The Story of Doctor Dolittle: Original Version

This is the original version of a story first published in 1920 about a medical doctor with a remarkable ability: He can talk to and understand animals. This gets him into trouble with his human patients. Because he keeps some of his animals in his office, his patients leave him. Dr. Dolittle starts treating animals, when they get sick.

Dr. Dolittle has no money, because all of his patients have left him. He learns that there is a serious illness among the monkeys in Africa. The monkeys will all die and only Dr. Dolittle knows how to save him. So, Dr. Dolittle must go to Africa.

Although Dr. Dolittle has no money, a man loans him a small boat so he can sail to Africa. He can only take a few of his animals with him. Upon arriving in Africa, the king there immediately puts Doctor Dolittle in prison.

The king's son, Prince Bumpo, has heard the Story of Sleeping Beauty. The Prince Bumpo wants to kiss sleeping beauty to wake her up. However, he fears that Sleeping Beauty will reject him because he is Black. The animals tell the king's son that Dr. Dolittle has the power to change his skin from Black to White so that the Sleeping Beauty will accept him. Therefore, the king's son decides to get Dr. Dolittle out of jail so that Dr. Dolittle can change his skin from Black to White.