Kinda, yes, on both counts... maybe.... my aunt Annabell, who was crazy as a bag of rats (and I mean that in the most affectionate way) told me of the white rat and told me that it was because the other rats revered the white rat.

She also likened it to the superstition that Dad, whose white rat would fetch his boxing gloves on command and ride his shoulder into the ring held three Maritime Canada boxing weight division championship titles at one time. It was all because of the white rat.

Yeah, me too. But Aunt Annabell could string a lad of twelve years of age along. Your mileage may vary.