Our favourite stories - France

  • Puss in Boots

    It’s the story of a poor miller who had three sons. When he died the first son inherited his mill, the second one inherited a donkey and the third inherited a cat.
    The third son was sad but his cat said to him « If you want to become rich, do everything I tell you ». At first the third son hesitated but then agreed. Firstly the cat told him that he would make him rich but that he needed a good pair of boots and a bag. The miller’s son was surprised that the cat could talk and decided to do as the cat asked.
    When he had his boots and the bag, the cat went hunting and caught two rabbits. He gave one to the miller’s son and took the other one to the King. « Here is a gift for you from my master the Marquis of Carrabas. The cat did this for a few days.
    Then, one day he told the miller’s son to undress and get into the river. The miller’s son did as he was asked and the cat quickly hid all his clothes. The King was travelling by in a carriage and when he arrived at the river the cat shouted « Help ! My master, the Marquis of Carrabas is going to drown!» The King stopped his carriage and the cat said « Your Majesty! Please, someone has stolen the clothes of my master, the Marquis of Carrabas and he will drown if he stays in the water ». The King gave some of his clothes to the man in the water and offered to escort him to his home in his carriage. The cat ran in front of them. He stopped at a field by the side of the road where some peasants were working. He told them « If the King passes and asks you who owns this field, you must say that it belongs to the Marquis of Carrabas. If you don’t you will be in trouble ! »
    The cat continued until he arrived at a castle. The owner of this castle was a very cruel ogre who could change into animals and who ate children. The cat immediately went to see the ogre and said « I have heard a story that says you can change into a mouse but I don’t believe it. Prove it » To show him, the ogre changed into a mouse and the cat jumped on him and ate him.
    During this time the King’s carriage stopped in front of the field and the King asked the peasants « Whose field is this? » and the peasants answered « This field belongs to the Marquis of Carrabas. » The King continued along the road and arrived at the castle. The cat welcomed the King and the « Marquis of Carrabas », acting as if the castle was the home of the « Marquis ». The King was very impressed by what he saw and heard and after some time because he believed the « Marquis of Carrabas » or the miller’s son to be very rich he offered  him his daughter’s hand in marriage and made him a prince. So the poor miller’s son really did become very rich and all thanks to his cat.

    Pichnouille and Seraphin

    It's the story of a witch that is called Pichnouille and a little boy named Séraphin. The witch terrorized her neighbors. One day Seraphin decided to get rid of Pichnouille. He went to the witch's who made him tiny. Seraphin entered her house through the keyhole and Pichnouille swallowed him. Seraphin began a trip in the body of the witch. He went down a spiral staircase then he found himself in front of the heart of Pichnouille which was frozen. Seraphin sneezed which also made the witch was sneeze. Then he went back up the staircase which was the spine of the witch and he arrived in her skull. There he took the labels off  drawers and stuck them on others making the witch do all sorts of funny things. He continued his trip until he arrived at the eyes of the witch. There he pulled at two ropes which closed her eyes. Then Seraphin began running and went out of the body of Pichnouille by the ear. Hanging on to the wart on the nose of the witch he heard a click and the witch became smaller and smaller. Seraphin put the witch down near a starving caterpillar.


    The three little pigs

    It's the story of three small pigs which are brothers. They decide to build their own houses. The first one builds a straw house, the second builds a wooden house and the third builds a brick house. The wolf arrives, he wants to eat the three small pigs. He blows on the straw house, the house flies away and the small pig takes refuge with his brother in the wooden house. The wolf blows on the wooden house, the house flies away and the brothers go to their brother who has a brick house. The wolf blows on the house but the house does not move. The wolf decides to pass by the chimney, but the three small pigs put a cauldron on a fire at the bottom of the chimney, the wolf falls into it then three small pigs cook him and eat him