Y
THE OREGON SUNDAY JOURNAL, PORTLAND, SUNDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 28. 1915.
PIRATE. HAS SUCH ODD HIDDEN TREASURES
TIfLSL mozp
i ii i hi 1 1 1 f I l I I I teV&jfxrSS;
D
Next well
draw a
frog
and a
young
man with
long hair.
Maybe
he's a
poet-
(the young
man we
mean-not
the frog.)
fish 1 p plllllfp Mountain jj
hi ' i i n i l hi i ii i il r
1 SI "IW 1
f I S
,
"Then well
draw a j
picture
of a ;
walking f
dog. j
Of course,
all dogs l
walk, bvt 1
this one 1
has J
such a
peculiar
gait,
especially
the front
I gait. I
Dear Story Lady:
- I am a little girl 9 years old, and
to me week days are not as nice as
Sunday, for on Sunday I get your
story. Vill you. please tell me the
story of "Puss in Boots"? Write to
me soon. With love,
Dorothy E. R. Farrand.
By GE0RGENE FAULKNER.
Dea r Dorothy :
The children have all heard the story of
Puss In Boots many times as told by the
French Story Teller Perrault, so today I
will teli you the old Bohemian tale, and I
am sure you will find it very like the story
you know. Youa Stobt Lady.
Once upon a time there lived in Bohemia
a very poor woman named Soriana, who had
three sous. The eldest was "called Dusolino,
the second son was named Tesifone and the
youngest was called Constantine the Lucky.
When Soriana was about to die she called
her "sons to her and said: "My dear sons, I
rave nothing of value to leave with you, but
I will divide all that I have. To you, Duso
lino. I bequeath my kneading-trough; to
Tesifone I leave my rolling-board; but to
my poor Constantine I leave only my cat
"for a gift."
After the mother died the neighbors would
borrow the kneading-trough and the rolling
board, and because they knew the boys were
very poor they always made them some
bread and some cake. The two older broth
ers were very selfish and would eat all the
food and they would not give Constantine
a mouthful.
'Go to your cat for food," they said.
' Our property earned this for us. See what
your cat can do for you."
Now, this cat was enchanted, and when
he heard the selfish-brothers speak In this'
way to Constantine he was very angry.
"Meow! Meow!" he said. "Do not be
downcast, my Master Constantine, for I will
provide for you and myself also."
The cat pulled on his high boots and left
the house and went out Into the field. Pre
tending to sleep, he soon caught a hare that
was passing and killed it
Then he went to the palace of the king,
and when some of the courtiers wished to
stop him, the cat made a low bow and said :
"May I be presented to his royal majesty,
tving Morando?"
When the king heard that there was a
cat at court who desired to speak with him
he sent for Puss at once.
"My good Master Constantine sent you
this hare with his compliments," said Puss
with a courtly bow.
"Thank your master kindly," said the
king. "What manner of man is your mas
ter?" "He is good and kind and courteous; no
man is his superior," answered the cat.
The king was so well pleased with Puss
that he feasted him royally and he gave
him a present of rich dainties to carry home
to his worthy master.
Every day the cat would find some gift
to carry to his majesty, and every day the
king sent presents to Constantine. But one
day King Morando said to Puss: "I desire
to meet your worthy Master Constantine.
So kindly tell him to present himself at
court tomorrow.'
When Constantine heard this he said to
the cat : "This is impossible. How can I
go before the King of Bohemia in these
ragged garments?"
"Only trust me," said Puss, "and I will
make your fortune. But you must do as I
command."
So the next day Constantine went into the
river to take a swimi and Puss, after hiding
his master's ragged clothes in the bushes,
went out to the roadway, and when he saw
the royal coach driving toward him he called
in a loud voice:
"Help! Help! Signor Constantine is
drowning!"
The king sent his courtiers in haste and
-they brought .Constantine ashore and
wrapped him in their long cloaks. Then
they carried him to the palace and dressed
him all in royal robes of state and presented
him' to the king. The king greeted him
cordially and asked how he came to be in
such a sorry plight. Constantine did not
know how to answer the king, so he cov
ered his face and seemed to be overcome
with grief. But the cat came to his aid
and said : ' "Know, O king, that some
wicked robbers, hearing that my master was
loaded with precious gems, which he was
about to present to you, caught him and
robbed him of all that he had, and, thinking
to kill him, they threw him into the river.
Well1
Well! It's a
pirate
Did you
ever see
a pirate
pig before
Neither
did weJ
H :
j . raregaBg i n 1 1 1 M i j 1 1 1 1 1 1 wrtrtt y
King Constantine and the Queen Were Always Grateful to Puss.
But thanks to your gallant courtiers he
escaped death."
" "We are glad, indeed," that our arrival
was so timely," answered tlie king.' "And
now,-my dear Constantine, we desire your
presence at court, so that we may become
better acquainted."
So Constantine and the cat lived ia the
palace of the king, and they became great
favorites at court.
Now, the king had a beautiful daughter
named Elisetta, and she fell in love with
Constantine. When he saw that the king
favored his suit, at the advice of Puss Con
stantine wooed and won the fair princess.
The wedding festivities lasted for many
days, and at the end of the time the king
gave his daughter ten mules loaded with
money and five mules laden with costly
apparel and gems and sent them to their
own home. They rode in state, with a great
retinue of courtiers and servants.
"But where shall I take my royal bride?"
asked Constantine when he was alone with
Puss.
"Never fear, my master !" answered Pus
"You promised to leave everything to ma
I will arrange all."
Then Puss ran down the road ahead of
all the horsemen and the royal coach and
the train of mules.
Presently the cat met a company of
knights mounted on horses.
"Depart at once, wretched men," said
Puss, "for a large companjof men are upon
you and you will soon be'taken as prison
ers. They are near at hand, for you can
hear the neighing of their horses."
"What shall we do?" asked the horsemen
in terror.
The cat replied: "It you wish to save
yourselves, when they ask you whose horse
men you are you must answer boldly, 'We
belong to Signor Constantine,' and you will
not be molested."
Then Puss ran on, and soon he met some
shepherds guarding their 6heep.
He called out to them: "When some
horsemen come this way and ask you who
owns these flocks, tell them 'Signor Con
stantine,' for if you do not do so they will
take your sheep and put you in prison."
The shepherds were terrified at the
strange cat who could . speak, and they
agreed to do as he commanded.
Soon the"horsemen appeared and called
to the shepherds : "To whom do these flocks
belong V
And the shepherds answered : "To Sig
nor Constantine."
Puss ran on and on ahead of all the riders
and the coach, and when he saw the men
working in the vineyard and the men oat
in the fields he commanded them to say
that all that land belonged to "Signor Con
stantine."
So when the riders and the royal coach
appeared, and they questioned these men
they all responded : v "These lands belong to
Signor Constantine."
yThen those who accompanied the bride
and groom naid : "So then, signor, we are
entering your estate?" "Yes," answered
Constantine. And to all the questions that
were asked Constantine nodded his head
and agreed. Therefore all the company
judged him to be very wealthy.
At last the. cat came to a very fine castle,
and fouffdT'there only a few servants, to
whomf he said :
There Is a great company of gallant
knights riding this way. Do younot hear
their horses neighing? Do you not see the
dust flying? If you do not all rlsh to be
killed or taken as prisoners you must obey
my command. When these knights ask you
to whom this castle belongs, you must an
swer at once, To Signor Constantine,' and
you will be spared."
Now, this castle and all the estate be
longed to Signor Valentino, who had but
lately. been killed in the war, and many of
his knights had fallen with him, so the re
maining guards were willing to serve a new
master, ana they agreed to obey this won
derful cat.
When the noble company drew near Puss
stood near the gate, and with a low bow
said to his master ; "Welcome home, Signor
Constantine !" And all the guards made
courtly bows and repeated the same words,
"Welcome home, Signor Constantine I Wel
come home!" : -- - Y
So Signor Constantine and his bride, Eli
setta, lived in this castle for many years.
After a time Morando, the King of Bohemia,
died, and the people chose Signor Constan
tine for their king, because he was the
husband of the Princess Elisetta, the only
child of Morando, who then Inherited the
throne. ....
V
And so Constantine, from. being a poo?
beggar, became the King of Bohemia and
with his queen, Elisetta, ruled all the people
wisely and well, and they were always
grateful to the clever catVho had brought
them all this good fortune.