Chapter IV: Lord Mayor Whittington

The master took the box of pearls and jewels with him on shore, and went straight to the merchant’s house. He gave his account to Mr. Fitz-warren, who was greatly pleased at the fortunate voyage, and called his servants together, to receive their profit. Then the master showed the box of pearls and jewels, and told the story of Whittington’s cat, and how Puss had earned this wealth.

“Call Mr. Whittington,” said Mr. Fitzwarren. “I will not take one farthing from him.”

Now Dick was in the kitchen cleaning pots and pans. When he was told that the merchant had sent for “Mr. Whittington,” he thought every one was making fun of him, and he would not go.

At last, he went as far as the door. The merchant bade him come in, and placed a chair for him. At that poor Dick was sure they were making fun of him, and the tears came into his eyes.

“I am only a simple fellow,” he said. “I do not mean harm to any one. Do not mock me.”

“Indeed, Mr. Whittington, we are serious with you,” said the merchant. “You are a much richer man than I am,” and he gave him the box of pearls and jewels worth quite three hundred thousand pounds.

At first Dick could not believe his good fortune. When at last he was persuaded, he fell upon his knees and thanked God who had been so good to him. Then he turned to his master and wished to give him of his wealth, but Mr. Fitzwarren said:--

“No, Mr. Whittington. I will not take a penny from you. It is all yours.”

At that Dick turned to Mistress Alice, who also refused. He bowed low, and said:--

“Madam, whenever you please to make choice of a husband, I will make you the greatest fortune in the world.”

Then he gave freely to his fellow servants. Even to his enemy, the cook, he gave a hundred pounds.

Richard Whittington was now a rich man. He laid aside his poor clothes, and was dressed well and handsomely. He had grown strong and tall in service, and was indeed a fine man to look upon.

He was well behaved and of a good mind and heart. Mr. Fitzwarren made him known to the other merchants, and let him see how business was carried on. Then, seeing that he was as honest and good as he was rich, he told Whittington that he might have his daughter in marriage.

At first, Dick felt himself unworthy of Mistress Alice. But he saw that she looked kindly on him, and he remembered how good she had been to him from the beginning. So he made bold to ask Mistress Alice to be his wife, and they had a grand wedding.

After the wedding was over, Mr. Fitzwarren asked him what he meant to do, and Mr. Whittington said he would like to be a merchant. So the two became partners, and grew to be very rich.

Rich as he was, this merchant never forgot that he was once poor Dick Whittington. The promise of Bow Bells came true, and three times he was chosen Lord Mayor of London. He fed the hungry, and cared for the poor.

When he was Lord Mayor of London the third time, it was his duty to receive King Henry V and his queen at Guildhall, which was the Mayor’s palace. It was just after a famous war with France, which England had won.

The king, at the feast, made the lord mayor a knight, so that now he was Sir Richard Whittington. There was a very pleasant fire on the hearth at the time. It was made of choice wood. Mace and other spices were mixed with the wood. The king praised the fire, and Sir Richard said,--“I will make it still more pleasant.” At that he threw upon the flames one piece of paper after another. They were the written promises of the king, to pay back money lent to him by London merchants, when he was carrying on the war. Sir Richard had bought them for sixty thousand pounds. That was the way he paid the king’s debt, for now there was nothing to show that the king owed anything.

This is the story of Dick Whittington and his cat. How much is true, and how much was made up, I do not know, for what happened took place five hundred years ago.

THE CAT, THE MONKEY, AND THE CHESTNUTS

|A Cat and a Monkey were sitting one day by the hearth, watching some chestnuts which their master had laid down to roast. The chestnuts had begun to burst with the heat, and the Monkey said to the Cat:--

“It is plain that your paws were made to pull out those chestnuts. Your paws are, indeed, exactly like our master’s hands.”

The Cat was greatly flattered by this speech, and reached forward for the tempting chestnuts. Scarcely had she touched the hot ashes than she drew back with a cry, for she had burned her paw. She tried again, and made out to get one chestnut. Then she pulled another, and a third, though each time she singed the hair on her paws.

When she could pull no more, she turned, and found the Monkey had taken this time to crack the chestnuts and eat them.

THE LARK AND HER YOUNG ONES

|There was a brood of young Larks in a field of corn, which was just ripe. The mother, looking every day for the reapers, left word, whenever she went out in search of food, that her young ones should tell her all the news they heard.

One day, when she was absent, the master came to look at his field. “It is time,” said he, “to call in my neighbors and get my corn reaped.” When the old Lark came home, the young ones told their mother what they had heard, and begged her to move them at once.

“Time enough,” said she. “If he trusts to his neighbors, he will have to wait awhile yet for his harvest.”

Next day, the owner came again, and found the sun hotter, the corn riper, and nothing done.

“There is not an hour to be lost,” said he. “We cannot depend upon our neighbors. We must call in our relations.” Turning to his son, he said, “Go, call your uncles and cousins; and see that they begin to-morrow.”

The young Larks, in great fear, told their mother what the farmer had said. “If that be all,” said she, “do not be frightened. The relations have harvest work of their own. But take notice of what you hear next time, and be sure to let me know.”

She went abroad the next day, and the owner coming, and finding the grain falling to the ground because it was over ripe, said to his eon, “We must wait no longer for our neighbors and friends. Do you go to-night and hire some reapers, and we will set to work ourselves tomorrow.”

When the young Larks told their mother this,

“Then,” said she, “it is time for us to be off. When a man takes up his business himself, instead of leaving it to others, you may be sure that he means to set to work in earnest.”

THE FLIES AND THE POT OF HONEY

|A Pot of Honey was upset in the pantry, and the Flies crowded about to eat of it. It was so sticky that they could not get away. Their feet were held fast, so that they could not fly, and they began to choke to death.

“What wretches we are,” they cried, “to die just for a moment of pleasure!”

So it is that greediness is the cause of many evils.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST