Whittington begins the story of his historical namesake, Dick Whittington. Dick is born at the height of the Black Death, a plague that devastates the population of Europe during the 1300s. Dick loses both of his parents to the plague. Dick’s grandmother raises him and teaches him to read, a skill that many people at the time do not possess. Dick grows up poor and is entranced by the stories he hears of London, where the streets are said to be paved with gold. Knowing that soon he will be apprenticed to the tanner, a worker who treats animal hides, Dick resolves to find a way to seek his fortune.

Dick has a dream of himself in London as a rich man. Whittington explains that Dick’s dream was a prophecy—something that predicts the future. Ben inquires about how Dick learned to read; Whittington explains that his grandmother taught him. The animals learn that Ben is struggling in school because he sees the letters backwards, and if he can’t improve soon, they will put him in the Special Ed class. Abby and the animals devise a plan to help Ben learn how to read.