Puss in boots

Get ready to pounce into the cleverest adventure of all! “Puss in Boots” is the delightful story of a talking cat who uses his wit and charm to turn his master’s fortunes around. With nothing but his boots and brains, Puss outsmarts kings and ogres, proving that cleverness can be even more powerful than strength.

In this article, you’ll find two versions of the story: the full adventure and a simplified graded reader, perfect for young English learners. Along the way, your child will pick up new vocabulary and sharpen their reading comprehension with the fun questions included at the end.

Want to keep the learning going? Check out the Studycat Learn English app for more engaging stories, games, and lessons designed to make learning fun.

Let’s leap into the world of Puss in Boots and see how a cat with a plan can change everything!

The story of “Puss in Boots”

Once upon a time, there was a poor miller who had three sons. When the miller passed away, he left each of his sons something. To the eldest son, he left the mill; to the second son, he left the donkey; and to the youngest son, he left… a cat.

Now, the youngest son wasn’t thrilled about this.

“What am I supposed to do with a cat?” he thought.

He couldn’t make money with it, or so he thought. But little did he know, this was no ordinary cat. The cat could talk—and he had a plan.

“Don’t worry, master,” the cat said. “Get me a pair of boots and a bag, and I’ll make sure you’re taken care of!”

Though he wasn’t sure what the cat was up to, the young man trusted him and found a pair of boots for the clever feline.

Puss in Boots’ plan

With his shiny new boots and a bag over his shoulder, Puss got straight to work. He knew that the nearby king loved to hunt, so Puss went into the fields and used his clever tricks to catch some wild game—rabbits, pheasants, and birds.

Then, he brought these animals to the king’s palace.

“Your Majesty,” Puss said with a bow, “these gifts are from my master, the Marquis of Carabas.”

Now, of course, Puss had made up this name. His master wasn’t a marquis at all; he was just a poor miller’s son! But the king, impressed by the fine gifts, was curious about this “Marquis of Carabas.”

Every few days, Puss would bring more gifts to the king, each time saying they were from his “master, the Marquis of Carabas.”

The king grew more and more interested in meeting this mysterious nobleman.

A royal encounter

One day, Puss learned that the king and his daughter, the princess, were taking a ride by the river. This was the perfect opportunity for the next step in his grand plan.

“Master,” Puss said, “if you do exactly as I say, you’ll be rich and happy soon. Just trust me.”

His master, having nothing to lose, agreed.

Puss led his master to the river and told him to jump in and pretend to be drowning. As they were waiting, the king’s carriage approached.

Puss began shouting, “Help! Help! My master, the Marquis of Carabas, is drowning!”

The king immediately stopped his carriage and sent his servants to rescue the “Marquis.”

Once they pulled him from the river, Puss explained, “While my master was bathing, some thieves came and stole his clothes!” (This wasn’t true, of course, but Puss was very good at spinning tales.)

The king, wanting to help, ordered his servants to fetch the finest clothes for the “Marquis of Carabas.”

Dressed like royalty, the young man looked so impressive that the king invited him to join them in the royal carriage. And as soon as the princess saw him, she instantly liked him.

Tricking an ogre

As they rode together, Puss ran ahead of the carriage to the nearby fields. He told the farmers working there, “When the king comes by and asks who these fields belong to, you must say they belong to the Marquis of Carabas, or else the ogre who owns them will be very angry.” The farmers, afraid of the ogre, agreed.

So when the king’s carriage passed by, and he asked, “Who owns these fine fields?” the farmers replied, “They belong to the Marquis of Carabas, Your Majesty!” The king was impressed with the vast lands his new friend seemed to own.

Puss continued to run ahead, visiting more farmers, all of whom told the king the same thing. Finally, Puss arrived at a grand castle where a giant ogre lived. This ogre was powerful and could transform into any animal he wished.

Puss, ever the trickster, went to meet the ogre. “I’ve heard you can change into any creature,” Puss said. “Is it true you can become something as big as an elephant?”

“Of course!” roared the ogre, and with a puff of smoke, he turned into a massive elephant.

“Very impressive!” said Puss. “But could you change into something as small as a mouse?”

The ogre, wanting to show off, immediately transformed into a tiny mouse. Quick as lightning, Puss pounced on the mouse and gobbled him up in one bite. The ogre was no more!

Happily ever after

When the king’s carriage arrived at the ogre’s grand castle, Puss greeted them at the door. “Welcome to the castle of the Marquis of Carabas,” he said proudly. The king, impressed by the vast lands, the beautiful castle, and the young man’s charm, decided that the “Marquis” would make the perfect husband for his daughter.

And so, the miller’s son, with the help of his clever cat, married the princess, became rich, and lived happily ever after. As for Puss in Boots, he became a noble cat, living in luxury and enjoying his well-deserved reward for being the smartest (and sneakiest) cat around.

The moral of “Puss in Boots”

Cleverness and confidence can help you succeed in life, even when the odds are against you.
Puss used his wits and quick thinking to turn a poor miller’s son into a wealthy nobleman. It shows that thinking smart and being brave can make a big difference!

Questions about “Puss in Boots”

1. What did the miller’s youngest son inherit from his father?
2. How did Puss help his master impress the king?
3. What name did Puss invent for his master?
4. How did Puss trick the ogre in his castle?
5. Who did the miller’s son marry at the end of the story?

Answers

1. The miller’s youngest son inherited a cat.
2. Puss brought gifts of wild game to the king, saying they were from his master, the “Marquis of Carabas.”
3. Puss invented the name Marquis of Carabas for his master.
4. Puss tricked the ogre by asking him to turn into a mouse, then quickly pounced on him.
5. The miller’s son married the princess.

Words to learn

• Cat: A small, furry animal that’s known for being clever—especially this one!
• Boots: Tall shoes that protect your feet. Puss wore fancy boots to look extra stylish.
• King: The ruler of a country. In this story, the king was impressed by Puss’s tricks.
• Castle: A large, grand building where royals or powerful people live. The ogre lived in a grand castle.
• Ogre: A giant, scary creature who can sometimes do magic. Puss tricked the ogre by making him turn into a mouse.
• Elephant: A large animal with a trunk, often seen as strong and big. The ogre turned into an elephant to show off.
• Mouse: A small animal that the ogre turned into. Puss easily caught the mouse to defeat the ogre.

What type of story is “Puss in Boots”?

Puss in Boots is a fairy tale. It’s full of magic, clever tricks, and a happy ending, like many classic fairy tales.

Who wrote “Puss in Boots”?

Puss in Boots was made famous by Charles Perrault, a French author who published the story in 1697. Learn more about him [here].

”Puss in Boots” for young English learners (ages 2-5, Pre-A1)

Are you ready to meet a clever cat who wears boots and tricks everyone around him? Puss in Boots is a fun and magical story about a smart cat who helps his poor master become rich. With quick thinking and a few clever tricks, Puss helps his master find treasure, meet a king, and even marry a princess!

Puss in Boots and his clever tricks

Once upon a time, there was a poor boy. His father was a miller, but when the miller died, the boy only got one thing—a cat. He was sad.

“What can I do with a cat?” he thought.

But this was no ordinary cat. This cat could talk!

“Don’t worry, master,” said the cat. “Get me a pair of boots and a bag, and I will make you rich!”

The boy was surprised, but he did what the cat asked.

He gave the cat some boots, and the cat put them on.

Puss in Boots went to the forest. He caught some rabbits and birds.

He took the animals to the king’s castle and said, “These are gifts from my master, the Marquis of Carabas!”

The king was happy and liked the gifts.

Every day, Puss brought more gifts to the king, and every time he said they were from the “Marquis of Carabas.”

The king wanted to meet this rich man.

One day, Puss tricked a big ogre by asking him to turn into a mouse. The ogre did, and Puss ate him up! Now the boy had a big castle.

The king said, “You should marry my daughter!”

And so, the poor boy became a prince, all thanks to his clever cat, Puss in Boots.

Fun fact!

Did you know? The character of Puss in Boots has been so popular throughout history that he’s appeared in many versions of stories and even as a hero in modern movies! But the original Puss was written by Charles Perrault in the late 1600s, long before he became a movie star.