There was once a poor couple; they had nothing but three sons. What the two eldest were called, I do not know, but the youngest was named Per. When the parents died the children were to inherit from them, but there was nothing left but a pot, a griddle and a cat. The eldest, who was to have first choice, took the pot. "When I loan out the pot, I'll always be allowed to scrape it," he said. The next one took the griddle. "For when I loan out the griddle, I'll get a taste of oatcake," he said. But the youngest had no choice; if he wanted anything, it would have to be the cat. "If I loan out the cat, then I won't get anything for her, I'm sure," he said. "If the cat gets a drop of milk, she'll have it herself. But I'd better take her along all the same. It would be a shame for her to wander about here and die." So the brothers set out into the world to seek their fortunes, and each took his own way. But when the youngest had walked a while, the cat said," You shall indeed be repaid for not wanting to leave me behind in that old cottage to die. Now I'm going into the forest to find some strange animals. Then you're to go to the king's manor you see over there and say you have come with a little present for the king. And when he asks whom it's from, you're to say it's from "Squire Per." Well, Per hadn't waited long before the cat came back with a reindeer from the forest. She had jumped up onto the reindeer's head, and sat down between its horns. "If you don't go straight to the king's manor, I'll scratch out your eyes!" she said, and then the reindeer dared not do otherwise. Now when Per came to the king's manor, he went into the kitchen with the reindeer and said. "I've come with a little present for the king, I have, if he won't look down his nose at it." The king came out of the kitchen, and when he saw that fine reindeer he certainly was glad. "But my dear friend, who is sending me such a generous gift?" said the king. "Oh, it comes from Squire Per, to be sure," said the boy. "Squire Per?" said the king. "Now where would he be living?" he said, for he thought it a shame not to know such a fine man. But the boy wouldn't tell that at all; he dared not for fear of his master, he said. So the king gave Per a big tip, and bade him greet them heartily at home, and say many thanks for the present. The next day the cat went into the forest again, and jumped onto the head of a stag, sat herself between the eyes, and forced it to go to the king's manor. There Per went with it into the kitchen again, and said he had come back with a little present for the king, if he wouldn't look down his nose at it. The king was even happier about the stag than he had been about the reindeer, and asked again who could be sending him such a generous present. "It's from Squire Per, to be sure," said the boy, but when the king wanted to know where Squire Per lived, he got the same answer as the day before, and that time Per received an even bigger tip. On the third day the cat came with an elk. So when Per went into the kitchen on the king's manor, he said that he had still another little present for the king, if he wouldn't look down his nose at it. The king came out to the kitchen at once, and when he caught sight of that big, fine elk, he was so happy that he didn't know which foot to stand on, and that day he gave Per a much, much bigger tip; indeed it was a hundred dalers. He insisted on knowing where Squire Per lived, and pried and asked questions about one thing and another; but the boy said that he dared not tell because his master had forbidden it and that both strictly and sternly. "Then bid Squire Per to look in on me," said the king. Yes, that would do, the boy said. But when he came out of the king's manor again, and met the cat, he said, "Well, you've landed me in a fine mess, you have. Now the king wants me to pay him a visit, and I have nothing but these rags I stand and walk in." "Oh, don't be afraid about that," said the cat. "In three days you shall have horses and a carriage, and such fine clothes that the gold will be dripping off you. Then you can certainly visit the king. But no matter what you see at the king's manor, you're to say that everything is much finer and more splendid at home. That you must not forget!" No, Per certainly wouldn't forget that, he thought. When the three days were up, the cat came with a carriage and horses, and clothing, and all that Per needed; everything was so fine that no one had seen such things before. Then he sat out, and the cat sprang along ahead. The king received him both kindly and well, but no matter what the king offered him, Per said it was good enough, but what he had at home was even finer and more splendid. The king didn't like this at all, but Per stuck to it, and at last the king grew so angry that he couldn't control himself any longer. "Now I want to go home with you," said the king, "and see if it's true that everything's so much finer and more splendid. But if you're lying, then woe be unto you! I'm not saying any more, I'm not!" "We'll you've really landed me in a fine mess!" said Per to the cat. "Now the king wants to come home with me, but my home - that's certainly no easy matter to find." "Oh, don't worry about that," said the Cat. "You just follow where I lead." Then they set out, first Per who drove behind the cat, which ran ahead, and the king with all his company. Now when they had driven a good distance, they came to a big herd of pretty sheep, with wool so long that it almost reached to the ground. "If you'll say that this herd of sheep belongs to Squire Per, when the king asks you, you'll get this silver spoon," said the cat to the shepherd. She had taken the silver spoon from the king's manor. Yes he'd do it gladly. So when the king came, he said to the shepherd, "Now I've never seen such a big herd of pretty sheep!" Who owns it, my little lad?" "Oh, it's Squire Per's to be sure," said the boy.
A little while they came to a big, big herd of fine bridled cows. They were so glossy they shone. "If you'll say that this herd belongs to Squire Per, when the king asks you, you'll get this silver ladle," said the cat to the shepherdess. The cat had also taken the silver ladle from the king's manor, "Yes, gladly" said the shepherdess.
So when the king came, he was quite astonished at the big, fine herd, for such a beautiful herd he had never seen before. He asked the shepherdess who owned those bridled cattle there. "Oh, it's Squire Per," said the maiden.
They traveled a little farther, and then they came to a big, big herd of horses; they were the handsomest horses any one ever saw, big and fat, and six of each color - red, and white, and black. "If you'll say that this herd of horses belongs to Squire Per, when the king asks you'll get this silver goblet," said the cat to the herder. She had also taken the goblet from the king's manor. Yes, he'd do that all right, said the boy. So when the king came, he was greatly astonished over that big, fine herd of horses; for he had never seen the like of such horses, he said. So he asked the herder whom these red, white and black horses belonged to. "They're Squire Per's to be sure," said the boy. Now, when they had journeyed a good distance farther, they came to a castle. First there was a gate of brass, then one of silver, and so splendid that it hurt the eyes, for the sun was shining full on it when they arrived. They went in, and the cat told Per to say he lived here. Inside the castle was even more splendid than outside; everything was of gold - chairs and benches. And when the king had gone about and looked at everything, both upstairs and down, he was quite ashamed.
"Yes, Squire Per is better off than I, there's no use denying It." he said, and then he wanted to take his leave. But Per bade him stay and eat supper with him, and the king did, but was sour and grumpy the whole time. While they were sitting at the table, the Troll, who owned the castle, came and knocked on the gate. "Who's in here eating my food and drinking my mead like swine?" shouted the Troll. As soon as the cat heard him, she runs out the gate. "Wait a bit, and I'll tell you what the farmer does with his winter rye," said the cat. "First the farmer ploughs his fields, then he spreads out manure, and then he ploughs it again!» Just then the sun rose. "Look around and you'll see a gloriously beautiful maiden behind you!" said the cat to the Troll. So the Troll turned, and when he caught sight of the sun he burst! "Now everything here is yours," said the act to Squire Per, "and you must chop off my head at once! That's the only thing I demand for what I've done for you." "No!" said Squire Per, I just won't do it!" "Yes!" said the cat. ! If you don't, I'll scratch out your eyes!" Well, then Squire Per had to do it. Unwilling though he was, he chopped off the cat's head. But at the same moment she turned into the loveliest Princess anyone could wish to set eyes on, and Squire Per fell head over heels in love with her. "Yes, all this was mine before," said the Princess, "but the Troll there bewitched me, so I had to be a cat at your parent's hut. Now you must do whatever you wish, whether you want me as your queen or not. For now you are king over the whole realm," said the princess. Of yes, it just could be that Squire Per wanted her as his queen. So there was a wedding and a feast which lasted eight days, and then I wasn't with Squire Per and his queen any longer, that's the truth.