Front matter
Reading edition
Title Page
Copyright, 1956, by
Josephine Lofting
Copyright, 1928, by
Hugh Lofting
All rights reserved including that of translation
into foreign languages
Printed in the United States of America
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 28-22386
Contents
CHAPTERPAGE
1We Land Upon a New World1
2The Land of Colors and Perfumes7
3Thirst!13
4Chee-Chee the Hero21
5On the Plateau26
6The Moon Lake33
7Tracks of a Giant39
8The Singing Trees46
9The Study of Plant Languages53
10The Magellan of the Moon59
11We Prepare to Circle the Moon65
12The Vanity Lilies72
13The Flower of Many Scents79
14Mirrors for Flowers86
15Making New Clothes93
16Monkey Memories of the Moon100
17We Hear of “The Council”108
18The President117
19The Moon Man125
20The Doctor and the Giant135
21How Otho Bludge Came to the Moon143
22How the Moon Folk Heard of Doctor Dolittle151
23The Man Who Made Himself a King159
24Doctor Dolittle Opens His Surgery on the Moon167
25Puddleby Once More175
ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE
“Zip!--The spring was made”5
“By smelling he could tell if they were safe to eat”8
“The Doctor had brought a compass”10
“Jumping was extraordinarily easy”12
“It was different from any tree I have ever seen”14
“The doctor kept glancing up uneasily”16
“Polynesia soared into the air”19
“I remember Chee-Chee trickling something cool between my lips”20
“Some of the fruits were as big as a trunk”22
“ ‘I climbed a tree’ ”24
“We approached the bluff on whose brow the vegetation flourished”27
The Umbrella Tree28
“ ‘Yes,’ said she, ‘I was awake several times’ ”30
“ ‘You bet they were not!’ grunted Polynesia”31
“We used a long pole to punt with”37
“ ‘What do you think, Doctor?’ he stammered”40
“An enormous footprint”42
“There was more movement in the limbs of the trees”44
“It was a sort of basin”47
“Spellbound we gazed up at them”50
“For quite a long while he sat watching certain shrubs”51
“Seeing a giant shadow disappear into the gloom”55
“He seemed to have brought everything he could need”57
“The faithful monkey would come to us every three hours with his strange vegetables”60
“It was natural to spring a step that measured six or seven feet”62
“We rigged up weather-vanes”63
“Mostly they were on bare knolls”66
“ ‘You mean you think it was he who sent the signals?’ ”68
“ ‘I don’t know, Stubbins,’ said he, frowning”70
“We always took care to leave landmarks behind us”73
“Certainly the plant life became more elaborate and lively”75
“The flowers would be about eighteen inches across”77
“Chee-Chee just fainted away at the first sample”80
“ ‘Are you ready, Stubbins?’ ”82
“He struck a light”84
“He passed his hand all around it”87
“He held them before the lilies”89
“These we rigged up on sticks”91
“ ‘Tommy, you seem to be getting enormously tall’ ”94
“His height had increased some three inches”96
“ ‘We look like a family of Robinson Crusoes’ ”98
“ ‘Let me think,’ said Chee-Chee”101
“Leaning back munching a piece of yellow yam”103
“A terrible explosion followed”106
“It was a rocky gulch”109
“There was no doubt that they were on the watch”112
“Proceeded with his conversation with the vines”113
“A species of big lizard overran the Moon”115
“where the globe of the Earth glowed dimly”118
“Every single seed was carefully dug up by long-billed birds”121
“Still more birds left the concealment of the creepers”123
“With a very serious look on her old face”126
“Others were unbelievably large”128
“It was human!”131
“ ‘Look!--the right wrist--look!’ ”133
“ ‘Stubbins!--I say, Stubbins!’ ”137
“ ‘Very poor hospitality, I call it’ ”139
“I watched Chee-Chee’s head nodding sleepily”141
“ ‘I lived on roots’ ”147
“ ‘The piece fell into one of our lakes’ ”149
“The bird was introduced to the Doctor”152
“ ‘I had the birds bring me reports of your movements’ ”155
“ ‘I set the pile off with a live ember’ ”157
“ ‘I could whistle short conversations’ ”161
“This history had been carved in pictures on the face of a rock”163
“ ‘But grasshoppers!’ ”165
“Grasshoppers with crude bandages on their gawky joints”168
“Then he lectured his big friend”170
“ ‘Watch out, Tommy!’ ”172
“ ‘Don’t worry, Tommy, he’ll come back’ ”185