The Story of Doctor Dolittle · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for The Story of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting.
Chapter 1
Dedication
The author dedicates the story to all children, both young and young at heart.
Chapter 2
The Story of Doctor Dolittle
This introductory chapter sets the stage for the peculiar life of Doctor Dolittle, a man who learns to communicate with animals, leading to astonishing adventures in foreign lands.
Chapter 3
Puddleby
Introduces Doctor John Dolittle, a kind and clever physician living in the small town of Puddleby-on-the-Marsh. His home is filled with many pets, which drives away human patients and causes his sister Sarah to complain. As his practice declines, he becomes poor but remains devoted to his animals.
Chapter 4
Animal Language
The Cat's-meatman suggests Doctor Dolittle become an animal doctor. Polynesia reveals that animals have their own language, and the Doctor begins learning it. He gives up his human practice, successfully treats animals by communicating with them, and becomes famous among animals worldwide.
Chapter 5
More Money Troubles
Doctor Dolittle's practice revives, but his growing collection of rescued animals—including Chee-Chee the monkey and a crocodile—scares away clients, leading to financial ruin. His sister Sarah leaves in protest, and the animals take over the housework and sell produce to make ends meet, but winter brings hardship.
Chapter 6
A Message from Africa
In the midst of a cold winter, the Doctor receives an urgent message from Chee-Chee's cousin in Africa about a terrible sickness among the monkeys. Despite having no money, the Doctor arranges to borrow a boat from a sailor he once helped. He selects a small group of animals to accompany him, and after preparing the house and gathering supplies, they set sail for Africa with a swallow as their guide.
Chapter 7
The Great Journey
Doctor Dolittle and his animal companions sail for six weeks to Africa, guided by a swallow. They encounter flying-fish and porpoises, who help them by providing onions. A storm shipwrecks them on the African coast, but they all reach shore safely using a lifeline. After drying off, they are met by a black man who insists they appear before the King of the Jolliginki.
Chapter 8
VI: Polynesia and the King
The Doctor and his animals are imprisoned by the King of Jolliginki, who refuses to let them travel through his lands due to past betrayal by white men. Polynesia hides in the Doctor's pocket and later escapes through the prison window. That night, she flies to the palace, mimics the Doctor's voice, and tricks the King into releasing them by threatening to make him and his people ill. The King orders the prison opened, but the Queen sees Polynesia escaping and reveals the trick. By the time the King returns, the Doctor and his animals have already fled.
Chapter 9
VII: The Bridge of Apes
The Doctor and his animals flee through the jungle, guided by Chee-Chee, while the King's army pursues them. They hide in a hollow tree overnight, then continue their journey, enjoying the jungle's resources and Chee-Chee's stories. When they reach the border of the Land of the Monkeys, the King's men close in, but the monkeys form a living bridge across a cliff, allowing the Doctor and all his animals to cross safely into the Land of the Monkeys.
Chapter 10
The Leader of the Lions
Doctor Dolittle becomes extremely busy treating thousands of sick monkeys. He vaccinates the well ones and sets up a hospital, but faces a shortage of nurses when the proud Leader of the Lions and other animals refuse to help. After the lion's own cub falls ill, his wife scolds him into returning to offer assistance, and soon all the animals come to help. The monkeys recover, and the Doctor finally rests.
Chapter 11
The Monkeys' Council
Chee-Chee keeps watch while Doctor Dolittle sleeps. Upon waking, the Doctor announces he must return to Puddleby to repay debts, surprising the monkeys. They hold a council to discuss how to persuade him to stay, but Chee-Chee explains the necessity of money in the Land of the White Men. Ultimately, they decide to give the Doctor a rare gift—a pushmi-pullyu, an animal no White Man has ever seen.
Chapter 12
The Rarest Animal of All
The monkeys capture the rare pushmi-pullyu, a two-headed, shy creature, and persuade it to go with Doctor Dolittle to the Land of the White Men to be exhibited so the Doctor can earn money for his debts and a new boat. The pushmi-pullyu agrees after meeting the Doctor and trusting his kindness. A farewell party is held, and the Doctor and his pets depart for the seashore, leaving a stone monument to mark the occasion.
Chapter 13
XI: The Black Prince
After leaving the monkeys, the Doctor and his pets become lost in the jungle and are recaptured by the King of the Jolliginki. Polynesia hides and, seeing Prince Bumpo reading fairy tales, impersonates a fairy to convince him that the Doctor can turn him white, setting the stage for a possible escape.
Chapter 14
Medicine and Magic
Polynesia orchestrates a plan for Prince Bumpo to visit the Doctor in prison, seeking to be turned white so he can win the Sleeping Beauty. The Doctor reluctantly mixes a potion that temporarily whitens Bumpo's face, and in return Bumpo provides a ship for escape. After fleeing, the Doctor and his animals are guided home by a massive flock of swallows, while Chee-Chee, Polynesia, and the crocodile remain in Africa.
Chapter 15
XIII: Red Sails and Blue Wings
On the voyage home, the Doctor's ship is pursued by Barbary pirates. Jip's keen sense of smell detects the danger even in his sleep. The Doctor, with the help of Dab-Dab and the swallows, devises a plan to escape by having the swallows pull the ship with strings, outrunning the pirates.
Chapter 16
The Rats’ Warning
The swallows, tired from pulling the ship, guide the Doctor to an island for rest. While seeking water, rats warn the Doctor that his ship is rotten and will sink. The canaries lead the Doctor to fresh water and food. Swallows then alert him that pirates have boarded his ship, and he escapes by boarding the empty pirate ship.
Chapter 17
The Barbary Dragon
Doctor Dolittle and his animal crew attempt to escape from the bay but are caught by the pirate Ben Ali, the Barbary Dragon, who threatens to take the duck and pig. Too-Too advises the Doctor to keep the pirates talking until their ship sinks, which it does. The pirates are left in the water, and sharks arrive, offering to eat them. The Doctor spares them on the condition that they become birdseed farmers on the island, and Ben Ali reluctantly agrees.
Chapter 18
XVI: Too-Too, the Listener
The Doctor and his animals explore the pirates' ship, discovering luxurious furnishings and treasures. They find a locked door, and after searching for a key, the owl Too-Too uses his exceptional hearing to detect a person inside who is weeping. The Doctor decides to chop the door down to help the unhappy captive.
Chapter 19
VII: The Ocean Gossips
Doctor Dolittle and his animals rescue a young boy locked in the pirates' rum-room. The boy reveals his uncle was captured by pirates and may have been thrown overboard. The Doctor comforts him, and after tea, consults a school of porpoises who confirm the uncle was not drowned, bringing the boy joy.
Chapter 20
Smells
The Doctor enlists eagles to search for the boy's lost uncle, but they fail. Jip then uses his extraordinary sense of smell to identify the uncle's scent from a snuff-filled handkerchief and vows to find him.
Chapter 21
The Rock
After waiting for the wind to change, Jip catches the scent of snuff from the West and leads the crew to a barren rock in the sea. There, they discover a hidden cave where the boy's uncle is found asleep, surviving only on snuff.
Chapter 22
The Fisherman's Town
Doctor Dolittle and Jip rescue a red-haired fisherman stranded on a rock, reunite him with his sister and nephew, and are celebrated by the townspeople. The Mayor presents the Doctor with a diamond-studded watch and Jip with a golden collar inscribed 'The Cleverest Dog in the World' before they sail back to Puddleby.
Chapter 23
Home Again
John Dolittle returns to England after his African adventures, traveling with the pushmi-pullyu as a showman at fairs to earn money. He refuses to sell the creature to circus-men, valuing its freedom. Once he has saved enough, he returns to Puddleby a rich man, settles back into his home, buys new ships for the sailor who lent him a boat, pays his debts, and acquires new pianos and money-boxes. The chapter ends with a cozy winter scene and a distant thought from the African animals wondering about the Doctor.
