Short story # 11 Puss in Boots


Puss in Boots

Once upon a time, there was a miller who had three sons. He was so poor that, at the time of his death, he did not have much to give to his three sons. He gave an old mill to the older one, an old donkey to the second one and a simple cat was inherited by the youngest one who had always been his favorite.

Well, the truth is that the cat was actually not simple. To start with, he could speak. And the first thing she told his young master was: "My dear master, do not fret. I will get your living for you. If you buy me a pair of boots and a large bag."

"Of course, Of course," the young man said, completely astonished.

The miller’s son had very little money, but he thought it such a wonderful thing to hear a cat talk that he could not refuse her request. So he took Puss to the shoemaker and got him to make her a very smart pair of boots and then he gave her a large bag.

Now, not far from the mill there was a rabbit warren, and Puss resolved to catch some rabbits for dinner. So she put some lettuce leaves and fine parsley into her bag, went into the warren, and held the bag very quietly open, hiding behind it. And little greedy rabbits, who knew no better, ran into it, to have a feast. Puss pulled the string of the bag and carried them off to her master. The miller’s son killed them, and cooked one for dinner; but Puss took away the other, which was a very fine one, and hung it up for their next day’s meal.

The next day early in the morning, Puss took her bag and went again into the warren, and in the same manner, caught two more fine young rabbits. But instead of carrying them home she walked to the king’s palace and knocked at the door.

The king’s porter asked who was there. “I have brought a present to the king,” said Puss. “Please let me see his majesty.”

The porter let her in, and when Puss came into the king’s presence she made a low bow, and, taking a fine rabbit out of her bag, said, “Your majesty, please accept this gift on behalf of my master, the Marquis of Carabas.”

“I am much obliged to the marquis,” said the king, and he ordered his head cook to dress the rabbit for dinner.

By the king’s side sat his daughter, a very beautiful girl. She ordered one of the attendants to give Puss a good cup of cream, which she liked very much, then she went home and told her master all she had done. The miller’s son laughed but every morning Puss caught a rabbit and carried it to the palace with the same message.

One day Puss ran home and made her master go and bathe in the river, and he should see what she would do for him. The miller’s son obeyed; and while he was in the water, Puss took away all his clothes, and hid them under a large stone. Now, the king’s carriage came in sight soon after, just as Puss had expected. When she saw it,  she began to cry very loudly, “Help, help, for my Lord the Marquis of Carabas.” The king put his head out and asked what was the matter.

“Oh, your majesty,” said Puss, “ Some thugs have stolen my master's clothes! The Marquis of Carabas' clothes!"

Then the king ordered one of his attendants to ride back to the palace and get a suit of his own clothes for the marquis, “who had so often sent him gifts,” he said. And when they were brought, Puss took them to her master and helped him to dress in them.

With these clothes, the young man presented himself before the royal couple and their daughter, who instantly fell in love with the handsome Marquis. "Mmm... maybe this young boy could be a good match for our daughter?" the king and queen wondered. "Of course he is!" said the cat. But first, come to our castle and there we will be able to discuss this. "A castle?" The young boy didn't even possess a hut. However, the cat had already found a solution for that.

Without wasting time, he ran towards a castle owned by an ogre in another region, and the cat told the monster: "I have been told that you are a magician, but I don't think you can turn yourself into an animal."
His pride being hurt, the ogre immediately turned into a bear. "Is this enough for you? Or do you prefer a bigger creature?" the ogre screamed. And then he turned into a fearsome dragon. "Astonishing!" the cat praised him. "But... are you equally good with the small animals?" "Of course I am" the ogre screamed. And saying this he turned himself into a mouse. "That is what I wanted!" the cat exclaimed. And in one gulp he swallowed the little animal.

When the royal couple and the princess reached the castle, everything had been set by the cat. "Welcome to Marquis of Carabas' castle!" he greeted them. The monarchs had no doubt that the young man was an excellent match for their daughter, and soon they announced the wedding.

And that is the story of how the son of a poor miller managed to become a rich prince. 

date Saturday 14 March 2020
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Short story # 10 Jhansi ki Rani Laxmibai

Bundele harbolon ke muh humne suni kahani thi,
Khoob ladi mardani woh toh Jhansi wali rani thi...



The year was 1828 and the place was Varanasi. Moropant Tambe and Bhagirathi Sapre wer ite blessed with a daughter and what they didn’t know back then was that she was destined to go down in history as one of the bravest women India has ever known.

They named her ‘Manikarnika’ and called her Manu with affection. Soon, however, the name would get lost in the pages of history and their daughter would be remembered as ‘Jhansi wali rani’ who went to battle with her infant tied to her back and two swords in both her hands.

Manikarnika lost her mother at the tender age of four and was raised by her father who worked in the court of Peshwa of Bithoor. The Peshwa was very fond of her and raised Manikarnika like his own daughter.

She had a rather unconventional upbringing for a girl. When most girls were being trained to deal with domestic responsibilities and be good wives, Manikarnika was learning horseback riding, fencing and shooting with her childhood friends, Nana Sahib and Tatya Tope. In fact, she has also imparted education along with her two friends, something that was rare for the women of the time.

In 1842, Manikarnika got married to the Maharaja of Jhansi and after her marriage, she came to be known as Rani Lakshmibai. 1851, Lakshmibai became a mother after the birth of her son. However, she lost her son after four months. The royal couple eventually adopted Maharaja’s cousin’s son and named him Damodar Rao. The adoption, in fact, happened in front of a British official.

Lakshmibai’s marriage was short-lived as the Maharaja died of an illness in the year 1853. This was the moment that changed her life forever.

The then Governor-General Lord Dalhousie, taking advantage of the Maharaja’s death, applied the Doctrine of Lapse. According to this doctrine, a king’s adopted child was not entitled to the throne. While the adopted child of the Maharaja could inherit his private property, he would not be treated as an heir because they didn’t share a blood relation.

Fact or fable, no one knows, but it is said that Rani Lakshmibai cried out when she was told about annexation saying, ‘Main meri Jhansi nahin dungi.’

If this cruelty of snatching away her Jhansi and her son’s right to the throne wasn’t enough, the British went ahead and took away all the state jewels and offered the rani a measly pension of Rs 60, 000. She was asked to leave the fort. She had to move to another fort which is now called Rani Mahal.

And then came the year 1857.

India was turning a new page in its history and was preparing to fight what many call the first war for its freedom.

There were many factors that brought on the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. From policies that oppressed the farmers to new practices that were destroying the traditional businesses, Indians felt crushed under the regime of the British. The last straw was the introduction of cartridges to the army that were allegedly greased with animal fat, both beef, and pork. The soldiers took this as an attempt by the British to defile their religion and that’s when they all joined hands.

They were then joined by the rulers whose royal estates had been annexed. Rani Lakshmibai, however, is said to have been unwilling to go against the British initially. However, when in 1858 Sir Hugh Rose demanded the complete surrender of Jhansi, Rani Lakshmibai decided to go to war with everything she had.

She rebelled against the British and prepared her own forces. She gave the British a tough fight, carrying her infant on her back to the battlefield. One can only imagine the fierce Lakshmibai on the back of her horse, slaying anyone coming her way with the two swords, one in each hand and her young child strapped on her back. The mere image of it can give goosebumps. 


She first fled to Kalpi and then to Gwalior during the course of the battle. She was eventually martyred and her troops whisked her body away to keep her last wish of not having her body captured by the Britishers.

She was cremated according to her wishes and now, her tomb is at Phool Bagh in Gwalior.

date Wednesday 11 March 2020
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