Dutchie and the Dill Duck
Introduction
Anonymous. “Dutchie and the Dill Duck.” The Infant’s Magazine 54.1 (1920): 85-86. Print.
“Dutchie and the Dill Duck” is a particularly interesting story because it looks at the idea of exploration, travel, and racism in Victorian England. Although this is a fairly simple children’s story, the progression being made in society and societal ideals in relation to racism are evident in the story. It seems noteworthy that the characters are fictional, a duck and a doll, which makes the story and the subject matter feel a little more removed because racism was undoubtedly a taboo topic during this time period.
Transcription
Dutchie and the Dill Duck
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Dora’s Dutch Doll was looking out of the Nursery window one morning, when she saw Yellow-down, the Dill Duck, walking by. Now Dora herself, was away from home that day, on a visit to some friends, with mother, and Dutchie had been saying all the morning;
“This is my chance to run away, and never see Dora any more.” So she threw open the window, and called with a loud voice:
“Downie, Downie, where are you going? Wait for me!”
“I’m going across the sea,” cried the Dill Duck, “and the ship is ready to start.”
Dutchie fetched her hat and away she went as fast as she could go.
“Are you coming to see me off?” asked Downie, when she overtook him on the road.
“No; I am going to cross the sea in the same ship,” replied Dutchie, “I am tired of Dora, and mean to have my way.”
“It is not always safe to have our way,” said Downie. But Dutchie would not listen to advice, and a few minutes later they were on board the ship. Before the sun went down in Doll Land on that wonderful day, Dutchie and the Dill Duck were far away at sea, but as Dutchie lay in her little bed trying to sleep, she heard the loud wind blow, and the great waves roar as they broke against the ship’s side. And then, just as the morning began to break, Downie came to the door, and shouted: “Get up, Dutchie, get up! The ship is going down.”
It was quite true, and there was only just time for them to jump on to a raft, which the Dill Duck had very cleverly made. A moment more, and they were alone at sea; the ship had gone down, and no other was in sight.
“A Dutchie, Dutchie,” said Downie, “I told you it was not always safe to have our own way.”
“And you were right,” sighed Dutchie, “I wish I was with Dora now.”
“Never mind,” cried her friend. “I see land far, far away, and the wind will soon take us there.”
And it did. Before many hours had passed, Dutchie and Downie had landed on an island, and were spreading some of their clothes on the warm sand to dry.
“We can wait here till a ship comes to save us,” said Downie.
“And be quite safe,” laughed Dutchie.
But she did not know that just behind her a band of wild men were creeping and crawling nearer and nearer, with spears in their hands. She did not know at all what was going to happen next. Poor Dutchie!
(To be continued.)
Notes
Edited by: Roberts, Jordan Lee: section 1, Winter 2013
