This is the story of Dr.
Dolittle and the Kingdom of Monkeys by Hugh Lofting with adaptation by Ari Ross.
Narration by Ari Ross Once upon a time,
In a small English village called Puddleby on the Marsh,
There lived a kind and curious man named Dr.
John Doolittle.
He wasn't just any doctor.
He was the kind who truly loved helping people.
But even more than that.
.
.
He loved animals.
He lived in a quaint cottage with a big garden.
And every room in the house had at least one animal in it.
Parrots on curtain rods,
Rabbits under chairs,
Hedgehogs in the hallway,
And a crocodile that spent a good deal of his time in the bathtub.
Most doctors might have owned a dog or a cat,
But Dr.
Dolittle had dozens of creatures,
All of whom he treated like family.
The only problem?
His human patients didn't feel the same way.
At first,
The villagers liked him well enough.
He was clever and gentle,
And his medicine worked.
But people started complaining.
There are mice in the teacups,
" one lady said.
I saw a squirrel in the piano.
Said another.
Eventually,
They all found different doctors,
And Doolittle's practice dried up.
Now,
Most people would panic,
But not Dr.
Dolittle.
He simply smiled and spent more time with his animals.
One day,
His parrot Polynesia,
Who was nearly 200 years old and spoke perfect English,
Perched on his shoulder and said,
Doctor?
Why don't you become an animal doctor instead?
You're better with them than with people anyway.
Do little bling.
Hmm.
.
.
Do you really think so,
Polynesia?
I know so.
What?
Said Polynesia.
And if you learn to speak their languages,
You could help them better than anyone ever has.
Dr.
Dolittle,
Being both brilliant and open-minded,
Agreed at once.
With Polynesia's help,
He began studying the languages of animals.
He practiced listening to dogs barking and cats meowing.
And he mimicked the buzzing of bees and the chirping of birds.
He practiced day and night.
Eventually,
He could talk to animals as easily as you and I talk to each other.
News spread quickly.
Birds flew in from other countries.
Hedgehogs waddled in from neighboring farms.
Even foxes came out of the woods seeking help.
Dr.
Dolittle's home became a peaceful place of healing for all creatures,
Great and small.
One frosty morning,
A sad looking horse arrived outside his gate.
Excuse me?
The horse said through chattering teeth,
My master uses a bit that hurts my mouth terribly.
Could you look at it?
Dr.
Doolittle invited the horse inside,
Warmed him with a blanket and adjusted the metal bit so that it no longer caused pain.
The horse was so grateful,
He told every animal he met.
Soon,
Doolittle's new practice was busier than ever.
Not with people,
But with paws,
Wings,
Claws and hooves.
One day,
A messenger bird arrived with urgent news.
In Africa,
Monkeys were perishing from a terrible disease,
And no one could help them.
They need you,
Doctor,
" said Polynesia.
You must go.
And so,
Dr.
Doolittle began preparing for the journey.
He packed medicine,
Books,
A compass and food.
And,
Of course,
He brought his animals,
Polynesia the parrot.
GubGub the Pig.
Jip,
His loyal dog?
Dob Dob,
The Dog.
Chi Chi,
The monkey,
And a white mouse named Mary,
Who helped him sort herbs.
His neighbors shook their heads.
Mad that one,
They said.
Talking to animals.
Now sailing to Africa.
But Dolittle didn't mind.
His heart was full of purpose.
And his companions were loyal and true.
They set sail in a sturdy little boat with sails patched by dab-dab and ropes inspected by jips.
The sea sparkled under the sun and the seabirds called down blessings from the sky.
Their adventure had begun.
They sailed for days,
Facing strong winds and tall waves.
Chichi the monkey got seasick.
Gub-Gub fell overboard once,
But Dab-Dab rescued him.
Polynesia kept watch from the mast,
Her sharp eyes spotting land at last.
They arrived in Africa to the sounds of a thousand different animals.
Lions roaring,
Parrots squawking,
And monkeys chattering.
But there was a problem.
The local king,
Jolly Ginky,
Didn't like outsiders,
Especially odd ones who appeared to be speaking to animals.
He ordered Doolittle arrested as a suspicious stranger.
That's rude.
Grumble,
Gub-gub.
He hasn't even tried our carrot stew!
Polynesia flew ahead to scout.
She spoke to the palace birds and hatched a plan.
That night,
She crept into the prince's room and whispered into his ear,
Pretending to be his conscience.
The next morning,
The prince begged the king to release Dr.
Dolittle.
Very well,
The king said reluctantly,
But instruct the strangers not to cause trouble.
The air was warm and damp as Dr.
Dolittle and his animal companions set off deeper into Africa.
Having been released from King Jolly Ginky's castle,
They were now free to travel upriver,
Deep into the heart of the jungle,
Toward the sick monkeys who had sent for help.
They floated in a canoe made from wide tree trunk,
Paddling steadily under thick canopies of vines and palms.
The jungle was alive around them.
Bright birds,
Croaking frogs,
And the occasional curious crocodile gliding silently beneath the boat.
We should reach the land of the monkeys by nightfall.
" Said Polynesia,
Fluttering ahead.
Jip the dog sniffed the air.
I smell bananas.
Lots of them!
Chi-Chi the monkey chattered nervously.
Oh,
We're getting close,
But we must be careful.
There are dangers in this jungle.
Not everyone welcomes visitors.
Dr.
Dolittle nodded.
Then we'll be polite guests,
And I'll do everything I can to help the sick monkeys.
After all,
That's why we're here.
At last,
Just before sunset,
They reached a wide clearing deep in the forest.
Towering trees circled a great valley filled with monkeys of all sizes,
Shapes,
And colors.
There were howler monkeys,
Capuchins,
Spider monkeys and many others too weak to climb or swing,
Too sick to even chatter.
Dolittle and his crew had traveled deep into the jungle to reach the monkey kingdom.
What they found broke their heart.
Monkeys lay in hammocks made of vines,
Their eyes weak.
Their bodies thin.
The Monkey King approached.
His eyes tired.
Y-y-you came.
He said,
Softly,
You really came.
Dr.
Dolittle bowed.
Of course,
I promised.
Without wasting a moment,
The doctor and his animals set to work.
Doolittle set up a jungle hospital using leaves for bandages and tree sap for medicine.
Dab-Dab ran the kitchen,
Which included boiling water in pots made of hollowed-out gourds.
Gub-Gub the pig gathered herbs.
Polynesia flew between three tops,
Fetching supplies.
Chi-Chi helped keep everyone calm,
Translating when needed,
Helping Doolittle understand exactly what each monkey needed.
Doolittle examined rashes,
Checked fevers,
Wrapped bandages,
And brewed strong teas.
The monkeys watched him work with wide,
Hopeful eyes.
They had never met anyone who cared so much and could actually speak their language.
Within a few days,
Things began to change.
Sick monkeys sat up.
Some even began to smile again.
The little ones played gently.
The older ones laughed for the first time in weeks.
You've done more than heal us,
Said the Monkey King.
You've given us hope.
Dolittle worked day and night.
Slowly but surely,
The monkeys began to heal.
Their strength returned,
Their fur shone again,
And laughter echoed through the trees once more.
The Monkey King wept with joy.
Oh,
How can we ever thank you?
He asked.
Then came the cheers.
Monkeys clapping.
Birds chirping.
Elephants trumpeting.
Doolittle had not only healed the sick but saved the day.
When it was time to leave,
The animals of Africa gathered with gifts.
Fruits,
Nuts,
And even a golden necklace made of carved wood.
As they sailed away,
The monkeys waved until the boat was just a dot on the sea.
At long last,
The coast of England appeared.
Puddleby on the Marsh looked just the same.
Quiet?
Green and full of birdsong.
The boat docked.
And a small crowd gathered.
Neighbors?
Children.
And even a few former patients.
They all gawked at the animals,
The stories,
And the suntanned doctor returning from a journey that sounded too incredible to be true.
Talking to animals,
Someone whispered.
Saving monkeys in Africa!
Another gasp?
Some laugh.
Some stared.
But Dr.
Dolittle didn't mind.
He simply smiled and helped unload the boat.
While Chi-Chi waved to children,
And Gub-Gub happily sauntered into his pig pen and started enjoying rolling around in the mud.
As was one of his favorite things to do in the whole wide world.
Back at the cottage,
Everything was just as they had left it.
Birds fluttered through open windows.
Herbs dried above the fireplace.
The crocodile in the bathtub snapped happily when he saw that they had returned.
Doolittle unpacked his notes and prepared to write his first book,
A Medical Journal for the Animal Kingdom.
That evening,
The doctor sat in his favorite chair,
With Jip by his feet.
Dab-Dab reading the newspaper aloud,
And Polynesia reciting poetry overhead,
And a friendly pig snorting happily by his feet.
A moral of the story.
Kindness,
Curiosity,
Keeping one's word,
And courage can open doors no one else sees.
When you listen with your heart,
Even to those who speak in barks and squeaks,
You may just find the greatest adventures of all.
Also,
Adventure can take you far.
But the greatest journeys lead back to the heart.
Where kindness,
Friendship,
And curiosity will always be welcome.
THE END
