Once upon a time there was a poor miller's son who, when his father died, inherited nothing other than his beloved cat and was thrown out of the mill by his older brother. He was dejected and at a loss as to what to do now, when, to his astonishment, the cat suddenly began to speak: Have a pair of red boots made for me and I will help you find happiness and wealth. In fact, the poor miller's son did as he was told and the cat set off with his new boots to keep the promise he had made.
—Anonymous