Once upon a time there was an old couple who had nothing but three sons. I don't know the names of the two eldest, but the youngest son was called Per. When the parents died, the children were supposed to inherit – but there was nothing to be had except an old pot, an iron griddle, and a cat. The oldest took the pot. 'When someone borrows it, they will surely leave some scraps for me when they cook in it', he said. The second took the griddle, 'for when they borrow it I'm sure to get a pancake or two.' But the youngest had no choice; if he wanted anything at all, it had to be the cat. 'Nobody will give me anything to borrow the cat,' he said. 'If she gets a bowl of milk she will want it for herself. But I'll take her anyway, it would be a pity to leave her here to starve.'
Then the brothers went their separate ways in search of their fortunes. But when the youngest had walked for a while, the cat said, 'You'll get even for not leaving me to starve in the old cottage. I'm going to go into the forest to fetch some strange animals, and you shall go to the royal farm you see over there and say you are bringing gifts for the king. When he asks from whom, tell him it's from Sir Per.'
Per had only been waiting a short while, when the cat appeared with a reindeer out of the forest. She had jumped up onto the deer's head, right between its horns. 'If you don't walk straight to the King's farm, I'll scratch your eyes out!' she said, and the deer didn't dare do otherwise. When Per reached the King's farm, he walked into the kitchen and said, 'I'm bringing a small gift for the King and hope he won't scorn it.'
The King came into the kitchen and was happy to see the splendid reindeer. 'My dear friend! Who is it that sends me such a generous gift?' asked the King. 'Oh, it's from Sir Per,' the boy replied. 'Sir Per? Now where does he live?' said the King. He felt it was a shame he didn't know such a gentleman. But the boy would not tell him, he did not dare for his master, he said. Then the King tipped the boy generously and asked him to bring salutations back home and many thanks for the gift.
The next day the cat went into the forest again, jumped onto the head of an elk, sat between its eyes, and made it walk to the King's farm. Once again, Per entered the kitchen there and said he was bringing a small gift for the King, if he would not scorn it. The King was even happier about the elk than he had been about the reindeer, and again he asked who could be sending him such presents. 'Oh, it's from Sir Per,' said the boy; but when the King wanted to know where Sir Per lived, he got the same answer as the day before. And Per got even an even bigger tip that day.
On the third day, the cat fetched a moose. When Per entered the kitchen, he said he had a small gift for the King, if he would not scorn it. The King came straightaway and was overjoyed at the sight. He gave Per lots and lots of money - it must have been a hundred Daler. Now he really wanted to know where Sir Per lived, and queried the boy about many things, but Per didn't dare tell, on account of his severe master who had strictly forbidden him to say a word. 'Well, ask Sir Per to visit with me, then,' said the King. And that the boy promised to do.
But when Per left the King's farm and met the cat, he said, 'Well, this is a fine business you've got me into. The King wants me to visit with him, and I have nothing but these rags I'm wearing.' 'Don't you worry', said the cat. 'In three days you'll have horses and a carriage and clothes so splendid that gold drips from them. You'll be fit for a royal visit. But remember: whatever you see, tell the King that it's even finer and more excellent where you live.'
He said he'd be sure to remember that.
When three days had passed, the cat brought him a carriage with horses, clothes, and everything Per needed, and everything was so marvellous that no one had ever seen the like before. Then he rode off in the carriage, and the cat ran alongside.
The King received him graciously, in a friendly manner; but whatever the King offered him, Per said that it was well and good, but he had it even better at home. The King didn't like this much, but Per stood firm; and finally the King got so angry he could n't take it any longer. 'Now I am coming with you,' the King said, 'to see if it's true that your home is so much more splendid than mine. But if you are lying, well, mercy, I'll say no more!'
'A fine business you've got me into,' said Per to the cat, 'the King wants to see my home. But my home, that's not easily found'.
'Don't you worry,' said the cat, 'just you go where I run ahead.'
Then they all went off, first Per who drove his carriage where the cat ran ahead, then the King with all his men.
After they had travelled quite a while, they met a large flock of marvellous sheep; their wool reached almost to the ground. 'I'll give you this silver spoon to say this flock belongs to Sir Per when the King asks you,' said the cat to the shepherd – she had brought the spoon from the King's farm. Sure, he would say so.
When the King came along, he said to the shepherd, 'Well, I never saw such a large flock of handsome sheep! Who owns them, my boy?' 'They belong to Sir Per', said the shepherd.
A little later they came to a large herd of beautiful, spotted cows; they were so fat that they shone. 'If you tell the king this herd belongs to Sir Per, I'll give you this silver ladle,' the cat told the girl tending the cows – the silver ladle was also from the King's farm.
'With pleasure,' said the girl.
When the King arrived there, he was quite astonished at the large, splendid herd; he had never seen such a lovely herd before, and he asked the girl who was tending them, who owned these spotted cows. 'Oh, that's Sir Per', said the girl.
They travelled a while again, and came to an enormous flock of horses: they were the handsomest horses imaginable, large and fat, and six of every colour, chestnut, white and gray.
'If I give you this silver cup, will you tell the King when he asks, that these horses belong to Sir Per?' said the cat to the herdsman – she had brought the cup from the king's farm.
Oh, he certainly would, said the herdsman.
So when the King arrived, he marvelled at the large, handsome herd of horses. He said he had never seen the like. Then he asked the herdsman, who the owner of these chestnut and white and gray horses might be. 'That's Sir Per', was the answer.
When they had travelled a goodly distance again, they came to a large palace. First there was a brass gate, then one of silver, and finally a golden one, and the palace itself was all of silver, so bright it hurt the eyes – for the sun was shining on it as they arrived. They went in, and the cat told Per to say that he lived there. The palace was even more magnificent inside than out; everything was made of gold, even the chairs and tables and benches. The King went around looking at everything and felt himself quite shamed. 'Yes, Sir Per's home is better than mine, it can't be denied,' he said and wanted to leave, but Per asked him to stay and sup with him, and the king did – in a foul mood all evening.
While they were at the table, the troll that owned the palace came knocking at the gates. 'Who's in there eating my food and drinking my mead like swine?' shouted the troll. The cat ran to the gate as soon as she heard the troll. 'Just a moment, I want to tell you how the farmer cares for his winter rye field,' she said – first he ploughs it, then he mucks it, then he ploughs it again –' and she went on explaining at length. Suddenly the sun rose. 'Turn around and look at the beautiful maiden behind you!'said the cat to the troll. The troll turned, saw the sun, and dropped dead.
'All this is yours now,' said the cat to Sir Per, 'and now you must chop off my head. That's the only thing I ask in return for what I''ve done for you.'
'Oh, no,' said Per, 'I couldn't do that!'
'Oh yes,' said the cat, 'or I'll scratch your eyes out!'
Well, Per had to do it, however reluctantly: he chopped off the head of the cat.
But right away she turned into the most beautiful princess anyone ever laid eyes on, and Sir Per fell completely in love with her.
'All this splendour was mine before,' said the princess, 'but that troll put a spell on me, so I had to live as a cat in your parents' cottage. Now it's up to you, whether you want me for your queen or not, for you are now king of this entire country.' Oh yes, Sir Per certainly did want her for his queen.
So they married and celebrated the wedding for eight days – and after that I was no longer with Sir Per and his queen.
Story collected by Peter Christian Asbjørnsen.
English translation by Bjørn Steensrud© of the Norsk Skogkattring, Norway.
Drawing by Norwegian artist Theodor Kittelsen (1857-1914)BACK TO:
the Eventyr index
The Maison Forte site map
Original Norwegian version of this story
The Norwegian Forest Cat: description of the breed
Top of the page
Return to NFO home page
