English Fairy Tales

English Fairy Tales
but to oblige your majesty, I will 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 just in time 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 was quite charmed to get rid so easily of such
plagues, and the queen desired that the creature who had
done them so great a kindness might be brought to her, that
she might look at her. 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 purred and played with
her majesty’s hand, and then purred herself to sleep.
The king, having seen the exploits of Mrs. Puss, and being
informed that her kittens would stock the whole country,
and keep it free from rats, 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 ar-
rived safe in London.
One morning, early, Mr. Fitzwarren had just come to his
counting-house and seated himself at the desk, to count over
the cash, and settle the business for the day, 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 in
such a hurry that he forgot his gout, opened the door, and
who should he see waiting but the captain and factor, with a
cabinet of jewels, and a bill of lading; when he looked at this
the merchant lifted up his eyes and thanked Heaven for send-
ing him such a prosperous voyage.
They then told the story of the cat, and showed the rich

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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 send him in, and tell him of his fame;
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 him, he answered: “God forbid I should deprive
him of the value of a single penny, it is his own, and he shall
have it to a farthing.” He then sent for Dick, who at that
time was scouring pots for the cook, and was quite dirty. He
would have excused himself from coming into the count-
ing-house, saying, “The room is swept, and my shoes are
dirty and full of hob-nails.” But the merchant ordered him
to come in.
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 said to them: “Do not play tricks with a poor simple
boy, but let me go down again, if you please, to my work.”
“Indeed, Mr. Whittington,” said the merchant, “we are all
quite in earnest with you, and I most heartily rejoice in the
news that these gentlemen have brought you; for the cap-
tain 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 trea-
sure they had brought with them; 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 ac-
cept a part of his good fortune; but they would not, and at
the same time told him they felt great joy at his good suc-
cess. 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.

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English Fairy Tales
After this Mr. Fitzwarren advised him to send for a proper
tailor 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 pre-
sents 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
of 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 liven in
great splendour, and were very happy. They had several chil-
dren. He was Sheriff of London, thrice Lord Mayor, and
received the honour of knighthood by Henry V.
He entertained this king and his queen at dinner after his
conquest of France so grandly, that the king said “Never had
prince such a subject;” when Sir Richard heard this, he said:
“Never had subject such a prince.”
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, which he built for
criminals.

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