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Whittington And His Cat
by
At last Dick could not stand her abuse any longer, and he made up his mind to go back to his old home in the little country town. So, very early in the morning on All-hallows Day, he started. He walked as far as the place called Holloway, and there he sat down on a stone, which to this day is called “Whittington’s Stone.”
As he sat there very sad, and wondering which way he should go, he heard the bells on Bow Church, far away, ringing out a merry chime. He listened. They seemed to say to him,–
“Turn again, Whittington, Thrice Lord Mayor of London.”
“Well, well!” he said to himself. “I would put up with almost anything, to be Lord Mayor of London when I am a man, and to ride in a fine coach! I think I will go back and let the old cook cuff and scold as much as she pleases.”
Dick did go back, and he was lucky enough to get into the kitchen, and set about his work, before the cook came downstairs to get breakfast.
IV. THE CAT.
Mr. Fitzwarren’s ship made a long voyage, and at last reached a strange land on the other side of the sea. The people had never seen any white men before, and they came in great crowds to buy the fine things with which the ship was loaded. The captain wanted very much to trade with the king of the country; and it was not long before the king sent word for him to come to the palace and see him.
The captain did so. He was shown into a beautiful room, and given a seat on a rich carpet all flowered with silver and gold. The king and queen were seated not far away; and soon a number of dishes were brought in for dinner.
They had hardly begun to eat when an army of rats and mice rushed in, and devoured all the meat before any one could hinder them. The captain wondered at this, and asked if it was not very unpleasant to have so many rats and mice about.
“Oh, yes!” was the answer. “It is indeed unpleasant; and the king would give half his treasure if he could get rid of them.”
The captain jumped for joy. He remembered the cat which little Whittington had sent out; and he told the king that he had a little creature on board his ship which would make short work of the pests.
Then it was the king’s turn to jump for joy; and he jumped so high, that his yellow cap, or turban, dropped off his head.
“Bring the creature to me,” he said. “If she will do what you say, I will load your ship with gold.”
The captain made believe that he would be very sorry to part with the cat; but at last he went down to the ship to get her, while the king and queen made haste to have another dinner made ready.
The captain, with puss under his arm, reached the palace just in time to see the table crowded with rats. The cat leaped out upon them, and oh! what havoc she did make among the troublesome creatures! Most of them were soon stretched dead upon the floor, while the rest scampered away to their holes, and did not dare to come out again.
The king had never been so glad in his life; and the queen asked that the creature which had done such wonders should be brought to her. The captain called, “Pussy, pussy, pussy!” and the cat came up and rubbed against his legs. He picked her up, and offered her to the queen; but at first the queen was afraid to touch her.
However, the captain stroked the cat, and called, “Pussy, pussy, pussy!” and then the queen ventured to touch her. She could only say, “Putty, putty, putty!” for she had not learned to talk English. The captain then put the cat down on the queen’s lap, where she purred and purred until she went to sleep.