Dick's cat was taken across the ocean. The ship sailed and sailed, until
at last it came to a distant country.
Now the king and queen of this country were very rich. When the captain
was asked to show his goods before them he was very glad indeed to do
so.
The king and queen first gave the captain a great feast.
Gold and silver dishes filled with food were brought in.
[Illustration]
When these dishes were placed upon the table an army of rats came out.
There were white rats, and black rats, and brown rats, and big rats, and
little rats.
At once they fell upon the food and ate it nearly all up.
"Why do you let the rats do this?" asked the captain.
"Alas, we cannot help ourselves," said the king. "I would give half my
kingdom to be rid of them."
Then the captain thought of Dick Whittington's cat.
"I have an animal which will rid you of them," said the captain.
"Pray bring it in at once," said the queen.
What fun Dick's cat had killing the rats and mice in the king's palace!
"We must buy that little animal," said the queen. "I do not care how
much she may cost."
The captain could hardly carry all the jewels and gold that the king
gave him for the cat.
Then the ship with Dick's money came back to London, and the captain
told the story to Mr. Fitzwarren.
"We must take these jewels and all this gold at once to Mr.
Whittington," said the honest man. "He is no longer a poor boy, for this
has made him rich."
[Illustration]
They found Dick in the kitchen blacking the stove.
"Come with me at once into the parlor," said Mr. Fitzwarren.
Then the bags of gold and jewels were piled at Dick's feet.
"See what your cat has brought you," said Mr. Fitzwarren. "You are now a
rich man and may yet be Lord Mayor of London."
And it is true that after Dick Whittington became a man, he was made
Lord Mayor of London.
_English Folk Tale_
[Illustration]