5 stars for Old Yeller by Fred Gipson.
I have come to realise that there is always a dog in children's fiction. Well, maybe not all, but definitely for the children's books I have read so far this year. There is always the presence of one dog or two or more, the only difference is whether the dog plays a major part in the story or a minor role. But still, a dog is a dog and its presence makes a whole lot of difference to the story.
In
Where the Red Fern Grows, there are the two Redbone Coonhound hunting dogs, brawny Old Dan and brainy Little Ann. In
Bridge to Terabithia, the girl Leslie Burke gives Jesse Aarons a puppy as his Christmas present and together, they named it Prince Terrien and make him the guardian of Terabithia. In
Short, there is Julia trying to find happiness after the death of her pet dog Ramon. Though the dog has ceased to exist, its presence is felt throughout the novel as Julia constantly thinks of him. In
Rain Reign, Rose who is obsessed with homonyms named her dog Rain, and Rain has two homonyms - rein and reign. In
Walk Two Moons, there is mention of three dogs, all beagles. Gramps has a beagle named Sadie when he first met Gram and the dog died at some point after their marriage. Sal talks about her beagle Moody Blue but does not say what happens to her dog, only that she refers to the dog in the past tense, implying that she has died. By the end of the story, Gramps has a new beagle puppy which he named Huzza Huzza. In
Because of Winn-Dixie, Opal adopts a stray dog and named it Winn-Dixie after a supermarket. In
Wolf Hollow, there are plenty of dogs on Annabelle's farm, always six or seven running around. Once in a while, one will disappear, but after some time, another will show up to take its place. In
Number the Stars, Annemarie's mother recalls having a dog named Trofast (meaning Faithful) who will walk her to the end of the path each morning and wait for her return from school every afternoon around the bend. In
The Thing About Jellyfish, Suzy's best friend Franny has a dog named Fluffernutter.
Having introduced all the dogs in above nine books that I have read recently, my point is, Old Yeller, before I read the book, seems to be simply another one of children's literature with a dog, and not just any dog, a big ugly slick-haired yeller dog. To start with, I am not keen on the book. Why? Because that ugly dog of a picture on the book cover all but put me off. But strangely, somehow or other, I manage to get past the cover and delve into the book. It makes me real glad because if I have not, I will have missed out on this deeply moving story about a dog and the family he stays with.
The story takes place in the late 1860s, right after the Civil War, in Texas hill country. The characters central to the story are 14-year old Travis, his five-year old brother Arliss and their parents. One day, an ugly stray dog visits the Coates family in their log cabin on Birdsong Creek. They decide to keep the dog and named him Old Yeller.
All thanks to Old Yeller the dog, this is a story that leaves a deep impression. He may be an ugly meat-stealing rascal, but Old Yeller is a clever dog that makes itself useful in helping the Coates family chase off coons, skunks, coyotes and even deer that go into their fields to eat corn, melons and peas. It even helps drive cattle and tame their wild cow for milking. It is a faithful dog that protects the family from just about anything that may bring harm their way. It is this loyalty right to the end that makes the story so very heartwarming.
The thing about this novel is, though the story revolves around the yeller dog, it is not just a story about the dog, it is also one about family, the bonds of brotherhood and motherly love. And that makes for a really nice family story.
To quote on brotherly love "Till Little Arliss got us mixed up in that bear fight, I guess I’d been looking on him about like most boys look on their little brothers. I liked him, all right, but I didn’t have a lot of use for him... But that day when I saw him in the spring, so helpless against the angry she bear, I learned different. I knew then that I loved him as much as I did Mama and Papa, maybe in some ways even a little bit more."
To quote on motherly love "When Mama wasn’t waiting on me, she was taking care of Old Yeller. She waited on him just like she did me. She was getting up all hours of the night to doctor our wounds, bathe us in cold water, and feed us when she could get us to eat. On top of that, there were the cows to milk, Little Arliss to look after, clothes to wash, wood to cut, and old Jumper to worry with."
Besides being a delightful family novel with the yeller dog, the story also feels practical and real. Because the author has excellent knowledge of the ways of Texas hill country living and of the wild animals which he demonstrates through his writing. If I didn't know better, I will say the author has firsthand experience; either that or he does a very thorough job with his research.
The author explains how dogs are used for catching hogs and driving cattle and fighting coons out of the cornfields. And settlers keep them as watchdogs against plundering by loafer wolves, bears, panthers, and raiding Indians.
He knows the ways of of wild hogs. To quote "any time you messed with a wild hog, you were asking for trouble." He describes how the old hogs fight bear and panther off from their young by forming a tight circle in which they face outward around the ring, their rumps to the center where all the squealing pigs are gathered. That way, they will be ready to battle anything that want to jump on them.
He gives details on the ways to mark hogs. He knows what it means to turn a boar hog into a bar hog and why it is a job that needs to be done, that is, if you want to eat hog meat. He tells us why the Coates family never butchers or sells a hog that does not belong to them or mark a pig following a sow that does not wear their mark.
He knows the usefulness of prickly-pear roots, why the roots of big tall prickly pear are no good for making poultice but those smaller sizes are, and how the poultice of mashed-up prickly-pear roots can be used to draw out poison.
Certainly, the knowledge, understanding and appreciation of country living that the author shares in Old Yeller makes the story exciting and a joy to read.
Of all the face-licking, tail-wagging dog tales I have come across, this is one which brings as much joy as it does tears. It makes me smile but it also breaks my heart and makes me cry. After I read the book, Old Yeller is no longer simply another one of children's literature with just about any dog. It is still a big ugly yeller dog, yes, but one with a big loving heart. A faithful dog through and through.
I can now understand why this book was published to instant acclaim and goes on to become one of the most beloved children's classics ever written. It is one unforgettable tale.
