Master Cat Summary

Trickster Tales “Help! Help! My lord, the Marquis de Carabas, is drowning!” Master Cat in the story “Master Cat or Puss in Boots” said this when he was trying to trick a king into thinking his master was wealthy. This story is a trickster tale, where something tries to outwit a power figure. Master cat wanted to outwit a king, to get his poor master wealthy, but to do this he used a shady way. After reading “Master Cat” and “Coyote Steals Fire” it’s easy to point out many similarities and differences between the two stories. In “Master Cat” and “Coyote Steals Fire” there are many obvious similarities. The first similarity is that the two stories both use anthropomorphism, which is giving animals human like characteristics such as talking, walking upright, wearing clothes and using logic. Secondly, they both outwit a power figure. For example, Master Cat outwits a king, while Coyote outwits a God. Also, the

One difference is the tricksters personalities. Coyote was cocky but considerate. This is because he won a game of dice. He taunts his opponent by saying “Don’t gamble, it’s not what you do best.” even though he won the game unfairly, but he did it for a good cause. Master Cat is very shady and shy because he was sneaky on tricking the king by threatening peasants, lying saying that Marquis was drowning and other sly ways. The second difference is that Master cat and Coyote outwitted the power figure in different ways. Master cat made his poor owner look wealthy, while Coyote cheated in a game of dice. Thirdly, they wanted something different, Master Cat wanted wealth for his master and himself, and Coyote wanted to obtain fire. Lastly, the stories both benefit differently. In “Master Cat” The story benefits himself, because only him and his master are becoming wealthy. In “Coyote Steals Fire” the story benefits society because everyone is getting