Dick Whittington and His Cat

Quick Answer

Why This Story Works for Bedtime

It’s inspiring and steady: hard times, a turning point, and a happy ending. Great for bedtime when you want ‘keep going’ energy without heavy fear.

Story Synopsis

Dick Whittington is a poor boy who dreams of a better life. He walks to London hoping the city’s streets will be paved with gold, but the reality is harsh. He finds work in a merchant’s house and feels lonely and overwhelmed. The only comfort he brings is his cat, who keeps him company—and also proves surprisingly useful. In the merchant’s home, rats and mice cause trouble. Dick’s cat catches them, and the household notices. When the merchant prepares ships for trade, Dick is allowed to send one small ‘gift’ to be sold abroad. Dick has no treasure to offer, so he sends his cat, hoping it might be worth something somewhere. Across the sea, in a place plagued by rodents, the cat becomes priceless. The local ruler rewards the merchant richly for the cat, and Dick’s share of the profits transforms his life. Before the good news arrives, Dick has a moment of despair. He decides to leave London, convinced he will never succeed. Then he hears bells—“Turn again, Whittington!”—and takes it as a sign to return. That choice changes everything. Dick Whittington and His Cat is a story about staying open to opportunity. Sometimes the smallest thing you have—a skill, a helper, a pet, a bit of courage—can become the beginning of a whole new chapter.

Story Excerpt

In the days of King Edward the Third, there lived a boy named Dick Whittington. He had no father or mother to care for him, and in his little village most people were poor. They could not spare much — only potato peelings, now and then a hard crust of bread, and sometimes nothing at all. Dick did his best to be brave, but his stomach often ached with hunger. Yet Dick had a bright thought in his mind : London. He had heard so many strange and wonderful things about that great city. Country folk said the people there were all fine ladies and gentlemen. They said there was music and singing all day long. And — most amazing of all — they said the streets were paved with gold. One day Dick stood by the sign - post at the edge of the village when a great wagon came rolling through, pulled by eight horses. Bells jingled on their harnesses — ting, ting, ting — so cheerful that Dick’s heart lifted. “ That wagon must be going to London, ” he told himself. He gathered his courage and called to the driver. “ Please, sir, may I walk beside your wagon? ” The waggoner looked down at the thin, ragged boy. When he heard Dick had no parents, and saw he had almost nothing in the world, his face softened. “ Walk along, then, ” he said. “ You can’t be worse off than you are. ” So Dick set out for London. When at last the great city rose before him, Dick could hardly breathe for excitement. He did not even stop to thank the kind waggoner. He ran — this way and that — through one street after another, sure that any moment he would find the golden pavement. But the streets were not gold. They were busy and noisy, and the stones were dull and dusty. Dick ran until his legs trembled. Evening shadows stretched long across the lanes, and still he saw only dirt where…

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