Doctor John Dolittle
Who is he/she?: Dr. John Dolittle is an English animal doctor who knows their language. He used to be a human doctor, but human patients would not come to him because they were bothered by the animals that were over there. In addition, he is a traveler who travels from country to country treating animals, studying nature and learning new animal languages. He is the author of many scientific books.
Greatest achievements: He learned the language of animals. He visited many countries. He is known by all animals in the World (and on the Moon, where he was).
Best qualities: He is kind to animals and people. He fights for the equality of animals and people. He never hesitates to help someone.
Worst qualities: He never wants to take money from anyone, and when he has it, he spends it very quickly.
Polynesia
Who is he/she?: Polynesia is an African long-living parrot (in Story of Doctor Dolittle she is 182-183 years old and in this story she returns to Africa after 169 years of absence). She knows and understands human language, which is how she could teach Doctor Dolittle animal languages. She knows about sailing, as she was a ship captain’s parrot for many years.
Greatest achievements: She taught Doctor Dolittle and Tom Stubbins the language of animals.
Best qualities: She is smart, thoughtful, and makes good plans. She solves problems well.
Worst qualities: When things don’t go her way, she swears in Swedish. She is quarrelsome, especially with the pig, Geb-Geb.
Chee-Chee
Who is he/she?: He is an African monkey. His name means “ginger”. With his wisdom and agility, he helped Doctor Dolittle in many situations. For example, he found the path and food many times while the doctor travels through the jungle (also on the Moon).
Greatest achievements: He saved Doctor Dolittle and his animals from starvation several times during their journeys.
Best qualities: He is smart and agile. He is very helpful, also in everyday life, in running a household.
Worst qualities: He could be easly scared.
Too-Too
Who is he/she?: Too-Too is a wise owl. She is a good mathematician, accountant and money holder. She could see in the dark and stay up all night.
Greatest achievements: Through her wisdom, she warned Tom Stubbins of John Dolittle’s flight to the moon. She also saw smoke signals on the moon.
Best qualities: Like Polynesia, she is able to make good plans and solve problems. She is never quarrelsome.
Worst qualities: (hard to tell)
Jip
Who is he/she?: He is a smart dog. He helped Doctor Dolittle several times with his sense of smell and tracking skills. He also is familiar with detective work. He likes to help other dogs, but he is quarrelsome towards other animals.
Greatest achievements: Thanks to his sense of smell, he saved a man – a castaway left by pirates on a desert rock. He received a golden collar as a reward. He was the founder of the The Home for Cross-Bred Dogs (at John Dolittle’s house garden).
Best qualities: He has a good heart and would help every hungry dog.
Worst qualities: He is sometimes rude to other animals (especially to Geb-Geb). He is conceited when other animals are praised.
Gub-Gub
Who is he/she?: Gub-Gub is a pig that the Doctor has known since he was a child. He takes care of vegetables in Doctor Dolittle’s garden. He fancies himself a poet and writer on the subject of food.
Greatest achievements: He wrote an Encyclopedia of Food in 20 Volumes (only 1 volume has been published so far for financial reasons). He was an actor in the Puddleby Pantomime written by the Doctor in London and other places.
Best qualities: He is usually cheerful. Always tries to be helpful.
Worst qualities: He wants to be helpful, but usually only causes problems because he is careless and impatient.
Dab-Dab
Who is he/she?: Dab-Dab is a hard-working duck. She runs the household for Doctor Dolittle. She prepares meals, makes beds, and does cleaning. She looks after the Doctor and the other animals. When she is in journey with Doctor, she misses her home in Puddleby. She worries about the Doctor’s finances. She was also a dancer in the Puddleby Pantomime.
Greatest achievements: Whole the time she cares for Doktor Dolittle and his house.
Best qualities: Dab-Dab is always hard-working and cares for everyone in her household regardless of the situation.
Worst qualities: She doesn’t like too many adventures because they distract from her orderly life. She can be quarrelsome in this context.
The White Mouse
Who is he/she?: The White Mouse lives with the Doctor and usually travels with him.
Greatest achievements: She saved the Doctor from starvation several times while he was in prison. She was the mayor of the Animal Town at the Doctor’s garden in Puddleby. She founded the Rat and Mouse Club, the mouse alphabet and the education of baby mice.
Best qualities: She was always friendly, even to Geb-Gub when the other animals teased him.
Worst qualities: She was curious and overheard conversations. She caused the destruction of the Doctor’s notes on the history of the Flood (at the time of Noah’s Ark).
Pushmi-Pullyu
Who is he/she?: Pushmi-Pullyu is the only two-headed animal in the world. Doctor Dolittle brought him from Africa. The two-headed animal, despite not liking people and being shy, decided to help the Doctor earn money by making exhibition in circus. He did this as a reward for saving African monkeys from a deadly disease.
Greatest achievements: He helped Doctor Dolittle get the money needed to pay off a sailor for his ship that the Doctor sunk.
Best qualities: He always wants to be helpful to Doctor Dolittle.
Worst qualities: He is shy, wants to be alone.
Sarah
Who is he/she?: Sarah Dolittle is the sister of Doctor Dolittle. She initially ran his household, but after the crocodile was brought in, she left home. She later became the wife of an English pastor.
Greatest achievements: She always met Doctor Dolittle in the most unexpected circumstances.
Best qualities: (hard to tell)
Worst qualities: (hard to tell)
(Sarah on the right.)
Bumpo
Who is he/she?: The African Prince Bumpo is the heir to the throne of the kingdom of Jolliginka. As a child, he was tricked by the Doctor, who wanted to save his life, because the prince’s father sentenced the Doctor to prison. Later, Bumpo studied at Oxford and participated in the Doctor’s travels and adventures. /NOTE: In newer editions, this plot may have been changed!/
Greatest achievements: He helped the Doctor many times with his strength and courage.
Best qualities: Bumpo is brave and strong, and always fair and just.
Worst qualities: Bumpo was a hothead, he even wanted to eat bad people /NOTE: In newer editions this plot may have been changed!/
Matthew Mugg
Who is he/she?: Matthew Mugg is a friend of Doctor Dolittle. He worked in a now forgotten profession – he was a dog and cat feeder (so called Cats’-Meat-Man) in Puddleby. He likes adventures, he is an adventurer. He once served time in prison for something, but the Doctor did not want to hear what for. The job in the circus, which he persuaded the Doctor to do, was his dream in life.
Greatest achievements: He led Doctor Dolittle to work at the circus. He helped in many situations.
Best qualities: Matthew Mugg was always brave and had ideas on how to solve problems with other people in Puddleby and on the circus journey.
Worst qualities: He doesn’t care much about the law.
Cheapside
Who is he/she?: Cheapside is a London sparrow who lives with his wife in the ear of the statue of St. Edmund on St. Peter’s Cathedral. He knows how to get things done in the big city.
Greatest achievements: Thanks to his determination he helped the Doctor in many situations.
Best qualities: Cheapside is very brave, hard-working and determined.
Worst qualities: Cheapside has an big mouth, which has caused him to offend several characters.
Pipinella, The Green Canary
Who is he/she?: Pipinella is a green canary that Doctor Dolittle rescued from an ugly pet shop. She became a prima donna in the Doctor Dolittle Opera performed in London. She had many stormy adventures before, which was told in the Doctor Dollitle books. She was a friend of the Windowcleaner, whom she missed all the time. As a result, she introduces Doctor Dolittle to politics and the search for the Cleaner.
Greatest achievements: She was a primadonna (lead singer) in the London production of Doctor Dolittle’s Opera. With the money she earned, the Doctor was able to quit running the circus and return to Puddleby.
Best qualities: Pipinella composed beautiful songs. She is brave.
Worst qualities: At times she fell into despair and made dangerous decisions.
Mudface
Who is he/she?: Mudface is a giant long-living turtle that remembers the Flood (Noah’s Ark). He lives in the heart of Africa on a great lake. He remembers the old days and the cruel rule of King Mashtu od Shalba.
Greatest achievements: He told Doctor Dolittle the story of the Flood and the fall of the kingdom ruled by the evil king.
Best qualities: Good memory.
Worst qualities: Slowness.
Tom Stubbins
Who is he/she?: Tom Stubbins is the author of the John Dolittle books. He wrote all these stories from notes he made during his work with the Doctor, which began when he was a boy, when his parents allowed him to become the Doctor’s assistant. Tom traveled with the Doctor and was helpful to him. He learned to read and write (which was rare in those days) and learned the language of animals.
Greatest achievements: Tom Stubbins learned the language of animals and helped the Doctor to heal them. He was the Doctor’s assistant and secretary, which gave him notes to write the John Dolittle books. He was with the Doctor on the Moon.
Best qualities: Tom Stubbins is hardworking, eager to learn and help.
Worst qualities: (hard to tell)
Long Arrow
Who is he/she?: Long Arrow, the son of Golden Arrow is an Indian naturalist from South America. He is the second most knowledgeable naturalist after Doctor Dolittle, despite not being able to read or write. Doctor Dolittle searched for him and found him because he was missing. After Doctor Dolittle left Spidermonkey Island where Long Arrow lived, Long Arrow disappeared again – a plot that was never continued.
Greatest achievements: Thanks to his knowledge of nature, he saved the Indians trapped in a cave by sending a rescue message. He learned many species of plants and animals, thanks to which he was able to exchange knowledge with Doctor Dolittle.
Best qualities: Natural knowledge, courage.
Worst qualities: He disappeared for long periods of time because he traveled to study nature.
Windowcleaner
Who is he/she?: Window Cleaner is a friend of the Green Canary – Pipinella. He was a window cleaner for money, and after work he wrote books on political topics to save people from bad governments.
Greatest achievements: He wrote books about politics in other countries, thanks to which people started to fight for their freedom.
Best qualities: Courage, political commitment.
Worst qualities: (hard to tell)
