The king hearing the cries, put his head out of PUSS IN
the window and bade the coachman draw up. BOOTS
Then he recognised the cat which had brought
him so many good things. He called the cat to
the carriage-side and asked what distressed him.
‘Sire!’ answered the cat, ‘whilst the most noble
the Marquess of Carabas has been bathing
some thieves have run away with his clothes. I
am afraid if he remains much longer in the water
he may have cramp and go under.’
In fact the cat had carried away his master’s
poor, mean garments, and had hidden them under
a stone.
The king, who was not merely compassionate, but
also generous and not above feeling gratitude for
services rendered, at once ordered his attendants
to go back to the palace for the most splendid suit
they could find. ‘I believe,’ said the king, ‘there
is a very fine suit made for me some twenty years
ago, when I was courting. I was then less cor-
pulent than at present. You will find it in the
lower right-hand drawer of the mahogany chest.
I have little doubt it will fit the marquess to a
nicety—that is, if he is a graceful man—I was
immensely graceful twenty years ago.’
Owing to the minute and exact instructions
given by his Majesty, the suit, which was exceed-
ingly splendid, was soon found and brought to the
lad in the water, who quickly clothed himself in it
and then came to the coach door to pay his
respects to the king and the princess.
The youth looked so engaging in the dress in
which his Royal Highness had been invested when
he went courting her mother, that the princess
immediately lost her heart to him, and felt that the
world to her would be a blank without him.
The king was also touched, for the sight of the
youth in this suit—which he became, rather than
the suit became him—awoke old feelings of senti-
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