Guided Sleep Meditation & Sleep Hypnosis from Sleep Cove - Dick Whittington and His Cat

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Starting point is 00:00:46 please go to sleepcove.com slash support. That's sleepcove.com slash support. If you can't support the show right now, please subscribe with a bell to get alerts on all new free content thank you have you ever gazed in wonder at the great pyramid have you marvelled at the golden face of Tudankhamun or admired the delicate features of Queen Nefertiti if you have you'll probably like the History of Egypt podcast every week we explore tales of this ancient culture The history of Egypt is available wherever you get your podcasting fix.

Starting point is 00:01:34 Come, let me introduce you to the world of ancient Egypt. Hello and welcome to Sleep Cove, the place to come for a great night's sleep. Please listen to this recording in a place where you can safely go to sleep. In tonight's episode, I'll be reading the classic story of Dick Whittington and his cat as he travels to London and has his adventures. This recording will be available with and without music and add free on my Patreon, so please go to patreon.com slash sleepcove for more information.

Starting point is 00:02:22 The history of Dick Whittington and his cat, in the reign of the famous King Edward III, there was a little boy called Dick Whittington whose father and mother died when he was very young, so that he remembered nothing at all about them, and was left a dirty little fellow running about a country village. As poor Dick was not old enough to work, he was in a very sorry plight.

Starting point is 00:02:56 He got but little for his dinner, and sometimes nothing at all for his breakfast. For the people who lived in the village, were very poor themselves and could spare him a little money, then the pairings of potatoes and now and then a hard crust. For all this, Dick Whittington was a very sharp boy and was always listening to what everyone talked about. On Sundays, he never failed to get near the farmers

Starting point is 00:03:29 as they sat talking on the tombstones in the churchyard before the parson was come. And once a week you might be sure to see little Dick leaning against the signpost of the village alehouse where people stopped a drink as they came from the next market town

Starting point is 00:03:49 and whenever the barber's shop door was open Dick listened to all the news he told his customers. In this manner Dick heard of the great city called London How the people who lived there were all fine gentlemen and ladies, that there were singing and music in it all day long, and that the streets were paved all over with gold. One day a wagoner with large wagon and eight horses, all with bells at their heads, drove through the village while Dick was lounging near his favourite signpost. The thought immediately struck him that it must be going to the fine town of London,

Starting point is 00:04:39 and taking courage he asked the waggoner to let him walk with him by the side of the wagon. The man, hearing from poor Dick that he had no parents, and seeing by his ragged condition that he could not be worse off, told him he might go if he would, so they set off together. Dick got safe to London, and so eager was he to see the fine streets paved all over with gold that he ran as fast as his legs would carry him through several streets, expecting every moment to come to those that were all paved with gold. For Dick had three times seen a guinea in his own village, and observed with a great deal

Starting point is 00:05:27 of money it brought in change. So he imagined he had only to take up some little bits of the pavement, to have as much money as he desired. Poor Dick ran till he was tired, and at last, finding it to grow dark, and that whichever way he turned, he saw nothing but dirt instead of gold. He sat down in a dark corner and cried himself to sleep. Little Dick remained all night in the streets, and next morning finding himself very hungry, he got up and walked about, asking those he met to give him half a penny to keep him from starving. But nobody stayed to answer him, and only two or three gave him anything, so that the poor boy was soon in the most miserable condition.

Starting point is 00:06:23 Being almost starved to death, he laid himself down at the door of one Mr Fitz-Warran, a great rich merchant. Here he was soon perceived by the cookmaid, who was an ill-tempered creature, and happened just then to be very busy dressing dinner for her master and mistress. So, seeing poor Dick, she called out, What business have you there, you lazy rogue? There is nothing else but beggars. If you do not take yourself away,

Starting point is 00:06:58 we will say how well you like a sousing of some dishwater. I have here that is hot enough to make you caper. Just in time, Mr Fitzwarran himself came home from the city to dinner and seeing a dirty, ragged boy lying at the door, said to him, Why do you lie here, my lad? You seem old enough to work. I fear you must be somewhat idle. No, indeed, sir, said Whittington. That is not true, for I would work with all my heart, but I know nobody, and I believe I am very sick for want a food.

Starting point is 00:07:40 Poor fellow, answered Mr Fitzwaron. Dick now tried to rise, but was a fly shall I down again, being too weak to stand, for he had not eaten anything for three days, and was no longer able to run about and beg a half-penny of people in the streets. So the kind merchant ordered that he should be taken into the house and have a good dinner immediately, and that he should be kept to do what dirty work he was able for the cook. Little Dick would have lived very happily in this worthy family Had it not been for the crabbed cook He was finding fault and scolding him from morning till night

Starting point is 00:08:28 And was withal so fond of roasting and basting that When the spit was out of her hands She would be it basing poor Dick's head and shoulders With a broom or anything else that happened to fall in her way Till at last her ill usage of him was told to Miss Alice, Mr Fitzwarran's daughter, who asked the ill-tempered creature if she was not ashamed to use a little friendless boy so cruelly, and added she would certainly be turned away if she did not treat him with more kindness. But the cook was so ill-tempered, but Mr. Fitzwarrant's footman,

Starting point is 00:09:13 was quite the contrary. He lived in the family many years, was rather elderly, and had once a little boy of his own, who died about the age of Whittington, so he could not but feel compassion for the poor boy. As the footman was very fond of reading, he used generally in the evening to entertain his fellow servants when they had done their work with some amusing book.

Starting point is 00:09:43 The pleasure of our little hero took in hearing made him very much desire to learn to read too. So the next time the good-natured footman gave him a halfpenny, he bought a hornbook with it, and with a little bit of his help, Dick soon learned his letters and afterwards to read. About this time, Miss Alice was going out one morning for a walk, and the footman happened to be out of the way. Little Dick, who had received from Mr. Fitzwarran, a neat suit of clothes to go to church on Sundays, was ordered to put them on and walk behind her. As they walked along, Miss Alice, seeing a poor woman with one child in her arms, another at her back, pulled out her purse and gave her some money. And, as she was putting it again into her pocket, she dropped it on the ground,

Starting point is 00:10:43 and walked on. Luckily Dick, who was behind, saw what she had done, picked it up and immediately presented it to her. Besides the ill humour of the cook, which now however was somewhat mended, Whittington had another hardship to get over. That was his bed, which was a flock, which was placed in a garret, where there were so many halls in the floor and walls that he never went to bed without being awakened in his sleep by a great number of rats and mice who generally ran over his face and made such a noise that he sometimes thought the walls were tumbling down around him. One day a gentleman who paid a visit to Mr Fitz-Warran happened to have dirtied his shoes and both they might be cleaned. Dick took great pains to make them shine

Starting point is 00:11:41 and the gentleman gave him a penny. Then he resolved to lay out in buying a cat, if possible. And next day, seeing a little girl with a cat under her arm, he went up to her and asked if she would let him have it for a penny, to which the girl replied she would with all her heart, for her mother had more cats than she could maintain, adding that the one she had was an excellent mouser. This cat Whittington hid in the garret, always taking care to carry her apart of his dinner,

Starting point is 00:12:19 and in a short time he had no further disturbance from the rats and mice that slept as sound as the top. Soon after this the merchant, who had a ship ready to sail, richly laden and thinking it, but just that all his servants should have some chance for good luck as well. others himself, called them into the parlour and asked them what commodity they choose to send. All mentioned something that they were willing to venture, but Paul Whittington, who had no money nor goods, could send nothing at all, for which reason he did not come in with the rest. But Miss Alice, guessing what was the matter, ordered him to be called and offered to lay down some money from her own purse, but this, the merchant observed, would not do, for it must be

Starting point is 00:13:16 something of his own. Upon this, poor Dick said that he had nothing but a cat, which he had bought for a penny that was given him. Fetch thy cat boy, says Mr Fitzworn, and let her go. Whittington brought poor puss and delivered her to the captain with tears in his eyes, for he said, he should now again be kept awake all night by rats and mice. All the company laughed at the oddity of Whittington's adventure, and Miss Alice, who felt the greatest pity for the poor boy, gave him some halfpence to buy another cat. This and several other marks of kindness, shown him by Miss Alice, made the ill-tempered cook so jealous of the favours that Paul Boy received that she began to use him more cruelly than ever

Starting point is 00:14:14 and constantly made game of him for sending his cat to sea, asking him if he thought it would sell for as much money as would buy a halter. At last the unhappy little fellow being unable to bear this treatment any longer, determined to run away from his place. He accordingly packed up the few things that belonged to him and set out very early in the morning on all hallow day, which is the 1st of November. He travelled as far as Holloway and sat down on a stone, which to this day is called Whittingdon Stone, and began to consider what course he should take. While he was thus thinking what he could do, bow bells of which there were over,

Starting point is 00:15:05 Only six began to ring, and it seemed to him their sounds addressed him in this manner. Turn again, Whittington, Lord Mayor of London. Lord Mayor of London, he said to himself. Why, to be sure, I would bear anything to be Lord Mayor of London, and ride in a fine coach? Well, I will go back and think nothing of all the cuffing and scolding of the old cook. if I am at last to be Lord Mayor of London. So back went Dick and got into the house and set about his business

Starting point is 00:15:45 before the cook came downstairs. The ship with a cat on board was long beaten about at sea and was driven at last by contrary winds on a part of the coast of the Barbary inhabited by moors that were unknown to the English. The natives in this country came in great numbers out of curiosity to see the people on board who were all of a different colour than themselves, and treated them with great civility,

Starting point is 00:16:19 and, as they became better acquainted, showed marks of eagerness to purchase the fine things which the ship was laden. The captain, saying this, sent patterns of his choiciest articles he had to, for the king of the country, who was so much pleased with them that he sent for the captain and his chief mate to the palace. Here they were placed, as is the custom of the country, on rich carpets, flowered with gold and silver, and the king and queen being seated at the upper end of the room. Dinner was brought in, which consisted of the greatest rarities. No sooner, however, were the dishes set before the company than an amazing number of rats and mice rushed in and held themselves plentifully from every dish, scattering pieces of meat and gravy and food all about the room.

Starting point is 00:17:26 The captain, extremely astonished, asked if these vermin were not very offensive. Oh yes they are, said they, very offensive, and the king would give half his treasure to be free of them, for they not only destroy his dinner, but they disturb him even in his chamber, so that he is obliged to be watched while he sleeps. The captain, who was ready to jump for joy, remembering Paul Whittington's hard case, and the cat he had entrusted to his care, told him he had, he had. had a creature on board his ship that would kill them all. Away flew the captain to the ship while another dinner was provided and taking puss under his arm returned to the palace in time

Starting point is 00:18:16 to see the table covered with rats and bice and the second dinner in a fair way to meet with the same fate as the first. The cat at the sight of them did not wait for biddy but sprang from the captain's arms and in a few moments laid the greatest part of the rats and mice dead at her feet, while the rest in the greatest fright imaginable scampered away to their holes. The key, having seen and considered all the wonderful exploits of Mrs. Puss, and being informed she would soon have young ones, might in time destroy all the rats and mice in the country, bargained with a captain for his whole ship's cargo, and afterwards agreed to give a prodigious quantity of wedges of gold of still greater value for the cat,

Starting point is 00:19:15 with which after taking leave of their majesties and other great personages, belonging to the court, he and with all his ship's company set sail with a fair wind for England, and after a happy voice, arrived safely in the port of London. One morning Mr Fitz-Warran had just entered his counting house and was going to seat himself at the desk, when whom should arrive but the captain and mate of the merchant ship, the unicorn, just arrived from the coast of the Barbary and followed by several men, bringing with them a prodigious quantity of which,

Starting point is 00:20:01 witches of gold that had been paid by the king of Barbary in exchange for the merchandise and also in exchange for Mrs. Bus. Mr. Fitzwarran, the incident to hear the news, ordered Whittington to be called, and having desired him to be seated, said, Mr. Whittington, most heartily do I 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 more riches than I possess in the whole world, and may you long enjoy them. Mr. Fitz-Worren then desired the men to open the immense treasures they had brought, and added that Mr. Whittington had now nothing to do but to put it in some place of safety. Poor Dick could scarce contain himself for joy. He begged his master to take

Starting point is 00:21:00 what part of it he pleased. Soon to his kindness he was indebted for the whole. No, no, this wealth is all your own, and justly so, answered Mr. Fitzwarren, and I have no doubt you will use it generously. Whittington, however, was too kind-hearted to keep all himself, and accordingly made a handsome present to the captain, the mate, and every one of the ship's company, and afterwards to his excellent friend the footman

Starting point is 00:21:35 and the rest of Mr Fitzwarran's servants, not even accepting the crabbed old cook. After this, Mr. Fitzwarrant advised him to send for tradespeople and get himself dressed as became a gentleman and made him the offer of his house to live in till he could provide himself with a better one. When Mr. Whittington's face was washed, his hair curled, his hat cocked, and he was dressed in a fashionable suit of clothes, he appeared as handsome and genteel as any young man who visited at Mr. Fitz-Warran, so that Miss Alice, who had formerly thought of him with compassion, now consider him as fit to be her lover, and the more so no doubt, because Mr. Whittington was constantly thinking what he could do to oblige her

Starting point is 00:22:32 and making her the prettiest presence imaginable. Mr Fitzwarran, perceiving their affection for each other, proposed to unite them in marriage, to which without difficulty they each consented, and accordingly 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 grieve, great number of the wealthiest merchants in London, and the ceremony was succeeded by a most

Starting point is 00:23:06 elegant entertainment and splendid ball. History tells us that they said Mr. Whittington and his lady lived in great splendour, and they were very happy, that they had several children, that he was sheriff of London in the year 1340, and several times afterwards Lord Mayor. That in the last year of his mayoralty, he entertained King Henry V on his return from the Battle of Agincourt, and sometimes afterwards, going with an address from the city on one of his majesty's victories, he received the honour of knighthood. Sir Richard Whittington constantly fed great numbers of the poor. He built a church and college to it, with a yearly allowance to Paul scholars,

Starting point is 00:23:57 and near it erected a hospital. The effigy of Sir Richard Whittington was to be seen with his captain's arms carved in stone over the archway of the late prison of Newgate that went across Newgate Street. The end.

Guided Sleep Meditation & Sleep Hypnosis from Sleep Cove - Dick Whittington and His Cat

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