A farmer had three sons: Pete, Bob and Tom. Pete was the eldest son. Tom was the youngest. He was a nice, kind, clever and industrious boy.
When Father died, Pete, the eldest in the family, got the house. Bob got the horse, and Tom, the youngest, - only the cat. But it was the cat with shoes.
Tom and the cat were very good friends. Tom was very kind to the cat.
One day the cat said to Tom : "You are very kind to me. I want to make you rich and happy. I shall try my best to do it. Give me a hat, a bag and a pair of shoes, please!" Tom gave the cat all these things.
One day the cat put the bag in the forest with some bread in it and caught a very big rabbit. Then the cat went to the King. He said to the King: "Oh, King! Prince Tom sends you this rabbit as a present."
"Thank Prince Tom for the very nice rabbit," - said the King.
The next day the cat said to Tom: "Go to the river, take off your old clothes, give them to me and jump into the river."
Tom and the cat went to the river. Tom took off his old clothes, gave them to the cat and jumped into the water. The cat hid Tom's old clothes in the grass.
That river was near the King's palace. The cat ran into the palace and said to the King: "Oh, King! Prince Tom is in the river! And I don't know where his beautiful clothes are! So Prince Tom can't get out of the water! Please, give him some beautiful clothes!"
"Certainly! With great pleasure!" - said the King, and gave the cat beautiful clothes.
Then the cat wanted to give Tom a beautiful house.
On the top of a hill there was a beautiful house where a giant lived.
One day the cat went to the giant and said: "People say that you can change yourself into any animal! Is that so?"
"Yes. I can change myself into any animal!" - answered the giant. "Can you change into a lion?" - asked the cat. "Of course I can," - said the giant and changed himself into a lion.
"Can you change yourself into an elephant?" - asked the cat.
"Certainly I can," - said the giant and changed himself into an elephant.
"Oh, I think it was easy for you because you changed yourself into big animals. But I am sure that you can't change yourself into a little animal, into a mouse," - said the cat.
"Yes, I can," - said the giant and changed himself into a mouse.
The cat ate the mouse.
That is how the cat got a beautiful big house for Tom.
Then the cat invited the King to Tom's beautiful house. The King was very pleased with the house and with Tom.
Very soon Tom married the King's daughter, a beautiful Princess and the cat lived very happily together in that beautiful big house on top of a hill.