Charles Perrault
The Master Cat, or Puss in Boots
(Illustrations by Walter Crane)
Puss in Boots is one of the most famous tales of Charles Perrault. It was first published in 1697 in a collection of eight fairy tales called Histoires ou contes du temps passé (Stories or Tales of Past Times). Since that time, the puss in boots has become a very popular character and appeared in movies, animation, comics. Despite its popularity, the tale was criticized by some people. For example, George Cruikshank, a British caricaturist and book illustrator, wrote: “When I came to look carefully at that story, I felt compelled to rewrite it, and alter the character of it to a certain extent, for, as it stood, the tale was a succession of successful falsehoods — a clever lesson in lying, a system of imposture rewarded by the greatest worldly advantages!—a useful lesson, truly, to be impressed upon the minds of children.” This edition includes remarkable illustrations by Walter Crane. Crane’s work in children’s books in cooperation with the publisher Edmund Evans earned him worldwide fame in the late 19th century.
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