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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：





〃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

away。　　Squire　Jenkins　and　the　Parson　say　they

wouldn't　come　near　your　house　againno　matter

how　sick　they　are。　　We　are　getting　poorer

every　day。　　If　you　go　on　like　this；　none　of　the

best　people　will　have　you　for　a　doctor。〃　　



〃But　I　like　the　animals　better　than　the　‘best

people'；〃　said　the　Doctor。



〃You　are　ridiculous；〃　said　his　sister；　and

walked　out　of　the　room。



So；　as　time　went　on；　the　Doctor　got　more　and

more　animals；　and　the　people　who　came　to　see

him　got　less　and　less。　　Till　at　last　he　had　no　one

leftexcept　the　Cat's…meat…Man；　who　didn't

mind　any　kind　of　animals。　　But　the　Cat's…meat

Man　wasn't　very　rich　and　he　only　got　sick　once

a　yearat　Christmas…time；　when　he　used　to　give

the　Doctor　sixpence　for　a　bottle　of　medicine。



Sixpence　a　year　wasn't　enough　to　live　on

even　in　those　days；　long　ago；　and　if　the　Doctor

hadn't　had　some　money　saved　up　in　his　money…

box；　no　one　knows　what　would　have　happened。



And　he　kept　on　getting　stil