Lucinda McQueen

When the time came to divide his wealth, a poor miller with three children had only a mill, a donkey, and a cat. The eldest child received the mill, the middle child received the donkey, and the youngest child received the cat. Although he could not see how a cat might keep him from starving, the young boy did exactly as the cat requested [with no surprise that the cat could talk!] and Puss in Boots went on his way, tricking the king and deceitfully gaining power and wealth for his young master.

Charles Perrault’s 1697 version of “Puss in Boots” is one of the most popular tales in Western folklore with the main idea of the folktale being that of an animal as a helper. Surely, the young boy deserves good things and, although the cat [who is a bit of a scoundrel] goes about getting them for his young master in a deceitful way, the cat’s actions harm no one [except the ogre]. In “Puss in Boots,” morality takes a back seat to the assurance of survival and success in life. Although, at its heart, this is a story of clever lying, it is still fun for young readers who will discover that small achievements often lead to great things. Stories such as “Puss in Boots” encourage young readers to recognize that there is importance in the things they achieve.

Certainly, young readers are sure to enjoy the delightful illustrations and are likely to read the story for pleasure rather than for a morality lesson. Parents who are concerned about this might share the story with the child, pointing out that the story is make-believe and that people generally frown upon lying; therefore, it is important to tell the truth.

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