Page 45 - La Gatta racconta la sua storia - Puss Tells the History of Her Fairy Tale

made other innovations. Now I belonged to a
father, as in Basile’s version, but he was not poor.
Maybe the Sun King did not like to listen to
stories of extreme poverty, even though many of
his subjects were very poor. That father was a
miller, and his two elder sons inherited their
father’s mill and donkey. And - wouldn’t you have
guessed? - the youngest brother inherited only
me, a he-cat now, named Puss. This poor lad as
well starved, and I decided to change his destiny.
I asked him only for a pair of soft boots, to hunt
better than ever. I really was a smart hunter,
because I could go everywhere with my boots,
and my conversation was gracious as if I were
speaking with the Sun King.
I used the same the ruses that you know of
already, presenting my preys to the king in the
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