Whittington's Cat. 
29 
ash-tree that spread its roots to encircle the world; the 
frisking squirrel; the croaking raven, whispering tidings 
into Odin’s ear; the ferocious wolf; even the little 
mistletoe that was “ too young to swear,”—all were woven 
into the Scandinavian mythology, and added a reality 
and beauty to the Norse belief. 
The pertinacity of the cat in contending fiercely 
against all efforts to deprive it of liberty caused this 
animal to be chosen by the Dutch as their ensign. It 
was an appropriate emblem for a nation that so long and 
so valiantly struggled for independence. 
The cat plays a conspicuous part in the story of 
Dick Whittington. Modern folk-lore Dryasdusts would 
have us believe that the ship which contained the mer¬ 
chandise of the young City apprentice was called The 
Cat , and that thence arose the legend. Something of this 
sceptical spirit is to be found in the writings of Shak- 
speare’s time: “ When the famous fable of Whittington 
and his Puss shall be forgotten.” ( Eastward Hoe , v. 1.) 
Both Shakspeare and Lyly use the proverbial com¬ 
parison, “ As melancholy as a cat,” though it does not 
seem a specially appropriate simile. 
In Jacob and Esau , an interlude, 1568, we find the 
nickname Puss. Mido exclaims — 
“ But Esau beguil’d me, I shrew him for that. 
And left not so much as a lick for Puss our cat.” 
This name occurs again in Middleton:— 
“ I shall be moused by puss-cats, but I had rather die a dog’s 
death : they have nine lives apiece, like a woman, and they will make 
it up ten lives, if they and I fall a scratching.” (Blurt, Master 
Constable, iv. 2.) 
Tib , from the French Thibert, and Gib from Gilbert, the 
Northern name for a male cat, were as usual names for 
the cat, as Tom is in our own time. 
Though the strange cures and remedies attributed by 
