The Ballad of Sire Ettington and His Cat

The Ballad of Sire Ettington and His Cat is a popular fable and song in Bruhinn and the Jeceau Empire, especially along the Illandianerstrand."Here do tell, sing praise and worthy stories dear,""Of humble Sire Ettington, Lordwise, and huntress Pess, his cat.""Where when by virtue’s labor in Illandy, he earnst a penny single,""In Pess, his all invested, to sleep once the night, free of mouse and rat.""Driven forth, unto the Strand, to walk the night in loss of all,""Voice of bells, by stars to him did Pess once say,""‘Turn again to Illandy, Sire Ettington, to be Lordwise, do trust me that.’""True then, in trade in land afar, at court beset by vermin many,""Unknown of beast so common, hence by Pess great wealth he gat."

Interpretation
The verse cryptically describes fabled Sire Ettington, who traveled along the Illandianerstrand (the "Strand") to Illandy, where he worked hard to earn a single penny. Harassed by rats in his sleep, Ettington spent his penny on Pess, a cat. Then, when Ettington left Illandy, disgruntled by his lack of success, Pess talked and told him to turn back. Pess predicted that Ettington would become a lord someday. And sure enough, during travel abroad in a land without cats (but with many rats), Ettington sold Pess for a small fortune and became Lordwise of Illandy.

The story suits the work ethic of the Bruhinnen people and is very well-known.

The story is nearly identical to the English folk tale of Dick Whittington and his Cat.