Puss in Boots or The Master Cat is one of the most popular fairy tales in history and definitely the best-known story of a trickster who helps his master and himself to climb up the social ladder with the speed of light, no matter what kind of moral has to be broken. It was first published in 1697 and stayed almost unchanged for more than three hundred centuries.
While the moral of Puss in Boots remains questionable, we don't need too much imagination to understand what fascinated the audience of this particular fairy tale for so long. It tells a story that resonates with almost everybody. The cards are shuffled and one of the players obviously stayed short-handed. But his only possession proved to be much better than his brothers' seemingly superior inheritance.
Let's explore the main scenes of the story with captivating illustrations by Henry Louis Stephens (1824-1882). The picture book was published in 1866, with color plates, a pretty new and luxurious addition to the books at the time. Sampson Low, Son, and Marston published it in London with Julius Bien (1826-1909) as a printer of the plates.
The opening scene is pretty depressing. While the majority of illustrators used it to present a bit of the surroundings to the reader, Stephens decided to portray both major characters in a small dark room. They look almost imprisoned. The youngest son looks particularly downhearted. But there is hope - portrayed with the help of the light coming through the window. The solution for the heir's problem (and his cat!) is obviously outside.
It's useless to sit inside, pitying oneself, while an opportunity might wait for you just outside, right at the corner! This is definitely one of the important, yet so often ignored messages of Puss in the Boots - one must take action to improve his or her position. The acts of the cat might be questionable but we are still dealing with a universal truth - get up and fight!
In this scene, we already see two important things. First is definitely the appearance of Puss. He doesn't look like an ordinary cat anymore. He has boots and everything else to look like a man of importance. You may find it a bit cynical, yet it's definitely true - clothes make the man.
The other suggestion for the illustration (coming straight from the story, written by Perrault who had decades of experience in the very same field) - you need to bring presents if you want to expect a favor. Ordinary people would classify such behavior as kissing up. Successful people call it diplomacy.
We are already at the beginning of the final stage of transformation. The king loved the presents and his daughter, the princess, likes the boy. They are thinking about marriage. But such an act is too important to rely on one's words only. The appearance of Puss in Boots and his master is not enough anymore. The king needs to see his future son-in-law's fortune with his own eyes.
Examining the contracts, testaments and other legally binding documents would be the best option. But most people don't want to bother with such stuff. The so-called social proof should be enough. So the cat runs forwards and orders the reapers to lie about the owner of the fields. If not, they 'all shall be chopped as fine as mince meat.'
We can learn another lesson from this scene. When your lie gets into danger to be revealed, back up it with more lies and, if necessary threats.
The climax of the story happens at the ogre's castle. To keep the illusion of his master's importance alive, the cat needs to provide him a real property. Words won't do the trick anymore. The king expects to get in the real castle and he probably expects a nice dinner too. But how to get a castle for his master? Especially on such short notice?
Puss in Boots decides to use the already tried recipe - by lying and kissing up. He tells the ogre he is his greatest fan, asks him to transform into an animal, and convinces him to turn into more and more animals until the ogre forgets about his own protection. When he turns into a mouse, the cat simply eats him. The castle is free and the illusion about the status of his master became reality.
This is the ending scene of the story about Puss in Boots. The trickster kept his promise. When his master thought about skinning the cat and earning a few pennies with his fur, he convinced him to spare his life. The cat promised he would make his master rich and successful. He got him a castle, the king's friendship, and a princess for his wife. Not bad for a miller's youngest son. Not bad at all.
While we don't know what future awaits the ogre's castle, it's obvious the miller's son married the princess, which already (legally) earned him half of the kingdom. He'll also get the other half after the king's death. And the cat became the minister. The message is simple and powerful - if you trick the right people (and an ogre), your lies can become a reality. If this message sounds good to the reader or listener is a matter of personal choice. The worldwide success of the story clearly says a huge part of the audience loves it.
For even more background on Puss in Boots, visit Puss in Boots, the Story of Questionable Moral.