Puss

“ Puss followed, jump for jump, and laying her claws at every leap upon the dog’s hinder quarters, the hair flew as if her paws had been a couple of curry-combs. When the dog came to the street, he laid down his ears, hid his tail between his legs, and, stretching away, at last escaped. ”

“ I shall never forget the surprise of the gardener's wife when Puss and I entered the kitchen side by side. She screamed as if we had been a couple of wild beasts.
"Oh," cried she, "there's that poor little kitten just under Captain's nose! He'll be the death of her. What shall I do?"
She seized a broom, and held it between us, ready to beat me if I ventured to attack the kitten. But I wagged my tail, and Puss jumped over the broomstick.
"Well to be sure!" said Mrs. Gardener, letting fall the broom, and holding up her hands; "did any body ever see the like of that!" ”

“ Just then Parson Rook looked over at them. "Why, Puss in Boots, Junior!" he called out. "Come over here," and, turning to the wedding guests, he said: "There is the son of the famous Puss in Boots. We are honored to have so illustrious a person with us. And delighted, too, for he is a great traveler and a jolly good fellow." ”

“ We can make no more stupid blunder than to look upon our pets from the standpoint of utility. Puss, as a rule, is another Nimrod, eager for the chase, and unwearyingly patient in pursuit of her prey. But she hunts for her own pleasure, not for our convenience; and when a life of luxury has relaxed her zeal, she often declines to hunt at all. I knew intimately two Maryland cats, well born and of great personal attractions. ”

“ PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND
THE GOOD GRAY HORSE THE MAGIC WINGS
ONE morning as little Puss, Junior, on his Good Gray Horse rode through Mother Goose country he saw a spider sitting in her tiny lace house. She kept very still, for the early dewdrops still clung to the delicate web. And as the sun shone down they looked for all the world like diamonds on a piece of lace. So little Puss, Junior, stretched out his paw and, would you believe it, instead of a drop of water he picked off a real diamond. ”

“ Can you make your way?"
"Never fear," replied Puss. "A cat can see in the dark."
But, goodness me! just as they reached the barn a bat knocked off Puss, Junior's, hat.
"Bat, bat, come under my hat
And I'll give you a slice of bacon,
And when I bake I'll give you a cake,
If I am not mistaken,"
cried the innkeeper. ”

“ Puss pulled himself together and after arranging his clothes, which were torn and mussed by the branches of the tree, looked about him. Suddenly, he heard the cry of a baby, and turning around, he saw a little cradle swinging back and forth. It was fastened securely to a limb, and rocked to and fro as the breeze blew through the trembling leaves.
"Rock-a-by, baby, upon the tree top!
When the wind blows the cradle will rock;
When the bough breaks the cradle will fall;
Down tumbles baby, cradle and all."
"S-s-sh!" cried the balloon man, "We will wake the baby if we are not careful." ”

“ Unless I may borrow from Sir Pussy Cat?"
"Of course you may," cried Puss. "Just wait till we get to town."
And then the farmer's pretty daughter blushed very red. "I was only in fun," she said. [74]
"But I wasn't," replied Puss.
"Why, have you enough money?" she asked, giving him a hug.
"Don't squeeze so tight," cried Puss. "We may have an accident, and one is enough for [75] to-day. I hope your father will get the old gray mare home safely." ”

“ When the old king died, the princess and her husband reigned in his stead. Their most honored and faithful friend at court was Puss in Boots, for his master never forgot to whom he owed all his good fortune. Puss lived on the daintiest meat and the most delicious cream, and was petted and made much of all the days of his life; and he never ran after rats and mice except for exercise and amusement. ”

“ Little Puss, Junior, had fallen asleep in the house where little Boy Blue lived. Yes, Puss had fallen asleep in front of the fireplace over which hung the silver horn that called the cows from the fields of corn. Well, the next morning the horn began blowing all by itself, and this, of course, woke up everybody in the house; so Puss washed his face and hands and curled his whiskers and after that he pulled on his red-topped boots and was ready for breakfast. Then Mrs. Boy Blue came downstairs with little Boy Blue. ”

“ Puss clung tightly to the reins, and, on looking back, saw the bewildered tinker still standing by the fence, while his horse careered across the meadow, kicking up his heels and snorting at a great rate.
[130] PUSS MEETS A HUNTER AND THEY BOTH LEARN THAT THE OWL IS A USEFUL BIRD
WELL, that was a clumsy tinker," said Puss to himself, as he guided his good gray horse into the highway. "But I suppose he is no rider, and therefore is safer upon his own two legs. ”

“ Duck chuckled. "Look out," she cried, "or Puss, Junior, will do it better than you."
"Thank you, ma'am," said Puss with a grin.
"Won't you try to do better?" said Mrs. Duck, turning to her brood with an anxious expression on her kind face.
"Yes," said the Ducklings, waddling on,
"That's better," said their mother;
"But well bred ducks walk in a row,
Straight, one behind the other."
"I wish I had a drum," cried Puss, "I'd beat time. We could make believe we were soldiers." But Mrs. Duck did not answer. "Do your best," she said to her little brood. ”

“ To their utter astonishment they heard a shrill neigh close at hand, and, turning to see what manner of steed had answered so quickly their wishes, they beheld two fine gray horses in the meadow close by. Leaning their heads over the fence rail, the two animals gazed at them with expectant eyes.
"Why, they already have on their saddles and bridles!" cried the tinker, with amazement. "Are you a fairy cat? Do your wishes always come true?"
"That is a nice question to answer," replied Puss, "but in this case, you can see for yourself." ”

“ And the teacher kept them in after school!"
"Oh me! oh my!" cried Puss, Junior. "Please don't slit her tongue!" [105]
"But why did you tell tales on your brothers?" asked her father.
"Oh, please don't slit her tongue!" cried Puss, Junior, again.
"That's what they did in Mother Goose."
"It must have been very long ago in the dark ages," answered Puss, laying hold of his sword.
"Well, it's only a rhyme!" laughed her father, picking up his little girl and hugging her. "Come on, Sir Cat, follow me. You are quite a Knight of the Round Table. If a fair lady be in distress you are her champion!" ”

“ Puss in the tree, her back showing high above her ears, and her tail swelled to the size of a fox's brush, puffing and spitting at her enemy like a snake or a steam-engine; the mastiff running round the paling on his hind legs, banging up against it on every side, and barking and howling with rage ”

“ I have been beguiled into these domestic reminiscences by a belief that the faults of puss, like those of women, are chiefly due to the injudicious way in which she is ordinarily treated by men. The faculties of the dog are developed by regular food, freedom, kindness, and association in our daily amusements. ”

“ PUSS IN BOOTS GREETS THE KING
The lad had very little money to spare, but he knew Puss was a faithful creature, and he had seen him play many cunning tricks to catch rats and mice, so that he did not altogether despair of his affording him some help. Therefore he bought him a smart pair of boots made of buff-colored leather, and gave him the bag for which he had asked.
Puss drew on the boots, and then he fitted slip-strings around the mouth of the bag, put some bran and parsley inside, and trotted off with it to a neighboring hillside where there was an abundance of rabbits. ”

“ BOBBY SHAFTO
AS Puss, Junior, rode along on his Good Gray Horse he passed a pretty cottage near the roadway. And the roses that climbed over the front porch were so fragrant and the voice of the girl floating through the open window was so sweet that he stopped to listen. ”

“ And when he finds himself actually free, his joy expends itself in bounds, in pirouettes, and in scourings hither and thither at the top of his speed. Puss, too, by erecting her tail, and by every time raising her back to meet the caressing hand of her mistress, similarly expresses her gratification by certain muscular actions ”

“ Every child in town would want to see a cat who wore boots!"
At this Puss, Jr.'s, face was all smiles. In fact, his whiskers curled up in a most laughable way, making his little face quite irresistible.
"Thank you both very much," he replied, "but before I answer I must tell you that I am in search of my illustrious parent, the famous Puss in Boots. If I join your circus how am I to find my dear father?"
"Easy as not," answered the clown, quickly. "We are always on the move. A new town 'most every day. We never linger long in any one spot." ”

“ So Puss put the cradle on his shoulder and, [95] bowing to the miller, followed after her, while the baby kicked and crowed and tried to reach down and pull his whiskers. And Puss tickled the baby's hand and winked at the baby, who gurgled and laughed and tried to pull the feather out of Puss, Jr.'s, cap. And the little mother forgot all about her own weariness, for baby lay so warm against her neck and his laugh tinkled so sweetly in her ear!
[96] THE MILKMAN'S HORSE, OLD NAGGETTY NOGG
Jockety jog, jockety jog! ”

“ At the time the miller was talking the mouse and the rat kept a close watch on Puss, Jr. They knew from experience, most likely, that cats are not millers, and although Puss, Jr., with his boots and cap, his clothes and staff, did not resemble an ordinary cat, at the same time he was a cat. So the rat and the mouse kept at a safe distance. ”

“ It is fortunate for etymologists that such trivial little words have not an importance proportioned to the difficulty of clearing up their origin. The word puss! raises an interesting philological problem. An English child calling puss puss! is very likely keeping up the trace of the old Keltic name for the cat, Irish pus, Erse pusag, Gaelic puis. Similar calls are known elsewhere in Europe (as in Saxony, pûs pûs!) , and there is some reason to think that the cat, which came to us from the East, brought with it one of its names, which is still current there, Tamil pûsei! ”

“ It was a very big barn door that ran on little iron wheels, and it wasn't easy to move. "Push!" cried Puss, bracing his feet against the side of the barn.
"We can't push any harder," cried the three little kittens.
"Try again," said Puss. "Now, all together, heave ho, heave ho!" The big door began to [45] move. "Push!" cried Puss. "It's beginning to move." ”

“ Says Puss, “You look so wondrous wise,
I like your whiskers and bright eyes;
Your house is the nicest house I see
I think there is room for you and me.”
The mice were so pleased that they opened the door,
And Pussy soon laid them all dead on the floor,
And Pussy soon laid them all dead on the floor. ”

“ Pusillan′imousness, Pusillanim′ity, state or quality of being weak-minded: lack of spirit or courage: timidity. [L. pusillanimis—pusillus, very little, animus, the mind.]
Puss, pōōs, n. a familiar name for a cat: a hare, in sportsmen's language: a playful name for a child or a girl.—ns. Puss′-clov′er, the rabbit's foot or stone-clover; Puss′-gen′tleman, a dandy; Puss′-moth, a moth of the genus Cerura; Puss′-tail, a common grass with bristly spikes, belonging to the genus Setaria—also called Foxtail ”

“ Were now never seen at the butter and cheese;
The Dame daily found that their numbers grew thinner,
For Puss ate a mouse every day for her dinner.
If Puss had a weakness, I need but confess
'Twas a girl of the period's fancy for dress,
Her greatest desire a high chignon and hat,
And a very short dress a la mode for a cat.
So one day when Dame Trot had gone out to dine,
Puss dressed herself up, as she thought, very fine,
And coaxed kind old Spot, who looked at her with pride,
To play pony for her, and give her a ride. ”

“ He'd just eat me up."
"That he would," said Puss. "He's no good, either. He broke his promise to me last night," and then Puss told Jack how the giant had said he would let the little hen off for once if Puss would tell some of his adventures.
"And I spent all last evening telling him stories till I was tired out," concluded Puss, "and now he has kept that poor little hen by his side all night long. She's in the great living-room on the table, not daring to move. And the giant has the gold egg tightly grasped in his hand." ”

“ No doubt he will know, as he is a very wise man and an old retainer." So saying, she led the way into the castle, followed by Puss, Jr., and the little owl.
"Puss in Boots? Puss in Boots?" repeated the old man, in an inquiring tone, talking half to himself. "Why, is he not in the employ of my Lord of Carabas?"
"Yes, indeed!" cried the Queen. "Now I remember. My dear Puss in Boots, Junior, you still have a long journey before you; but to the brave all things are possible. Although he lives far beyond the border-line of Mother Goose Land, a good traveler need not despair." ”

“ Puss was so sadly terrified at the sight of a lion so near him that he immediately got into the gutter, not without abundance of trouble and danger, because of his boots, which were of no use at all to him in 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.
‘I have been moreover 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 ”