The Story of Doctor Dolittle · Chapter
Medicine and Magic explained
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.
What happens
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.
Themes in this chapter
Compassion and Healing
The Doctor reluctantly uses his medical knowledge to help Prince Bumpo, despite ethical concerns about the permanence of the treatment.
Freedom vs. Captivity
The Doctor and his animals are imprisoned by the King and must use cunning and magic to secure their release and escape.
Characters to notice
- Doctor Dolittle
Mixes a whitening potion for Prince Bumpo to secure their escape from prison; later expresses regret and concern about the potion's permanence.
- Polynesia
Devises the plan to have Prince Bumpo help them escape; stays behind in Africa as it is her proper home.
- Prince Bumpo
Visits the Doctor secretly, asking to be turned white to win the Sleeping Beauty; provides a ship in exchange for the treatment.
- Chee-Chee
Waits with Polynesia on the rocks near the ship; stays behind in Africa.
- Dab-Dab
Brings a basin for the Doctor's mixture; expresses anger at their imprisonment and criticizes Bumpo's appearance.
- Jip
Scoffs at Bumpo's quest for the Sleeping Beauty; identifies the approaching flock of birds by sound.
Key passages
“I feel sorry about Bumpo. I am afraid that medicine I used will never last. Most likely he will be as black as ever when he wakes up in the morning—that's one reason why I didn't like to leave the mirror with him. But then again, he might stay white—I had never used that mixture before. To tell the truth, I was surprised, myself, that it worked so well. But I had to do something, didn't I?—I couldn't possibly scrub the King's kitchen for the rest of my life. It was such a dirty kitchen!—I could see it from the prison-window.—Well, well!—Poor Bumpo!”
The Doctor regrets his hasty treatment of Prince Bumpo, worrying that the whitening effect may be temporary, but justifies it as necessary to escape the King's dirty kitchen.
The Doctor's moral conflict about using an untested potion on Bumpo.
“Prince Bumpo, supposing I made your hair a nice blonde color—would not that do instead to make you happy?”
The Doctor suggests a less drastic change, offering to dye Bumpo's hair blonde instead of turning his entire face white.
The Doctor's attempt to find a compromise with Bumpo's request.