The Story of Doctor Dolittle · Chapter
The Barbary Dragon explained
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.
What happens
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.
Themes in this chapter
Compassion and Healing
The Doctor shows mercy by sparing the pirates and offering them a peaceful livelihood instead of death.
Critique of Human Arrogance
Ben Ali's arrogance as a pirate is contrasted with his humiliating fate of becoming a birdseed farmer.
Characters to notice
- Doctor Dolittle
Negotiates with Ben Ali and the sharks, sparing the pirates and ordering them to become farmers.
- Gub-Gub
Sneezes loudly, alerting the pirates to the escape attempt, and is frightened when threatened.
- Jip
Eager to fight the pirates and barks at them, later snapping at their noses to prevent boarding.
- Too-Too
Whispers to the Doctor to keep the pirates talking until their ship sinks.
- Ben Ali
The pirate leader who threatens the Doctor and is forced to become a birdseed farmer.
Key passages
“Keep him talking, Doctor. Be pleasant to him. Our old ship is bound to sink soon—the rats said it would be at the bottom of the sea before tomorrow-night—and the rats are never wrong.”
Too-Too advises the Doctor to engage Ben Ali in conversation because the ship will sink by the next night, as the rats predicted.
Illustrates the animals' cleverness and the Doctor's reliance on their advice.
“You must kill no more people; you must stop stealing; you must never sink another ship; you must give up being a pirate altogether.”
The Doctor commands Ben Ali to cease all piracy and violence.
Highlights the Doctor's moral authority and the theme of reform.