu jué’献给xiàn gěi您nín的de礼物lǐ wù！”'This is a gift from my master, the Marquis of Carabas!'（其实qí shí“卡拉巴侯爵kǎ lā bā hóu jué”是shì猫māo瞎编xiā biān的de贵族guì zú名字míng zi。）(In fact, 'Marquis of Carabas' was a name the cat made up.)

过guò了le几天jǐ tiān，猫māo又yòu用yòng同样tóng yàng的de方法fāng fǎ捉zhuō了le鹧鸪zhè gū献给xiàn gěi国王guó wáng。A few days later, the cat caught a partridge and presented it to the king.

国王guó wáng越来越yuè lái yuè好奇hào qí：The king grew more and more curious:“这位zhè wèi慷慨kāng kǎi的de侯爵hóu jué到底dào dǐ是shì谁shéi？”'Who is this generous marquis really?'

猫māo趁机chèn jī说shuō：The cat seized the chance to say:“我家wǒ jiā主人zhǔ rén正在zhèng zài河边hé biān散步sàn bù，可惜kě xī他tā的de衣服yī fu被bèi偷tōu了le…”'My master was walking by the river, but sadly his clothes were stolen…'国王guó wáng立刻lì kè派人pài rén送去sòng qù华丽huá lì的de衣服yī fu。The king immediately sent someone with splendid clothes.

小儿子xiǎo ér zi穿上chuān shang后hòu，果然guǒ rán像xiàng一位yī wèi真正zhēn zhèng的de贵族guì zú！After dressing up, the youngest son indeed looked like a true noble!接着jiē zhe，猫māo跑到pǎo dào一个yī ge食人魔shí rén mó的de城堡chéng bǎo，对duì会huì变biàn魔法mó fǎ的de食人魔shí rén mó说shuō：Next, the cat went to an ogre’s castle and spoke to the magical ogre:“听说tīng shuō您nín能néng变成biàn chéng狮子shī zi？我wǒ不bù信xìn！”'I heard you can turn into a lion? I don’t believe it!'

食人魔shí rén mó立刻lì kè变成biàn chéng狮子shī zi，猫māo假装jiǎ zhuāng害怕hài pà：The ogre turned into a lion, and the cat pretended to be scared:“那nà您nín能néng变成biàn chéng小老鼠xiǎo lǎo shǔ吗ma？”'Can you turn into a small mouse?'

食人魔shí rén mó刚gāng变成biàn chéng老鼠lǎo shǔ，猫māo扑上去pū shàng qù一口yī kǒu吃掉chī diào了le它tā！As soon as the ogre became a mouse, the cat pounced and ate it!最后zuì hòu，猫māo带着dài zhe国王guó wáng和hé小儿子xiǎo ér zi来到lái dào城堡chéng bǎo，大声dà shēng说shuō：Finally, the cat brought the king and the youngest son to the castle and shouted:

“欢迎huān yíng来到lái dào‘卡拉巴侯爵kǎ lā bā hóu jué’的de城堡chéng bǎo！”'Welcome to the castle of the Marquis of Carabas!'

国王guó wáng被bèi“侯爵hóu jué”的de财富cái fù打动dǎ dòng，把bǎ公主gōng zhǔ嫁给jià gěi了le他tā。Impressed by the 'marquis’s' wealth, the king married his daughter to him.