Now scarce three moons had waned and fill’d, Since Dick’s lone hours she cheer’d, When at her side, as Heaven will’d, A kitten there appear’d.
[Sidenote: and Dick’s twofold delight thereafter.]
Then Dick’s delight was doubled quite; For one may well avouch, Whatever fun there was in one In two was twice as much.
[Sidenote: This kitten’s surpassing beauty,]
All black and red this kitten’s head Look’d like a polish’d stone: All red and black this kitten’s back Like tortoiseshell it shone.
Full sure I am that well its dam Might dote on such a kit: The very rats that flee from cats Would stand and stare at it.
Its tail it whisk’d and leapt and frisk’d, In weather fair and foul: Or cold, or hot, it matter’d not To such a merry soul.
But who could see such joyful glee And not be joyous too? So Dick forgot his sorry lot And laugh’d as others do.
[Sidenote: Dick acquires his first property.]
Which when the merchant saw, and how The kitten it was grown, Of his free gift to Whittington He gave it for his own.
Come listen all, both great and small, Of high and low degree; That ye may know this true story And live in charity.
As wealth by waste and idle taste Soon falls to penury, So small estate becometh great By luck and industry.
Content then be in poverty, In wealth of humble mind; Like children of one family To one another kind.
This merchant now in foreign parts A venture fain would make; And all the folk of his household Were free to share the stake.
[Sidenote: joined by each of his domestics.]
One risk’d a shilling, one a groat, And one a coin of gold; And every one his stake anon To the ship’s captain told.
Then half in jest, and half in shame, Dick fetch’d his kitten down: “I too,” he to the captain cried, “Will venture all my own.”
The servants laugh’d: Dick would have wept, And therefore laugh’d the more; But soon they stared for wonderment Who laugh’d so loud before.
[Sidenote: taken in earnest by the Captain.]
For now the Captain, “Done,” he cried, “A bargain by my fay:” And call’d the ship’s-mate in a trice, To stow the cat away.
He came so quick, no time had Dick To countervail his joke: So all aboard poor Puss was stored Among the sea-going folk.
Now from her mooring, all ataut, Put off at turn of tide, Adown the river’s ebbing flood The gallant bark did glide.