"Le Chat Botté" (1913)
("Puss in Boots")
The Christmas Edition of The Illustrated London News (1913)
Illustration by Kay Nielsen
When first published in the Christmas Edition of The Illustrated London News, this image was associated with the
following text:
A miller, at his death, left to his eldest son his mill, to the second his ass, and to the
youngest his cat. The third son was bewailing his lot when the cat said: "Only give me
a sack, and a pair of boots for going in the brambles, and you will see that you are
not so badly provided for." Having trapped a rabbit in his sack, the cat presented it to
the King from his master, "The Marquis of Carabas." From time to time he took the
King other gifts of game. One day, hearing that his Majesty would go a-driving with
his daughter by a river, Puss bade his master go bathe in the stream, and when the
King drove by, cried out, "Help! Help! the Marquis of Carabas is drowning!" The King
sent his servants to save him while the cat declared that thieves had stolen his master's
clothes, so his Majesty had some of his own brought for the Marquis to put on. He
looked so brave in them that the princess fell in love with him, and he with her. The
cat ran on before the carriage, telling all the peasants reaping that, if they did not say
that the land belonged to the Marquis of Carabas, they would be cut to pieces. So
when the King inquired, that all replied, "To the Marquis of Carabas, your Majesty."
At length the Cat came to a great castle where dwelt an ogre, the real owner of those
domains. "I am told," said the Cat to the Ogre, "that you can change into all kind of
animals." Thereupon the Ogre became a lion, and Puss though sore afraid, remarked:
"I can scarce believe that you could also change into the smallest animals, such as a rat
or a mouse." Straightway the Ogre became a mouse, whereon Puss pounced upon him
and devoured him. When the King arrived, Puss welcomed him to the castle of the
Marquis of Carabas. His Majesty presently asked the Marquis to come his son-in-law,
and so the miller's youngest son married the Princess that very day.
The illustration
.jpg) Complete Image |
Single Greeting Card
Code: KN PPP C2 SGC |
%20(Detail).jpg) Detail (for reference) |
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Reproduction on 12x18" sheet
Code: KN
PPP C2 12x18 |
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Reproduction on 20x30" sheet
Code: KN
PPP C2 20x30
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Our Greeting Cards
When presented on Greeting Cards, these images are prepared as tipped-on plates - in hommage to the hand-crafted
approach typical of prestige illustrated publications produced in the early decades of the 20th Century. Each card is
hand-finished, with the image presented on Ivory card stock with an accompanying envelope. On the rear of each
card we also present some information about Kay Nielsen and this wonderful illustration. We have left the interior
of the cards blank so that you may write your own personal message.
Our large format reproductions
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of enjoyment. In addition, our reproductions are accompanied by explanatory material relating to Kay Nielsen and this
wonderful illustration.
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