Dick Whittington Pantomime

2023年02月06日

「ディック・ウィッティントンとその猫」は、実在の豪商で後にロンドン市長となるリチャード・ウィッティントン（1354頃-1423）にまつわるイギリスの民間伝承で、彼が貧しい幼少時代を脱し、飼い猫のネズミ取り能力によって財を成したとされる物語です。(English) Dick Whittington and His Cat is of English folklore surrounding the real-life Richard Whittington (c. 1354-1423), a wealthy merchant and later Lord Mayor of London, telling a story of how he supposedly escaped his poverty-stricken childhood and made his fortune thanks to the ratting abilities of his cat.

Whittington and the Cat Summary

When Edward III was King, a boy called Dick Whittington lost his parents.

He was destitute because he was too young to work.

Dick had heard about a big city called London.

In London, you can hear songs and music all day long, and the streets are paved with gold.

So one day Dick went to London and arrived there.

He ran up and down, looking for a street paved with gold.

He thought he could get as much money as he wanted by peeling off the gold paint.

Poor Dick ran exhausted but was nowhere to be found gold.

And it was getting dark, and as he could find no money, he sat down, cried, and fell asleep.

In the morning, Dick was too hungry.

So he called out to everyone in the street and asked them to give him a halfpenny because he felt he would starve.

Only a few people gave him a halfpenny.

Finally, the gentleman said, "Why don't you work, dear?"

And with that, he set Dick to work in the hayfield.

Dick worked and lived happily until he had hay.

But then there were days when he could not eat.

Nearly starving, he collapsed in the doorway of the mansion of a wealthy merchant, Mr Fitzwarren.

He was found there by the mansion's cook, but she was mean.

"You are a lazy boy! You're a beggar. If you don't go, I'll pour you the hot water you used to wash the dishes!"

Just then, the master Mr Fitzwarren returned,

"Why are you sleeping there? At your age, you should be working".

Then Dick said, "No, not at all. I want to work hard, but no one will let me work, and I feel like I will starve to death. "

"That's poor. Stand up."

Dick tried to get up but fell because he hadn't had anything for three days.

When Mr Fitzwarren saw it, he kindly let Dick eat and told him to work there as a cook.

The man cook was bullying Dick.

"You work for me. So don't be lazy or..."

Saying this, she waved the spoon around and showed it.

10)

This woman is hitting Dick on the head and back with a broom.

This bullying also reached the ears of Mr Fitzwarren's daughter.

The young lady told the cook that he would throw her out if she weren't lovely to Dick.

11)

The cook's behaviour improved, but Dick had another problem.

Dick lived in the attic, but there were rats there.

So Dick bought a cat with one penny he had.

Now that he has this cat in his attic, rats no longer bother him.

12)

The landlord put up a trading ship shortly after that, and the servants had something to load.

Each servant piled up something, but Dick had no money or anything.

Miss Alice sensed this and said, "I'll take Dick's share out of my purse".

13)

But Mr Fitzwarren, the father, said, "You must give him your own".

Dick reluctantly brought a cat and gave it to the captain.

Poor Dick will be haunted by mice again.

Everyone laughed at Dick for giving the cat away, but Miss Alice gave him money to buy another cat.

14)

Miss Alice was also kind to him. However, the mean cook was no fun and started treating Dick worse.

"Is this cat worth enough to buy a stick to beat you?"

Poor Dick finally got impatient and left early in the morning.

15)

As he was thinking about what to do next, the bells of Bow Church began to ring.

"Go back now, Whittington. Mayor of London three times in a row! "

It sounded like it was saying.

Dick said,

"Oh! When I grow up, I'll be the Mayor of London, and then I can put up with anything. The nagging of an old cook like that is nothing. "

16)

Dick went home and got down to business.

Well, from here, we follow the cat to the African coast.

This merchant ship arrived at the Barbary Coast, inhabited only by Moors.

He sold the goods on board the ship to the country's people and gave the king the finest goods.

17)

The king gave a feast to the captains, but as soon as they began to eat, the mice came out and ate them.

The captain saw this, "Aren't these rats unpleasant?"

"Yes, of course, they are."

18)

The king says that if he can get rid of these guys, he will give him half of the treasure.

They eat the king's food and even attack the bed in the room, so they are on guard.

19)

The captain was happy in his heart. It reminds me of Whittington's cat.

"I have a creature on board that will chase these people away in no time".

And the king said,

"Bring me the creature. I'll fill your boat with gold and jewels if it does what I say."

20)

The captain, who is good at business, said, "If we let go of this cat, we will be in trouble because of the mouse... But if the king wishes, I will take him."

The mouse was feasting when the captain brought the cat.

21)

But the cat immediately flew out of the captain's arms and killed most of the mice, and the rest ran away.

The king was pleased, and the queen liked the cat.

The captain also said that this cat and the kittens that would soon be born would flood the land and rid it of rats.

22)

The king bought the cargo and paid ten times as much for the cat as the rest.

The captain said goodbye to the king and returned to London.

Early one morning, the captain said to Mr Fitzwarren, "Good news about your ship, the Newton."

The captain and the lieutenant had a jewellery box and a bill of lading and thanked God for a successful trade.

23)

Then the captain said to the servants when the king and queen had given a wonderful gift in exchange for the cat,

"Call Dick now and tell him it was a great success. I'll call you Mr Whittington from now on. "

Some servants said such a treasure was too much for Dick, but Mr Fitzwarren said, "Even if it's one penny, I won't take it from him. It's all Dick's. "

24)

I called for Dick, who was now being overworked by the cook and was very dirty.

I was dirty and didn't want to go to the merchant.

Nevertheless, the merchant ordered me to come.

25)

When Dick arrived, a chair was prepared, "Please stop teasing me. Let me go down to the office."

He thought he was being teased.

Then the merchant said, "No, Mr Whittington, you are very serious. The captain sold your cat to the King of Barbary and returned with more treasure than I have. May you live happily ever after. "

26)

Then he showed me the treasure chest.

Dick was so happy he didn't know what to do.

Mr Fitzwarren told Dick, "Please take as much as you want."

Dick said, "Thanks to you."

Mr Fitzwarren said, "No, it's all yours. You can put it to good use."

Dick persuaded Mr Fitzwarren's wife and Miss Alice to share in this fortune,

27)

They refuse to accept it, saying they are pleased with your great success.

Good-hearted Dick gave presents to the captain, the navigator, the servants and even the mean old cook.

28)

Then he was dressed like a gentleman.

And he was told that he could stay in the house until he found a better place.

After washing his face, straightening his hair, putting on a hat and wearing fine clothes, he became as handsome and elegant as any young man.

And Miss Alice fell in love with Dick and thought he was the right man to be her lover.

29)

Mr Fitzwarren noticed their love and offered to marry them, which they did.

The wedding was attended by the Mayor of London, members of the County Council and many of the wealthiest people in London.

30)

History tells us that they lived a good and happy life together.

He was blessed with children, became Mayor of London three times, and was knighted by Henry V.

Dick became Sir Richard, whose statue stood above the gates of Newgate until 1780 because Whittington built the prison.

Synopsis and Consideration of the Fairy Tale "Whittington and the Cat" ~A master who never spoils?!

https://greenelement.xsrv.jp/whittington/

circa

= c. ca. cir. circ.

A proposition of Latin origin meaning "about" or "almost." It is used to express the cycle of biorhythm in combination with the word that expresses the length of the environmental cycle.

[example]

circadian rhythm: circa (around) +dies= around one day

circabidian r.: circa+bi(2)+dies= around 2 days

circalunar r.: circa+lunar= around one month

circannual r.: circa+annual=around one year