In The Story of Doctor Dolittle (1920), the first of Hugh Lofting's Doctor Dolittle books, we are introduced to the good doctor who gives up treating people after Polynesia, his parrot, teaches him animal languages. His fame in the animal kingdom spreads throughout the world and soon he sets off to cure a monkey epidemic in Africa, finding all sorts of exciting adventures on the way. Hugh John Lofting (Maidenhead, Berkshire, England January 14, 1886 - Topanga, California September 26, 1947) was a British author, trained as a civil engineer, who created the character of Doctor Dolittle - one of the classics of childrens literature. ... Doctor Dolittle is the central character of a series of childrens books by Hugh Lofting. ...

The style of the book is clearly aimed for young children, with a good deal of explanation of hard words. This would change with the sequels.

Different Editions

The original edition had a plotline where Bumpo, the African prince, wishes he was white, so that he can marry the Sleeping Beauty. The Doctor, who is imprisoned by the prince's father, grants his wish in exchange for escape. Sleeping Beauty (La Belle aux bois dormant) is a fairy tale classic, the first in the set published in 1697 by Charles Perrault, Contes de ma Mère lOye (Mother Goose Tales). Giambattista Basile had earlier published the tale in the Pentamerone in 1634. ...

In subsequent editions, Bumpo is either hypnotised or he wishes to be a lion. Hypnosis, as defined by the American Psychological Association Division of Psychological Hypnosis, is a procedure during which a health professional or researcher suggests that a client, patient, or experimental participant experience changes in sensations, perceptions, thoughts, or behavior. ... Binomial name Panthera leo (Linnaeus, 1758) The Lion (Panthera leo) is a mammal of the family Felidae. ...