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The¡¡Story¡¡of¡¡Doctor¡¡Dolittle
by¡¡Hugh¡¡Lofting
THE
Story¡¡of
DOCTOR¡¡DOLITTLE
BEING¡¡THE
HISTORY¡¡OF¡¡HIS¡¡PECULIAR¡¡LIFE
AT¡¡HOME¡¡AND¡¡ASTONISHING¡¡ADVENTURES
IN¡¡FOREIGN¡¡PARTS¡¡NEVER¡¡BEFORE¡¡PRINTED¡£
TO
ALL¡¡CHILDREN
CHILDREN¡¡IN¡¡YEARS¡¡AND¡¡CHILDREN¡¡IN¡¡HEART
I¡¡DEDICATE¡¡THIS¡¡STORY
There¡¡are¡¡some¡¡of¡¡us¡¡now¡¡reaching
middle¡¡age¡¡who¡¡discover¡¡themselves¡¡to¡¡be
lamenting¡¡the¡¡past¡¡in¡¡one¡¡respect¡¡if¡¡in¡¡none¡¡other£»
that¡¡there¡¡are¡¡no¡¡books¡¡written¡¡now¡¡for¡¡children
comparable¡¡with¡¡those¡¡of¡¡thirty¡¡years¡¡ago¡£¡¡¡¡I
say¡¡written¡¡FOR¡¡children¡¡because¡¡the¡¡new
psychological¡¡business¡¡of¡¡writing¡¡ABOUT¡¡them¡¡as¡¡though
they¡¡were¡¡small¡¡pills¡¡or¡¡hatched¡¡in¡¡some
especially¡¡scientific¡¡method¡¡is¡¡extremely¡¡popular
today¡£¡¡¡¡Writing¡¡for¡¡children¡¡rather¡¡than¡¡about
them¡¡is¡¡very¡¡difficult¡¡as¡¡everybody¡¡who¡¡has¡¡tried
it¡¡knows¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡can¡¡only¡¡be¡¡done£»¡¡I¡¡am¡¡convinced£»
by¡¡somebody¡¡having¡¡a¡¡great¡¡deal¡¡of¡¡the¡¡child
in¡¡his¡¡own¡¡outlook¡¡and¡¡sensibilities¡£¡¡¡¡Such¡¡was
the¡¡author¡¡of¡¡¡¨The¡¡Little¡¡Duke¡¨¡¡and¡¡¡¨The
Dove¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Eagle's¡¡Nest£»¡¨¡¡such¡¡the¡¡author¡¡of
¡¨A¡¡Flatiron¡¡for¡¡a¡¡Farthing£»¡¨¡¡and¡¡¡¨The¡¡Story
of¡¡a¡¡Short¡¡Life¡£¡¨¡¡Such£»¡¡above¡¡all£»¡¡the¡¡author¡¡of
¡¨Alice¡¡in¡¡Wonderland¡£¡¨¡¡¡¡¡¡Grownups¡¡imagine
that¡¡they¡¡can¡¡do¡¡the¡¡trick¡¡by¡¡adopting¡¡baby
language¡¡and¡¡talking¡¡down¡¡to¡¡their¡¡very¡¡critical
audience¡£¡¡¡¡There¡¡never¡¡was¡¡a¡¡greater¡¡mistake¡£
The¡¡imagination¡¡of¡¡the¡¡author¡¡must¡¡be¡¡a¡¡child's
imagination¡¡and¡¡yet¡¡maturely¡¡consistent£»¡¡so¡¡that
the¡¡White¡¡Queen¡¡in¡¡¡¨Alice£»¡¨¡¡for¡¡instance£»¡¡is
seen¡¡just¡¡as¡¡a¡¡child¡¡would¡¡see¡¡her£»¡¡but¡¡she
continues¡¡always¡¡herself¡¡through¡¡all¡¡her¡¡distressing
adventures¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡supreme¡¡touch¡¡of¡¡the¡¡white
rabbit¡¡pulling¡¡on¡¡his¡¡white¡¡gloves¡¡as¡¡he¡¡hastens
is¡¡again¡¡absolutely¡¡the¡¡child's¡¡vision£»¡¡but¡¡the
white¡¡rabbit¡¡as¡¡guide¡¡and¡¡introducer¡¡of¡¡Alice's
adventures¡¡belongs¡¡to¡¡mature¡¡grown¡¡insight¡£
Geniuses¡¡are¡¡rare¡¡and£»¡¡without¡¡being¡¡at¡¡all
an¡¡undue¡¡praiser¡¡of¡¡times¡¡past£»¡¡one¡¡can¡¡say¡¡without
hesitation¡¡that¡¡until¡¡the¡¡appearance¡¡of¡¡Hugh
Lofting£»¡¡the¡¡successor¡¡of¡¡Miss¡¡Yonge£»¡¡Mrs¡£
Ewing£»¡¡Mrs¡£¡¡Gatty¡¡and¡¡Lewis¡¡Carroll¡¡had¡¡not
appeared¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡remember¡¡the¡¡delight¡¡with¡¡which
some¡¡six¡¡months¡¡ago¡¡I¡¡picked¡¡up¡¡the¡¡first
¡¨Dolittle¡¨¡¡book¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Hampshire¡¡bookshop¡¡at
Smith¡¡College¡¡in¡¡Northampton¡£¡¡¡¡One¡¡of¡¡Mr¡£
Lofting's¡¡pictures¡¡was¡¡quite¡¡enough¡¡for¡¡me¡£
The¡¡picture¡¡that¡¡I¡¡lighted¡¡upon¡¡when¡¡I¡¡first
opened¡¡the¡¡book¡¡was¡¡the¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡monkeys
making¡¡a¡¡chain¡¡with¡¡their¡¡arms¡¡across¡¡the¡¡gulf¡£
Then¡¡I¡¡looked¡¡further¡¡and¡¡discovered¡¡Bumpo
reading¡¡fairy¡¡stories¡¡to¡¡himself¡£¡¡¡¡And¡¡then
looked¡¡again¡¡and¡¡there¡¡was¡¡a¡¡picture¡¡of¡¡John
Dolittle's¡¡house¡£
But¡¡pictures¡¡are¡¡not¡¡enough¡¡although¡¡most
authors¡¡draw¡¡so¡¡badly¡¡that¡¡if¡¡one¡¡of¡¡them¡¡happens
to¡¡have¡¡the¡¡genius¡¡for¡¡line¡¡that¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Lofting
shows¡¡there¡¡must¡¡be£»¡¡one¡¡feels£»¡¡something¡¡in¡¡his
writing¡¡as¡¡well¡£¡¡¡¡There¡¡is¡£¡¡¡¡You¡¡cannot¡¡read¡¡the
first¡¡paragraph¡¡of¡¡the¡¡book£»¡¡which¡¡begins¡¡in¡¡the
right¡¡way¡¡¡¨Once¡¡upon¡¡a¡¡time¡¨¡¡without¡¡knowing
that¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Lofting¡¡believes¡¡in¡¡his¡¡story¡¡quite
as¡¡much¡¡as¡¡he¡¡expects¡¡you¡¡to¡£¡¡¡¡That¡¡is¡¡the¡¡first
essential¡¡for¡¡a¡¡story¡¡teller¡£¡¡¡¡Then¡¡you¡¡discover
as¡¡you¡¡read¡¡on¡¡that¡¡he¡¡has¡¡the¡¡right¡¡eye¡¡for¡¡the
right¡¡detail¡£¡¡¡¡What¡¡child¡inquiring¡¡mind¡¡could
resist¡¡this¡¡intriguing¡¡sentence¡¡to¡¡be¡¡found¡¡on¡¡the
second¡¡page¡¡of¡¡the¡¡book£º
¡¨Besides¡¡the¡¡gold¡fish¡¡in¡¡the¡¡pond¡¡at¡¡the¡¡bottom
of¡¡his¡¡garden£»¡¡he¡¡had¡¡rabbits¡¡in¡¡the¡¡pantry£»
white¡¡mice¡¡in¡¡his¡¡piano£»¡¡a¡¡squirrel¡¡in¡¡the¡¡linen
closet¡¡and¡¡a¡¡hedgehog¡¡in¡¡the¡¡cellar¡£¡¨¡¡¡¡
And¡¡then¡¡when¡¡you¡¡read¡¡a¡¡little¡¡further¡¡you
will¡¡discover¡¡that¡¡the¡¡Doctor¡¡is¡¡not¡¡merely¡¡a
peg¡¡on¡¡whom¡¡to¡¡hang¡¡exciting¡¡and¡¡various
adventures¡¡but¡¡that¡¡he¡¡is¡¡himself¡¡a¡¡man¡¡of¡¡original
and¡¡lively¡¡character¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡is¡¡a¡¡very¡¡kindly£»
generous¡¡man£»¡¡and¡¡anyone¡¡who¡¡has¡¡ever¡¡written
stories¡¡will¡¡know¡¡that¡¡it¡¡is¡¡much¡¡more¡¡difficult
to¡¡make¡¡kindly£»¡¡generous¡¡characters¡¡interesting
than¡¡unkindly¡¡and¡¡mean¡¡ones¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡Dolittle¡¡is
interesting¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡is¡¡not¡¡only¡¡that¡¡he¡¡is¡¡quaint¡¡but
that¡¡he¡¡is¡¡wise¡¡and¡¡knows¡¡what¡¡he¡¡is¡¡about¡£¡¡¡¡The
reader£»¡¡however¡¡young£»¡¡who¡¡meets¡¡him¡¡gets¡¡very
soon¡¡a¡¡sense¡¡that¡¡if¡¡he¡¡were¡¡in¡¡trouble£»¡¡not
necessarily¡¡medical£»¡¡he¡¡would¡¡go¡¡to¡¡Dolittle¡¡and¡¡ask
his¡¡advice¡¡about¡¡it¡£¡¡¡¡Dolittle¡¡seems¡¡to¡¡extend
his¡¡hand¡¡from¡¡the¡¡page¡¡and¡¡grasp¡¡that¡¡of¡¡his
reader£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡can¡¡see¡¡him¡¡going¡¡down¡¡the
centuries¡¡a¡¡kind¡¡of¡¡Pied¡¡Piper¡¡with¡¡thousands¡¡of
children¡¡at¡¡his¡¡heels¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡not¡¡only¡¡is¡¡he¡¡a
darling¡¡and¡¡alive¡¡and¡¡credible¡¡but¡¡his¡¡creator¡¡has
also¡¡managed¡¡to¡¡invest¡¡everybody¡¡else¡¡in¡¡the
book¡¡with¡¡the¡¡same¡¡kind¡¡of¡¡life¡£
Now¡¡this¡¡business¡¡of¡¡giving¡¡life¡¡to¡¡animals£»
making¡¡them¡¡talk¡¡and¡¡behave¡¡like¡¡human
beings£»¡¡is¡¡an¡¡extremely¡¡difficult¡¡one¡£¡¡¡¡Lewis¡¡Carroll
absolutely¡¡conquered¡¡the¡¡difficulties£»¡¡but¡¡I
am¡¡not¡¡sure¡¡that¡¡anyone¡¡after¡¡him¡¡until¡¡Hugh
Lofting¡¡has¡¡really¡¡managed¡¡the¡¡trick£»¡¡even¡¡in
such¡¡a¡¡masterpiece¡¡as¡¡¡¨The¡¡Wind¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Willows¡¨
we¡¡are¡¡not¡¡quite¡¡convinced¡£¡¡¡¡John¡¡Dolittle's
friends¡¡are¡¡convincing¡¡because¡¡their¡¡creator
never¡¡forces¡¡them¡¡to¡¡desert¡¡their¡¡own
characteristics¡£¡¡¡¡Polynesia£»¡¡for¡¡instance£»¡¡is¡¡natural
from¡¡first¡¡to¡¡last¡£¡¡¡¡She¡¡really¡¡does¡¡care¡¡about
the¡¡Doctor¡¡but¡¡she¡¡cares¡¡as¡¡a¡¡bird¡¡would¡¡care£»
having¡¡always¡¡some¡¡place¡¡to¡¡which¡¡she¡¡is¡¡going
when¡¡her¡¡business¡¡with¡¡her¡¡friends¡¡is¡¡over¡£¡¡¡¡And
when¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Lofting¡¡invents¡¡fantastic¡¡animals¡¡he
gives¡¡them¡¡a¡¡kind¡¡of¡¡credible¡¡possibility¡¡which
is¡¡extraordinarily¡¡convincing¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡will¡¡be
impossible¡¡for¡¡anyone¡¡who¡¡has¡¡read¡¡this¡¡book¡¡not
to¡¡believe¡¡in¡¡the¡¡existence¡¡of¡¡the¡¡pushmi¡pullyu£»
who¡¡would¡¡be¡¡credible¡¡enough¡¡even¡¡were¡¡there
no¡¡drawing¡¡of¡¡it£»¡¡but¡¡the¡¡picture¡¡on¡¡page¡¡145
settles¡¡the¡¡matter¡¡of¡¡his¡¡truth¡¡once¡¡and¡¡for¡¡all¡£
In¡¡fact¡¡this¡¡book¡¡is¡¡a¡¡work¡¡of¡¡genius¡¡and£»¡¡as
always¡¡with¡¡works¡¡of¡¡genius£»¡¡it¡¡is¡¡difficult¡¡to
analyze¡¡the¡¡elements¡¡that¡¡have¡¡gone¡¡to¡¡make
it¡£¡¡¡¡There¡¡is¡¡poetry¡¡here¡¡and¡¡fantasy¡¡and¡¡humor£»
a¡¡little¡¡pathos¡¡but£»¡¡above¡¡all£»¡¡a¡¡number¡¡of
creations¡¡in¡¡whose¡¡existence¡¡everybody¡¡must¡¡believe
whether¡¡they¡¡be¡¡children¡¡of¡¡four¡¡or¡¡old¡¡men¡¡of
ninety¡¡or¡¡prosperous¡¡bankers¡¡of¡¡forty¡five¡£¡¡¡¡I
don't¡¡know¡¡how¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Lofting¡¡has¡¡done¡¡it£»¡¡I
don't¡¡suppose¡¡that¡¡he¡¡knows¡¡himself¡£¡¡¡¡There¡¡it
isthe¡¡first¡¡real¡¡children's¡¡classic¡¡since¡¡¡¨Alice¡£¡¨¡¡¡¡
HUGH¡¡WALPOLE¡£
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
I¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡PUDDLEBY
II¡¡¡¡¡¡ANIMAL¡¡LANGUAGE¡¡
III¡¡¡¡MORE¡¡MONEY¡¡TROUBLES¡¡
IV¡¡¡¡¡¡A¡¡MESSAGE¡¡FROM¡¡AFRICA¡¡
V¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡THE¡¡GREAT¡¡JOURNEY¡¡
VI¡¡¡¡¡¡POLYNESIA¡¡AND¡¡THE¡¡KING
VII¡¡¡¡THE¡¡BRIDGE¡¡OF¡¡APES
VIII¡¡THE¡¡LEADER¡¡OF¡¡THE¡¡LIONS¡¡
IX¡¡¡¡¡¡THE¡¡MONKEYS¡¡COUNCIL¡¡
X¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡THE¡¡RAREST¡¡ANIMAL¡¡OF¡¡ALL
XI¡¡¡¡¡¡THE¡¡BLACK¡¡PRINCE
XII¡¡¡¡MEDICINE¡¡AND¡¡MAGIC
XIII¡¡RED¡¡SAILS¡¡AND¡¡BLUE¡¡WINGS
XIV¡¡¡¡THE¡¡RATS¡¡WARNING
XV¡¡¡¡¡¡THE¡¡BARBARY¡¡DRAGON
XVI¡¡¡¡TOO¡TOO£»¡¡THE¡¡LISTENER¡¡
XVII¡¡THE¡¡OCEAN¡¡GOSSIPS¡¡
XVIII¡¡SMELLS¡¡
XIX¡¡¡¡THE¡¡ROCK
XX¡¡¡¡¡¡THE¡¡FISHERMAN'S¡¡TOWN
XXI¡¡¡¡HOME¡¡AGAIN
THE¡¡STORY¡¡OF¡¡DOCTOR¡¡DOLITTLE
THE¡¡STORY¡¡OF
DOCTOR¡¡DOLITTLE
THE¡¡FIRST¡¡CHAPTER
PUDDLEBY
ONCE¡¡upon¡¡a¡¡time£»¡¡many¡¡years¡¡ago¡¡when¡¡our¡¡grandfathers¡¡were
little¡¡childrenthere¡¡was¡¡a¡¡doctor£»¡¡and¡¡his¡¡name¡¡was¡¡Dolittle
John¡¡Dolittle£»¡¡M¡£D¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨M¡£D¡£¡¨¡¡means¡¡that¡¡he¡¡was¡¡a¡¡proper¡¡doctor
and¡¡knew¡¡a¡¡whole¡¡lot¡£
He¡¡lived¡¡in¡¡a¡¡little¡¡town¡¡called£»¡¡Puddleby¡
on¡the¡Marsh¡£¡¡¡¡All¡¡the¡¡folks£»¡¡young¡¡and¡¡old£»
knew¡¡him¡¡well¡¡by¡¡sight¡£¡¡¡¡And¡¡whenever¡¡he
walked¡¡down¡¡the¡¡street¡¡in¡¡his¡¡high¡¡hat¡¡everyone
would¡¡say£»¡¡¡¨There¡¡goes¡¡the¡¡Doctor£¡He's
a¡¡clever¡¡man¡£¡¨¡¡¡¡¡¡And¡¡the¡¡dogs¡¡and¡¡the¡¡children
would¡¡all¡¡run¡¡up¡¡and¡¡follow¡¡behind¡¡him£»¡¡and
even¡¡the¡¡crows¡¡that¡¡lived¡¡in¡¡the¡¡church¡tower
would¡¡caw¡¡and¡¡nod¡¡their¡¡heads¡£
The¡¡house¡¡he¡¡lived¡¡in£»¡¡on¡¡the¡¡edge¡¡of¡¡the
town£»¡¡was¡¡quite¡¡small£»¡¡but¡¡his¡¡garden¡¡was¡¡very
large¡¡and¡¡had¡¡a¡¡wide¡¡lawn¡¡and¡¡stone¡¡seats¡¡and
weeping¡willows¡¡hanging¡¡over¡£¡¡¡¡His¡¡sister£»
Sarah¡¡Dolittle£»¡¡was¡¡housekeeper¡¡for¡¡him£»¡¡but
the¡¡Doctor¡¡looked¡¡after¡¡the¡¡garden¡¡himself¡£
He¡¡was¡¡very¡¡fond¡¡of¡¡animals¡¡and¡¡kept¡¡many
kinds¡¡of¡¡pets¡£¡¡¡¡Besides¡¡the¡¡gold¡fish¡¡in¡¡the¡¡pond
at¡¡the¡¡bottom¡¡of¡¡his¡¡garden£»¡¡he¡¡had¡¡rabbits¡¡in
the¡¡pantry£»¡¡white¡¡mice¡¡in¡¡his¡¡piano£»¡¡a¡¡squirrel
in¡¡the¡¡linen¡¡closet¡¡and¡¡a¡¡hedgehog¡¡in¡¡the¡¡cellar¡£
He¡¡had¡¡a¡¡cow¡¡with¡¡a¡¡calf¡¡too£»¡¡and¡¡an¡¡old¡¡lame
horse¡twenty¡five¡¡years¡¡of¡¡ageand¡¡chickens£»
and¡¡pigeons£»¡¡and¡¡two¡¡lambs£»¡¡and¡¡many¡¡other
animals¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡his¡¡favorite¡¡pets¡¡were¡¡Dab¡Dab
the¡¡duck£»¡¡Jip¡¡the¡¡dog£»¡¡Gub¡Gub¡¡the¡¡baby¡¡pig£»
Polynesia¡¡the¡¡parrot£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡owl¡¡Too¡Too¡£
His¡¡sister¡¡used¡¡to¡¡grumble¡¡about¡¡all¡¡these
animals¡¡and¡¡said¡¡they¡¡made¡¡the¡¡house¡¡untidy¡£
And¡¡one¡¡day¡¡when¡¡an¡¡old¡¡lady¡¡with¡¡rheumatism
came¡¡to¡¡see¡¡the¡¡Doctor£»¡¡she¡¡sat¡¡on¡¡the¡¡hedgehog
who¡¡was¡¡sleeping¡¡on¡¡the¡¡sofa¡¡and¡¡never¡¡came
to¡¡see¡¡him¡¡any¡¡more£»¡¡but¡¡drove¡¡every¡¡Saturday
all¡¡the¡¡way¡¡to¡¡Oxenthorpe£»¡¡another¡¡town¡¡ten
miles¡¡off£»¡¡to¡¡see¡¡a¡¡different¡¡doctor¡£
Then¡¡his¡¡sister£»¡¡Sarah¡¡Dolittle£»¡¡came¡¡to¡¡him
and¡¡said£»
¡¨John£»¡¡how¡¡can¡¡you¡¡expect¡¡sick¡¡people¡¡to
come¡¡and¡¡see¡¡you¡¡when¡¡you¡¡keep¡¡all¡¡these¡¡animals
in¡¡the¡¡house£¿¡¡¡¡It's¡¡a¡¡fine¡¡doctor¡¡would¡¡have
his¡¡parlor¡¡full¡¡of¡¡hedgehogs¡¡and¡¡mice£¡¡¡¡¡That's
the¡¡fourth¡¡personage¡¡these¡¡animals¡¡have¡¡driven