Once, there was a miller who had three sons. When he died, the eldest inherited the mill, the second got the donkey, and the youngest received a cat.
从前，有一位磨坊主，他有三个儿子。磨坊主去世后，长子继承了磨坊，次子得到了驴子，而最小的儿子只分到了一只猫。
The youngest son was disappointed, thinking he’d been given nothing of value.
最小的儿子感到很失望，认为自己没有得到任何有价值的东西。
The cat, however, was no ordinary cat. It could speak and was very clever.
然而，这只猫可不是普通的猫。它会说话，而且非常聪明。
"Master, give me a pair of boots and a bag, and I’ll make you a rich man," said the cat.
猫对主人说：“给我一双靴子和一个袋子，我会让你成为富人。”
Curious, the young man agreed. The cat put on the boots and set off on its plan.
出于好奇，小儿子同意了。猫穿上靴子，开始了它的计划。
The clever cat caught game, such as rabbits and partridges, and presented them to the king as gifts from its "master," the Marquis of Carabas.
聪明的猫捕捉了兔子和鹧鸪等猎物，将它们作为礼物献给国王，并声称是它的“主人”卡拉巴侯爵送的。
The cat continued to impress the king with gifts, creating an image of great wealth and nobility for its master.
猫不断用礼物打动国王，为主人营造出富有而高贵的形象。
One day, the cat learned the king and his daughter were traveling near the river.
有一天，猫得知国王和他的女儿将会路过附近的河边。
The cat instructed its master to bathe in the river and then hid his clothes.
猫让主人在河里洗澡，然后藏起了他的衣服。
When the king’s carriage passed by, the cat cried out, "Help! My master, the Marquis of Carabas, is drowning!"
当国王的马车经过时，猫大喊：“救命！我的主人卡拉巴侯爵溺水了！”
The king, already impressed by the gifts, sent his servants to rescue the young man and gave him fine clothes.
国王已经对礼物印象深刻，便派仆人救起了年轻人，并给了他华丽的衣服。
The cat further tricked the king by claiming lands and a castle belonged to the Marquis.
猫进一步欺骗国王，说大片土地和一座城堡都属于卡拉巴侯爵。
Using its cleverness, the cat persuaded an ogre who owned a castle to transform into a mouse, then quickly ate him.
猫用智慧说服了一位拥有城堡的巨人变成了一只老鼠，然后迅速把它吃掉。
With the ogre gone, the castle became the property of the "Marquis."
巨人消失后，城堡变成了“侯爵”的财产。
The king, believing the young man to be a noble, happily gave his daughter’s hand in marriage.
国王相信年轻人是贵族，欣然将女儿嫁给了他。
The clever cat’s wit and resourcefulness turned its master from a poor miller’s son into a wealthy nobleman.
这只聪明的猫用智慧和谋略让主人从贫穷的磨坊主之子变成了富有的贵族。
The story teaches that intelligence and resourcefulness can overcome even the greatest disadvantages.
这个故事告诉我们，智慧和机敏能克服最巨大的劣势。
