The Master Cat, or Puss in Boots

Once upon a time there was a miller who left no more riches to the three sons he had than his mill, his ass, and his cat. The division was soon made. Neither the lawyer nor the attorney was sent for. They would soon have eaten up all the poor property. The eldest had the mill, the second the ass, and the youngest nothing but the cat.

从前有个磨坊主，他留给三个儿子的家产，只有一座磨坊、一头驴子和一只猫。分家很快就办妥了。既没有请律师，也没有请代理人。要是请了他们，用不了多久，这点可怜的家产早就被他们吃个精光了。大儿子分到了磨坊，二儿子分到了驴子，小儿子却什么也没分到，只有那只猫。

The youngest, as we can understand, was quite unhappy at having so poor a share.

我们可以想见，小儿子分到这么一份可怜的家产，心里十分不快。

"My brothers," said he, "may get their living handsomely enough by joining their stocks together; but, for my part, when I have eaten up my cat, and made me a muff of his skin, I must die of hunger."

“我的哥哥们，”他说道，“把家产合在一起，日子总还能过得体面；可我呢，等我把这猫吃了，再用它的皮做条手笼，就非得饿死不可了。”

The Cat, who heard all this, without appearing to take any notice, said to him with a grave and serious air:—

这只猫把这些话全都听在耳里，却不动声色，一本正经、神情严肃地对他说道——

"Do not thus afflict yourself, my master; you have nothing else to do but to give me a bag, and get a pair of boots made for me, that I may scamper through the brambles, and you shall see that you have not so poor a portion in me as you think."

“主人，您不必这样自寻烦恼；您只需给我一个口袋，再给我做一双靴子，好让我能在荆棘丛中窜来窜去，到时候您就会明白，您分到我这一份，其实并不像您想的那样可怜。”

Though the Cat's master did not think much of what he said, he had seen him play such cunning tricks to catch rats and mice—hanging himself by the heels, or hiding himself in the meal, to make believe he was dead—that he did not altogether despair of his helping him in his misery.

猫的主人虽然对它这番话不以为然，可他早已见识过猫为了捉老鼠而使出的那些狡黠把戏——倒挂着脚，或者藏在面粉里装死——所以他也没有完全绝望，还抱着几分它能在困境中帮上自己的希望。

When the Cat had what he asked for, he booted himself very gallantly, and putting his bag about his neck, he held the strings of it in his two forepaws, and went into a warren where was a great number of rabbits. He put bran and sow-thistle into his bag, and, stretching out at length, as if he were dead, he waited for some young rabbits, not yet acquainted with the deceits of the world, to come and rummage his bag for what he had put into it.

猫拿到自己所要的东西之后，便神气十足地穿上了靴子，又把口袋挂在脖子上，用两只前爪抓住袋口的绳子，走进了一处兔子成群的猎场。它在袋子里放了些麸皮和苦苣，然后直挺挺地躺下，装成死了的样子，等着哪只还不谙世事诡诈的小兔子跑来，在袋子里翻找它放进去的东西。

Scarcely was he settled but he had what he wanted. A rash and foolish young rabbit jumped into his bag, and Monsieur Puss, immediately drawing close the strings, took him and killed him at once. Proud of his prey, he went with it to the palace, and asked to speak with the King. He was shown upstairs into his Majesty's apartment, and, making a low bow to the King, he said:—

它刚安顿好没多久，便得偿所愿了。一只鲁莽愚蠢的小兔子跳进了它的口袋，猫先生立刻拉紧绳子，把它逮住，当场就要了它的命。它对自己这份猎物颇为得意，便带着它前往王宫，请求觐见国王。他被引上楼，进了国王陛下的房间，向国王深深一鞠躬，说道——

"I have brought you, sire, a rabbit which my noble Lord, the Master of Carabas" (for that was the title which Puss was pleased to give his master) "has commanded me to present to your Majesty from him."

“陛下，我给您带来了一只兔子，是我尊贵的主公——卡拉巴斯侯爵”（这是猫乐意给主人安上的头衔）“吩咐我代他献给陛下的。”

"Tell thy master," said the King, "that I thank him, and that I am pleased with his gift."

“告诉你的主人，”国王说道，“我谢谢他，也很欣赏他这份礼物。”

Another time he went and hid himself among some standing corn, still holding his bag open; and when a brace of partridges ran into it, he drew the strings, and so caught them both. He then went and made a present of these to the King, as he had done before of the rabbit which he took in the warren. The King, in like manner, received the partridges with great pleasure, and ordered his servants to reward him.

又有一次，它藏身在一片还未收割的麦田里，仍旧敞着口袋；等到一对鹧鸪跑了进去，它便拉紧绳子，把两只都逮住了。接着它便带着这两只鹧鸪去献给国王，就跟先前那次在猎场逮到兔子一样。国王同样十分高兴地收下了这两只鹧鸪，还吩咐仆人赏赐了它一份礼物。

The Cat continued for two or three months thus to carry his Majesty, from time to time, some of his master's game. One day when he knew that the King was to take the air along the riverside, with his daughter, the most beautiful princess in the world, he said to his master:—

猫就这样接连两三个月，时不时地给国王陛下献上主人猎到的一些猎物。有一天，它得知国王要带着女儿——那位举世无双的美丽公主——沿着河边出去散心，它便对主人说道——

"If you will follow my advice, your fortune is made. You have nothing else to do but go and bathe in the river, just at the spot I shall show you, and leave the rest to me."

“您要是肯听我的话，您的富贵就有着落了。您只需到我指给您看的那个地方，到河里去洗个澡，剩下的事就交给我了。”

The Marquis of Carabas did what the Cat advised him to, without knowing what could be the use of doing it. While he was bathing, the King passed by, and the Cat cried out with all his might:—

卡拉巴斯侯爵照猫说的做了，虽然他完全不明白这样做究竟有什么用。他正洗着澡，国王正巧经过，猫便使出全身力气喊叫起来——

"Help! help! My Lord the Marquis of Carabas is drowning!"

“救命啊！救命啊！我的主公卡拉巴斯侯爵要淹死了！”

At this noise the King put his head out of the coach window, and seeing the Cat who had so often brought him game, he commanded his guards to run immediately to the assistance of his Lordship the Marquis of Carabas.

国王听见这喧闹声，把头探出车窗，认出了这只常常给他送猎物的猫，便命令侍卫立刻赶去搭救卡拉巴斯侯爵大人。

While they were drawing the poor Marquis out of the river, the Cat came up to the coach and told the King that, while his master was bathing, there came by some rogues, who ran off with his clothes, though he had cried out, "Thieves! thieves!" several times, as loud as he could. The cunning Cat had hidden the clothes under a great stone. The King immediately commanded the officers of his wardrobe to run and fetch one of his best suits for the Lord Marquis of Carabas.

正当他们把这可怜的侯爵从河里拖出来时，猫走到马车跟前，告诉国王说，主人洗澡的时候，来了几个恶棍，抢走了他的衣服，尽管他好几次扯着嗓子拼命喊“抓贼！抓贼！”也无济于事。事实上，是这狡猾的猫自己把衣服藏到了一块大石头底下。国王立刻命人从他的衣柜里挑出一套最好的衣服，送去给卡拉巴斯侯爵大人。

The King was extremely polite to him, and as the fine clothes he had given him set off his good looks (for he was well made and handsome), the King's daughter found him very much to her liking, and the Marquis of Carabas had no sooner cast two or three respectful and somewhat tender glances than she fell in love with him to distraction. The King would have him come into the coach and take part in the airing. The Cat, overjoyed to see his plan begin to succeed, marched on before, and, meeting with some countrymen, who were mowing a meadow, he said to them:—

国王待他极为客气，而侯爵穿上这身华服后，越发衬出他俊美的仪表（因为他本就长得体面英俊），国王的女儿对他一见倾心，卡拉巴斯侯爵不过朝她投去两三次恭敬而略带柔情的目光，她便已深深地爱上了他，无法自拔。国王便请他一同上车，随行出游。猫见自己的计划开始顺利实现，心中大喜，便先行一步，遇见几个正在割草的乡下人，对他们说道——

"Good people, you who are mowing, if you do not tell the King that the meadow you mow belongs to my Lord Marquis of Carabas, you shall be chopped as small as herbs for the pot."

“好心的伙计们，你们正在割的这块草地，要是不告诉国王说这是我的主公卡拉巴斯侯爵大人的，你们就等着被剁成炖锅里那样细碎的菜末吧。”

The King did not fail to ask the mowers to whom the meadow they were mowing belonged.

国王果然向割草的人问起，他们正在收割的这块草地是谁家的。

"To my Lord Marquis of Carabas," answered they all together, for the Cat's threat had made them afraid.

“是我的主公卡拉巴斯侯爵大人的，”他们异口同声地答道，因为猫的威胁已经把他们吓住了。

"You have a good property there," said the King to the Marquis of Carabas.

“你这份产业倒是不错，”国王对卡拉巴斯侯爵说道。

"You see, sire," said the Marquis, "this is a meadow which never fails to yield a plentiful harvest every year."

“陛下您也看到了，”侯爵说道，“这是一片草地，每年都能有丰厚的收成，从不间断。”

The Master Cat, who went still on before, met with some reapers, and said to them:—

猫先生仍旧一路先行，又遇见几个正在收割的人，便对他们说道——

"Good people, you who are reaping, if you do not say that all this corn belongs to the Marquis of Carabas, you shall be chopped as small as herbs for the pot."

“好心的伙计们，你们收割的这些麦子，要是不说这全都是卡拉巴斯侯爵的，你们就等着被剁成炖锅里那样细碎的菜末吧。”

The King, who passed by a moment after, wished to know to whom belonged all that corn, which he then saw.

国王过了一会儿也经过这里，想知道他所看见的这些麦子究竟是谁家的。

"To my Lord Marquis of Carabas," replied the reapers, and the King was very well pleased with it, as well as the Marquis, whom he congratulated thereupon. The Master Cat, who went always before, said the same thing to all he met, and the King was astonished at the vast estates of my Lord Marquis of Carabas.

“是我的主公卡拉巴斯侯爵大人的，”收割的人们答道，国王对此十分满意，也向侯爵道了贺。猫先生始终一路先行，对沿途遇见的每个人都说着同样的话，国王也越来越惊讶于卡拉巴斯侯爵大人这般辽阔的产业。

Monsieur Puss came at last to a stately castle, the master of which was an Ogre, the richest ever known; for all the lands which the King had then passed through belonged to this castle. The Cat, who had taken care to inform himself who this Ogre was and what he could do, asked to speak with him, saying he could not pass so near his castle without having the honor of paying his respects to him.

猫先生终于来到了一座气派非凡的城堡跟前，城堡的主人是个食人妖魔，是有史以来最富有的一个；因为国王刚才经过的所有土地，全都属于这座城堡的领地。猫早已留心打听清楚这个食人妖魔的底细，知道它有什么本领，这时便请求与它会面，说自己路过它的城堡附近，若不进去向它致以敬意，实在过意不去。

The Ogre received him as civilly as an Ogre could do, and made him sit down.

这食人妖魔按它那种妖魔的礼数，还算客气地接待了它，请它坐了下来。

"I have been assured," said the Cat, "that you have the gift of being able to change yourself into all sorts of creatures you have a mind to; that you can, for example, transform yourself into a lion, or elephant, and the like."

“我听说，”猫说道，“您有这样的本领，能随心所欲地把自己变成各种生灵；比如说，您能变成一头狮子，或者一头大象之类的。”

"That is true," answered the Ogre, roughly; "and to convince you, you shall see me now become a lion."

“这是真的，”食人妖魔粗声粗气地答道，“为了让你信服，你这就能看到我变成一头狮子。”

Puss was so terrified at the sight of a lion so near him that he immediately climbed into the gutter, not without much trouble and danger, because of his boots, which were of no use at all to him for walking upon the tiles. A little while after, when Puss saw that the Ogre had resumed his natural form, he came down, and owned he had been very much frightened.

猫一见眼前突然出现一头狮子，吓得魂飞魄散，立刻爬到了屋檐水槽上——这可着实费了一番周折，还挺危险，因为它那双靴子在瓦片上行走时根本派不上用场。过了一会儿，猫看见食人妖魔已经变回了原来的模样，这才下来，承认自己确实被吓得不轻。

"I have, moreover, been informed," said the Cat, "but I know not how to believe it, that; you have also the power to take on you the shape of the smallest animals; for example, to change yourself into a rat or a mouse, but I must own to you I take this to be impossible."

“我还听说，”猫说道，“不过我实在不知该不该相信——说您还有本事把自己变成最小的动物；比如说，变成一只老鼠或者一只耗子，可我不得不承认，我觉得这简直是不可能的事。”

"Impossible!" cried the Ogre; "you shall see." And at the same time he changed himself into a mouse, and began to run about the floor. Puss no sooner perceived this than he fell upon him and ate him up.

“不可能！”食人妖魔喊道，“你等着瞧吧。”话音刚落，它便立刻变成了一只老鼠，在地板上跑来跑去。猫一见这情形，立刻扑上去把它吃掉了。

Meanwhile, the King, who saw, as he passed, this fine castle of the Ogre's, had a mind to go into it. Puss, who heard the noise of his Majesty's coach coming over the drawbridge, ran out, and said to the King, "Your Majesty is welcome to this castle of my Lord Marquis of Carabas."

与此同时，国王一路经过时看见了食人妖魔这座华美的城堡，便起意要进去看看。猫听见国王陛下的马车驶过吊桥发出的响声，便跑了出来，对国王说：“欢迎陛下光临我的主公卡拉巴斯侯爵大人的城堡。”

"What! my Lord Marquis," cried the King, "and does this castle also belong to you? There can be nothing finer than this courtyard and all the stately buildings which surround it; let us see the interior, if you please."

“什么！我的侯爵大人，”国王喊道，“这座城堡也是您的吗？我眼前这座庭院，还有周围这些气派的建筑，实在是再华美不过了；请让我们进去看看里面吧。”

The Marquis gave his hand to the young Princess, and followed the King, who went first. They passed into the great hall, where they found a magnificent collation, which the Ogre had prepared for his friends, who were that very day to visit him, but dared not to enter, knowing the King was there. His Majesty, charmed with the good qualities of my Lord of Carabas, as was also his daughter, who had fallen violently in love with him, and seeing the vast estate he possessed, said to him:—

侯爵把手伸给年轻的公主，跟在率先前行的国王身后。他们走进那间大厅，只见里面摆着一桌盛大的酒席，那是食人妖魔为几位当天要来拜访它的朋友们准备的，可这几位朋友听说国王在场，便不敢进来了。国王陛下对我的卡拉巴斯侯爵的种种美德十分倾心，他的女儿也一样，早已疯狂地爱上了他；国王又见他坐拥这般辽阔的产业，便对他说道——

"It will be owing to yourself only, my Lord Marquis, if you are not my son-in-law."

“我的侯爵大人，你能不能做我的女婿，就全看你自己了。”

The Marquis, with low bows, accepted the honor which his Majesty conferred upon him, and forthwith that very same day married the Princess.

侯爵深深地鞠了几躬，接受了国王陛下赐予他的这份殊荣，就在当天，他便迎娶了公主。

Puss became a great lord, and never ran after mice any more except for his diversion.

猫从此成了一位大贵人，除了图个消遣，再也不去追捕老鼠了。