Once upon a time, there was a boy named Pedro. Pedro was Jacob's best friend. They played together every day because they both loved to do experiments! They would build towers of blocks, make potions out of water and leaves, and even try to invent things in their secret hideout, which was a special place called a secret lab.
One day, Pedro met Jacob in the garden where they always played. "Jacob, my father passed away," Pedro said sadly. "He left his things to my brothers. My older brother got the windmill, my middle brother got a pack mule, but all I got was a cat!"
Jacob was surprised. "How are you going to survive with just a cat?" he asked. "Don't worry, Pedro. I can help!"
The cat interrupted them. "If you get me a pair of leather boots, I'll prove very useful to Pedro!"
Jacob and Pedro looked at each other. They had a piggy bank where they had saved all their coins. They rushed to their secret lab and opened the piggy bank. It was full of shiny coins!
"We can buy boots!" Jacob shouted.
They ran to the market and bought a pair of shiny new boots for the cat. The cat put them on and smiled. "Thank you, my friends," he said. "Do you want to go with me?"
Pedro said, "I'll stay with my brothers."
Jacob was excited. He never turned down an adventure! "Let's go!" he said.
The cat and Jacob went to the enchanted forest near Jacob's house in Chicago. The cat, being a very good hunter, caught two hens in no time!
"How did you get here so quickly?" asked Jacob.
The cat grinned. "We used magic, Jacob! But that's not all. You can invent anything, right? I knew you could help me with my plan."
They reached the enchanted castle in the forest and gave the hens to one of the king's servants. "These are a gift from a young man who just moved to the kingdom," the cat said.
The king was very happy to receive the hens! "Thank you!" he said.
Then the cat and Jacob set off to meet Pedro.
"We have a plan, Pedro," the cat said. "I gave the hens to the king, and now... well, you'll see!"
Pedro asked Jacob, "What's the plan?"
Jacob shrugged. "I don't know yet, but the cat has a great plan!"
They all played in the garden, and Pedro and Jacob decided to swim in the nearby pond.
Suddenly, a royal carriage approached!
"Stay here!" the cat shouted, running towards the carriage. "This is all part of the plan!"
The cat met the king, who was in the carriage. "Someone stole the clothes of my young master, Jacob," the cat said, pretending to be upset. "And Jacob has no clothes to wear!"
The king, always so kind, invited the cat, Jacob, and Pedro to ride in the carriage. "I will arrange for some new clothes for you," the king said.
Jacob thanked the king.
"Your Majesty," the cat said, "would you like to see the lands of my young master, Pedro?"
The king agreed!
The cat directed the carriage to the castle of a powerful ogre! Pedro didn't know what was happening, but he and Jacob were excited about the adventure.
The cat jumped out of the carriage. "Pedro," he said, "show the king around your lands!"
Pedro and Jacob decided to play along, while the cat carried out his plan.
The cat went into the castle. "What is a cat doing in my castle?" the wicked ogre asked, looking surprised.
The cat was clever. "I admire your magical powers, and I wonder if you could transform me into a lion?"
The ogre, wanting to show off his magic, turned into a lion!
"Now, could you turn me into a mouse?" the cat asked.
The ogre, eager to show his power, transformed into a mouse!
The cat, now a lion, ate the mouse!
The castle was now Pedro's! They could play there all day, especially with Jacob's superpower to invent anything.
The cat, who also had magical powers, turned back into a cat and went to meet the king, Pedro, and Jacob. "Come, my friends!" he said. "The castle is yours!"
The king was amazed by the incredible castle. He was even more impressed by the humility of Pedro and Jacob.
"Pedro," the king said, "you are a kind and generous young man. I would like to introduce you to my daughter. Perhaps you two could start a beautiful family together!"
Pedro and Jacob were happy about the idea. They were eager to meet the princess, but they decided to tell the truth.
They told the king everything about the cat's adventures.
The king was even happier to meet children who were honest and kind!
After that day, Pedro, Jacob, the cat, and the princess played together every day in the enchanted forest garden. They even shared an interest in Experiments!
This truly is a happily ever after!
