of his dinner to her; and in a short time he had no more trouble with
the rats and mice, but slept quite sound every night.
Soon after this, his master had a ship ready to sail; and as he
thought it right that all his servants should have some chance for
good fortune as well as himself, he called them all into the parlor
and asked them what they would send out.
They all had something that they were willing to venture except
poor Dick, who had neither money nor goods, and therefore could send
nothing.
For this reason he did not come into the parlor with the rest; but
Miss Alice guessed what was the matter, and ordered him to be called
in. She then said she would lay down some money for him, from her
own purse; but the father told her this would not do, for it must be
something of his own.
When poor Dick heard this, he said he had nothing but a cat which he
bought for a penny some time since of a little girl.
"Fetch your cat then, my good boy," said Mr. Fitzwarren, "and let her
go."
Dick went upstairs and brought down poor puss, with tears in his eyes,
and gave her to the captain; for he said he should now be kept awake
again all night by the rats and mice.
All the company laughed at Dick's odd venture; and Miss Alice, who
felt pity for the poor boy, gave him some money to buy another cat.
This, and many other marks of kindness shown him by Miss Alice made
the ill-tempered cook jealous of poor Dick, and she began to use him
more cruelly than ever, and always made game of him for sending his
cat to sea. She asked him if he thought his cat would sell for as much
money as would buy a stick to beat him.
At last poor Dick could not bear this usage any longer, and he thought
he would run away from his place; so he packed up his few things, and
started very early in the morning, on All-hallow's, which is the first
of November. He walked as far as Holloway; and there sat down on a
stone, which to this day is called Whittington's stone, and began to
think to himself which road he should take as he went onwards.
While he was thinking what he should do, the bells of Bow Church,
which at that time had only six, began to ring, and he fancied their
sound seemed to say to him:
"Turn again, Whittington,
Lord Mayor of London."
"Lord Mayor of London!" said he to himself. "Why, to be sure, I would
put up with almost anything now, to be Lord Mayor of London, and ride
in a fine coach, when I grow to be a man! Well, I will go back, and
think nothing of the cuffing and scolding of the old cook, if I am to
be Lord Mayor of London at last."
Dick went back, and was lucky enough to get into the house, and set
about his work, before the old cook came downstairs.
The ship, with the cat on board, was a long time at sea; and was at
last driven by the winds on a part of the coast of Barbary, where the
only people were the Moors, that the English had never known before.
The people then came in great numbers to see the sailors, who were
of different color to themselves, and treated them very civilly; and,
when they became better acquainted, were very eager to buy the fine
things that the ship was loaded with.
When the captain saw this, he sent patterns of the best things he had
to the King of the country; who was so much pleased with them, that
he sent for the captain to the palace. Here they were placed, as it is
the custom of the country, on rich carpets marked with gold and silver
flowers. The King and Queen were seated at the upper end of the room;
and a number of dishes were brought in for dinner. They had not
sat long, when a vast number of rats and mice rushed in, helping
themselves from almost every dish. The captain wondered at this, and
asked if these vermin were not very unpleasant.
"Oh, yes," said they, "very destructive; and the King would give
half his treasure to be freed of them, for they not only destroy his
dinner, as you see, but they assault him in his chamber and even in
bed, so that he is obliged to be watched while he is sleeping for fear
of them."
The captain jumped for joy; he remembered poor Whittington and his
cat, and told the King he had a creature on board the ship that would
despatch all these vermin immediately. The King's heart heaved so high
at the joy which this news gave him that his turban dropped off his
head. "Bring this creature to me," says he; "vermin are dreadful in
a court, and if she will perform what you say, I will load your ship
with gold and jewels in exchange for her." The captain, who knew his
business, took this opportunity to set forth the merits of Mrs Puss.
He told his majesty that it would be inconvenient to part with her,
as, when she was gone, the rats and mice might destroy the goods in
the ship--but to oblige his Majesty he would fetch her. "Run, run!"
said the Queen; "I am impatient to see the dear creature."
Away went the captain to the ship, while another dinner was got ready.
He put puss under his arm, and arrived at the place soon enough to see
the table full of rats.
When the cat saw them, she did not wait for bidding, but jumped out of
the captain's arms, and in a few minutes laid almost all the rats and
mice dead at her feet. The rest of them in their fright scampered away
to their holes.
The King and Queen were quite charmed to get so easily rid of such
plagues, and desired that the creature who had done them so great
a kindness might be brought to them for inspection. Upon which the
captain called: "Pussy, pussy, pussy!" and she came to him. He then
presented her to the queen, who started back, and was afraid to touch
a creature who had made such a havoc among the rats and mice. However,
when the captain stroked the cat and called: "Pussy, pussy," the Queen
also touched her and cried "Putty, putty," for she had not learned
English. He then put her down on the queen's lap, where she, purring,
played with her Majesty's hand, and then sung herself to sleep.
The King, having seen the exploits of Mrs. Puss, and being informed
that her kittens would stock the whole country, bargained with the
captain for the whole ship's cargo, and then gave him ten times as
much for the cat as all the rest amounted to.
The captain then took leave of the royal party, and set sail with
a fair wind for England, and after a happy voyage arrived safe in
London.
One morning Mr. Fitzwarren had just come to his counting-house and
seated himself at the desk, when somebody came tap, tap, at the door.
"Who's there?" said Mr. Fitzwarren. "A friend," answered the other;
"I come to bring you good news of your ship Unicorn." The merchant,
bustling up instantly, opened the door, and who should be seen waiting
but the captain and factor, with a cabinet of jewels, and a bill of
lading, for which the merchant lifted up his eyes and thanked heaven
for sending him such a prosperous voyage.
They then told the story of the cat, and showed the rich present
that the king and queen had sent for her to poor Dick. As soon as the
merchant heard this, he called out to his servants,
"Go fetch him--we will tell him of the same;
Pray call him Mr. Whittington by name."
Mr. Fitzwarren now showed himself to be a good man; for when some
of his servants said so great a treasure was too much for Dick, he
answered: "God forbid I should deprive him of the value of a single
penny."
He then sent for Dick, who at that time was scouring pots for the
cook, and was quite dirty.
Mr. Fitzwarren ordered a chair to be set for him, and so he began to
think they were making game of him, at the same time begging them not
to play tricks with a poor simple boy, but to let him go down again,
if they pleased, to his work.
"Indeed, Mr. Whittington," said the merchant, "we are all quite
in earnest with you, and I most heartily rejoice in the news these
gentlemen have brought you; for the captain has sold your cat to the
King of Barbary, and brought you in return for her more riches than I
possess in the whole world; and I wish you may long enjoy them!"
Mr. Fitzwarren then told the men to open the great treasure they had
brought with him; and said: "Mr. Whittington has nothing to do but to
put it in some place of safety."
Poor Dick hardly knew how to behave himself for joy. He begged his
master to take what part of it he pleased, since he owed it all to his
kindness. "No, no," answered Mr. Fitzwarren, "this is all your own;
and I have no doubt but you will use it well."
Dick next asked his mistress, and then Miss Alice, to accept a part
of his good fortune; but they would not, and at the same time told him
they felt great joy at his good success. But this poor fellow was too
kind-hearted to keep it all to himself; so he made a present to the
captain, the mate, and the rest of Mr. Fitzwarren's servants; and even
to the ill-natured old cook.
After this Mr. Fitzwarren advised him to send for a proper tradesman
and get himself dressed like a gentleman; and told him he was welcome
to live in his house till he could provide himself with a better.
When Whittington's face was washed, his hair curled, his hat cocked,
and he was dressed in a nice suit of clothes, he was as handsome and
genteel as any young man who visited at Mr. Fitzwarren's; so that Miss
Alice, who had once been so kind to him, and thought of him with pity,
now looked upon him as fit to be her sweetheart; and the more so, no
doubt, because Whittington was now always thinking what he could do to
oblige her, and making her the prettiest presents that could be.
Mr. Fitzwarren soon saw their love for each other, and proposed to
join them in marriage; and to this they both readily agreed. A day for
the wedding was soon fixed; and they were attended to church by the
Lord Mayor, the court aldermen, the sheriffs, and a great number of
the richest merchants in London, whom they afterwards treated with a
very rich feast.
History tells us that Mr. Whittington and his lady lived in great
splendor, and were very happy. They had several children. He was
Sheriff of London, also Mayor, and received the honor of knighthood by
Henry V.
The figure of Sir Richard Whittington with his cat in his arms, carved
in stone, was to be seen till the year 1780 over the archway of the
old prison of Newgate, that stood across Newgate Street.
TOM HICKATHRIFT
ADAPTED BY ERNEST RHYS
Long before William the Conqueror, there dwelt a man in the Isle of
Ely, named Thomas Hickathrift, a poor laboring man, but so strong that
he was able to do in one day the ordinary work of two. He had an only
son, whom he christened Thomas, after his own name. The old man put
his son to good learning, but he would take none, for he was none of
the wisest, but something soft, and had no docility at all in him.
God calling this good man, the father, to his rest, his mother, being
tender of him, kept him by her hard labor as well as she could;
but this was no easy matter, for Tom would sit all day in the
chimney-corner, instead of doing anything to help her, and although at
the time we were speaking of he was only ten years old, he would eat
more than four or five ordinary men, and was five feet and a half
in height, and two feet and a half broad. His hand was more like a
shoulder of mutton than a boy's hand, and he was altogether like a
little monster; but yet his great strength was not known.
Tom's strength came to be known in this manner: his mother, it seems,
as well as himself, for they lived in the days of merry old England,
slept upon straw. Now, being a tidy old creature, she must every now
and then have a new bed, and one day having been promised a bottle of
straw by a neighboring farmer, after much begging she got her son to
fetch it. Tom, however, made her borrow a cart-rope first, before he
would budge a step, without saying what he wanted it for; but the poor
woman, too glad to gain his help upon any terms, let him have it at
once. Tom, swinging the rope round his shoulder went to the farmer's,
and found him with two men threshing in a barn. Having told what he
wanted, the farmer said he might take as much straw as he could carry.
Tom at once took him at his word, and, placing the rope in a right
position, rapidly made up a bundle containing at least a cartload, the
men jeering at him all the while. Their merriment, however, did not
last long, for Tom flung the enormous bundle over his shoulders, and
walked away with it without any difficulty, and left them all gaping
after him.
After this exploit Tom was no longer allowed to be idle. Every one
tried to secure his services, and we are told many tales of his mighty
strength. On one occasion, having been offered as great a bundle of
fire wood as he could carry, he marched off with one of the largest
trees in the forest. Tom was also extremely fond of attending fairs;
and in cudgeling, wrestling, or throwing the hammer, there was no
one who could compete with him. He thought nothing of flinging a huge
hammer into the middle of a river a mile off, and, in fact, performed
such extraordinary feats, that the folk began to have a fear of him.
At length a brewer at Lynn, who required a strong lusty fellow to
carry his beer to the Marsh and to Wisbeach, after much persuasion,
and promising him a new suit of clothes and as much as he liked to
eat and drink, secured Tom for his business. The distance he daily
traveled with the beer was upwards of twenty miles, for although there
was a shorter cut through the Marsh, no one durst go that way for fear
of a monstrous giant, who was lord of a portion of the district, and
who killed or made slaves of every one he could lay his hands upon.
Now, in the course of time, Tom was thoroughly tired of going such a
roundabout way, and without telling his plans to any one, he resolved
to pass through the giant's domain, or lose his life in the attempt.
This was a bold undertaking, but good living had so increased Tom's
strength and courage, that venturesome as he was before, his hardiness
was so much increased that he would have faced a still greater danger.
He accordingly drove his cart in the forbidden direction, flinging the
gates wide open, as if for the purpose of making his daring more plain
to be seen.
At length he was espied by the giant, who was in a rage at his
boldness, but consoled himself by thinking that Tom and the beer
would soon become his prey. "Sir," said the monster, "who gave you
permission to come this way? Do you not know how I make all stand in
fear of me? and you, like an impudent rogue, must come and fling my
gates open at your pleasure! Are you careless of your life? Do not you
care what you do? But I will make you an example for all rogues under
the sun! Dost thou not see how many thousand heads hang upon yonder
tree--heads of those who have offended against my laws? But thy head
shall hang higher than all the rest for an example!" But Tom made
him answer: "You shall not find me to be one of them." "No!" said the
giant, in astonishment and indignation; "and what a fool you must be
if you come to fight with such a one as I am, and bring never a weapon
to defend yourself!" Quoth Tom, "I have a weapon here that will make
you know you are a traitorous rogue." This speech highly incensed the
giant, who immediately ran to his cave for his club, intending to
dash out Tom's brains at one blow. Tom was now much distressed for a
weapon, as by some chance he had forgot one, and he began to reflect
how very little his whip would help him against a monster twelve feet
in height and six feet round the waist. But while the giant was gone
for his club, Tom bethought himself, and turning his cart upside down,
adroitly took out the axletree, which would serve him for a staff, and
removing a wheel, fitted it to his arm instead of a shield--very good
weapons indeed in time of trouble, and worthy of Tom's wit. When the
monster returned with his club, he was amazed to see the weapons with
which Tom had armed himself; but uttering a word of defiance, he bore
down upon the poor fellow with such heavy strokes that it was as much
as Tom could do to defend himself with his wheel. Tom, however, at
length cut the giant such a blow with the axletree on the side of his
head, that he nearly reeled over. "What!" said Tom, "have you drunk
of my strong beer already?" This inquiry did not, as we may suppose,
mollify the giant, who laid on his blows so sharply and heavily
that Tom was obliged to defend himself. By-and-by, not making any
impression on the wheel, the giant grew tired, and was obliged to ask
Tom if he would let him drink a little, and then he would fight again.
"No," said Tom, "my mother did not teach me that wit: who would be
fool then?" The end may readily be imagined; Tom having beaten
the giant, cut off his head, and entered the cave, which he found
completely filled with gold and silver.
The news of this victory rapidly spread throughout the country, for
the giant had been a common enemy to the people about. They made
bonfires for joy, and showed their respect to Tom by every means in
their power. A few days afterwards Tom took possession of the cave
and all the giant's treasure. He pulled down the former, and built
a magnificent house on the spot; but as for the land stolen by the
giant, part of it he gave to the poor for their common, merely keeping
enough for himself and his good old mother, Jane Hickathrift.
Tom was now a great man and a hero with all the country folk, so that
when any one was in danger or difficulty, it was to Tom Hickathrift
he must turn. It chanced that about this time many idle and rebellious
persons drew themselves together in and about the Isle of Ely, and set
themselves to defy the king and all his men.
By this time, you must know, Tom Hickathrift had secured to himself a
trusty friend and comrade, almost his equal in strength and courage,
for though he was but a tinker, yet he was a great and lusty one. Now
the sheriff of the country came to Tom, under cover of night, full
of fear and trembling, and begged his aid and protection against the
rebels, "else," said he, "we be all dead men!" Tom, nothing loth,
called his friend the tinker, and as soon as it was day, led by the
sheriff, they went out armed with their clubs to the place where the
rebels were gathered together. When they were got thither, Tom and the
tinker marched up to the leaders of the band, and asked them why they
were set upon breaking the king's peace. To this they answered loudly,
"Our will is our law, and by that alone we will be governed!" "Nay,"
quoth Tom, "if it be so, these trusty clubs are our weapons, and by
them alone you shall be chastised." These words were no sooner uttered
than they madly rushed on the throng of men, bearing all before them,
and laying twenty or thirty sprawling with every blow. The tinker
struck off heads with such violence that they flew like balls for
miles about, and when Tom had slain hundreds and so broken his trusty
club, he laid hold of a lusty raw-boned miller and made use of him as
a weapon till he had quite cleared the field.
If Tom Hickathrift had been a hero before, he was twice a hero now.
When the king heard of it all, he sent for him to be knighted, and
when he was Sir Thomas Hickathrift nothing would serve him but that he
must be married to a great lady of the country.
So married he was, and a fine wedding they had of it. There was a
great feast given, to which all the poor widows for miles round were
invited, because of Tom's mother, and rich and poor feasted together.
Among the poor widows who came was an old woman called Stumbelup, who
with much ingratitude stole from the great table a silver tankard. But
she had not got safe away before she was caught and the people were
so enraged at her wickedness that they nearly hanged her. However,
Sir Tom had her rescued, and commanded that she should be drawn on
a wheelbarrow through the streets and lanes of Cambridge, holding a
placard in her hand on which was written--
"I am the naughty Stumbelup,
Who tried to steal the silver cup."
HEROES OF SCANDINAVIA
THE STORY OF FRITHIOF
ADAPTED BY JULIA GODDARD
I
In a cottage overshadowed by wide-spreading oaks, and surrounded by a
garden in which bloomed the sweetest flowers of summer, lived an aged
peasant named Hilding.
Two children might be seen playing about the garden from sunrise to
sunset, but they were not old Hilding's children. The handsome boy
was the son of the thane Thorsten Vikingsson; the little girl, with
dove-like eyes and silken tresses, was the daughter of good King Belé.
Together the little ones played through the long pleasant days in
their foster-father's garden, or wandered through the woods, or
climbed the hills that sheltered them from the northern winds. The boy
would seek treasures from the birds' nests for his fair companion,
not even fearing to rob the mountain eagle, so that he might bring the
spoil to Ingebjorg. He would also take her far out on the blue sea in
his little boat, and Ingebjorg never felt afraid as long as Frithiof
was with her.
As Frithiof grew older, he became a great hunter, and once he slew
without weapons a fierce bear, which he brought home in triumph and
laid at Ingebjorg's feet.
During the winter evenings, they sat by the blazing logs on the
hearth, and Hilding told them wonderful stories of Asgard and all its
glories, of Odin the king of the gods, and of the beautiful Frigga.
But Frithiof thought she could not be half so beautiful as Ingebjorg.
And once he said so to her, and it pleased her exceedingly. And he
said, moreover, that when he was a man, Ingebjorg should be his wife.
This also she was glad to hear, for she loved Frithiof better than any
one in the world.
But Old Hilding told them not to talk nonsense, for Ingebjorg was a
king's daughter, and Frithiof but the son of a thane.
II
In a room of his palace stood King Belé. He was leaning on his sword,
musing over all that was past, and thinking of the future. He was an
old man, and he felt that his strength was failing him.
With him was his faithful friend Thorsten Vikingsson. They had grown
up to manhood together, they had fought in many a battle side by side.
They had been companions at many a feast and revel; and now, when old
age had fallen upon them, they drew closer to one another, feeling
that the hand of death was raised to summon them into another world.
"The end of life is near," said the King; "the shadow of death is cast
upon me. No longer do I care for all that men call pleasure. The chase
hath lost its charm, the helmet sits heavy upon my brow, and the mead
hath lost its flavor. I would that my sons were here so that I might
give them my blessing."
Then the servants summoned to King Belé's presence his two sons, Helgi
and Halfdan. Dark was the countenance of Helgi, and there was
blood upon his hands, for he had just been assisting at the midday
sacrifice. But the face of Halfdan was bright as the early morning,
and he was as light and joyous as his brother was dark and gloomy.
Frithiof also came, for the thane Thorsten Vikingsson desired to see
him, that he too might bless his son when King Belé blessed the royal
princes.
And the two old friends spoke words of wisdom to their children, and
prayed that the gods might be with them in peace and war, in joy and
sorrow, and grant them a long life and a glorious death.
And when their counsels and prayers were ended, King Belé said, "And
now, O sons, I bid you remember, in that day when death shall claim
me and my faithful friend, that ye lay our bones side by side near the
shore of the great ocean."
III
In due time, King Belé died, and Helgi and Halfdan shared his kingdom
between them.
Thorsten Vikingsson died also, and Frithiof became lord of his
ancestral home of Framnäs.
Rich treasures did that home contain, three of them of magic power.
The first was the sword of Angurvadel. Blood-red it shone in time of
war, and wo to him who contended with its owner on the battle-field.
Next was an arm-ring of pure gold, made by the god Völund, and given
by him to one of Thorsten Vikingsson's forefathers. Once it was stolen
and carried to England by the viking Soté, but Thorsten and his friend
King Belé pursued the robber. Over the sea they sailed after the
viking, and landed at a lonely place where the rocks reared up their
sharp points and made the coast dangerous.
There were deep caverns which the waters filled when the tide was up,
so lone and dark that men were almost afraid to go into them.