The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
Part 1, Chapter 13: A Traveler Arrives
by Hugh Lofting
Tommy's abilities continue to progress under the tutelage of Polynesia. A long lost friend returns from Africa.
Tommy's abilities continue to progress under the tutelage of Polynesia. A long lost friend returns from Africa.
A man tries to fool animals in order to get food for supper, but the King of Wolves sees through his trick.
A wolf finds a clever way to get fish for supper.
Sumner confronts Quorum, who confesses to trying to take the gun but says he knows nothing of the disappearing canoes.
The narrator talks of an old bean man who hangs around the sea wall and watches for tourists. He goes on to describe the toll the winter in Florida is taking on the old man (who blames the Northerners for bringing the cold weather).
Once Love grew bold and arrogant of air,
A child behaves all day and has good dreams.
A BIRD delicious to the taste,
Who will believe my verse in time to come
What’s in the brain that ink may character
Tommy and his mother are chased by Farmer Green’s new dog. They try to outwit and outrun him.
To me fair friend you never can be old
A Fox got its tail tangled in a bush and could not move. A number of Mosqitoes began biting the trapped Fox. A hedgehog offered to drive the mosqitoes away, but the fox refused.
Look in thy glass and tell the face thou viewest
How elephants got trunks, and how the Elephant’s Child learned to like his new feature.
Not mine own fears, nor the prophetic soul
From fairest creatures we desire increase
The narrator describes the birds (in particular the bobolinks and the yellow-billed cuckoo) and their migrating routes. He also talks about the different fruit and trees found along the Indian River.
"Wreathed in myrtle, my sword I'll conceal"
Nature and the movement of clouds at dusk ignite the author's imagination.
Round the wide earth, from the red field your valour has won,
As fast as thou shalt wane so fast thou grow’st
Within a London garret high,
Sylvia and Bruno, along with their dad who was made king of elfland, eat the local fruit.
In London, the narrator's brother learns of the Martian attack.