Jock of the Bushveld facts for kids
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| Author | Percy FitzPatrick |
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| Illustrator | Edmund Caldwell |
| Cover artist | Edmund Caldwell |
| Country | South Africa |
| Language | Afrikaans, Dutch, English, French, Xhosa, Zulu, and others. |
| Subject | Jock of the Bushveld |
| Published | 1907 |
| Publisher | Longmans, Green, and Co |
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Publication date
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1907 |
| Media type | Hardback |
| Pages | 475 |
| ISBN | 978-1463788421 |
| OCLC | 559436 |
Jock of the Bushveld is a true story from South Africa. It was written by Sir James Percy FitzPatrick. The book is about FitzPatrick's adventures with his brave dog, Jock. Jock was a mix of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Their story takes place in the 1880s. Percy worked in the Bushveld area of the Transvaal. He was a storeman, a prospector's helper, and a transport-rider using ox-wagons.
Contents
Jock's Early Life
Jock's mother, Jess, was the only dog in their camp. Percy FitzPatrick described her as a "bull-terrier with a dull brindled coat." She had small, cross-looking eyes. Jess was not very friendly, but everyone respected her.
Jock's father was an imported dog. People still discuss what breed he might have been. Some think he was an American Staffordshire Terrier. Others believe he was a type of bull and terrier.
Percy described the puppies. Five of them were big and yellow, like their father. The sixth puppy was much smaller. He was a pale, dirty colour with faint wavy lines. He also had a dark little nose. This tiny puppy was the runt of the litter.
Since no one wanted the runt, Percy decided to take him. He named the puppy Jock. It seemed Jock knew Percy was his owner right away. He even followed Percy home without being taught.
Jock's Reputation
This was the start of many exciting adventures. The small puppy grew into a strong and fearless dog. Jock was well-liked and respected by everyone. He was also very well-behaved.
Jock lived his life loyally by Percy's side. His loving memory inspired many bedtime stories. Percy told these tales to his three children. Later, when Percy was successful and had a family, his children encouraged him to write the stories down. This is how the world got to read about Jock's amazing adventures.
Percy later gave Jock to a friend named Ted. This was because Jock had become deaf. Living in town was unsafe for him due to traffic and people. Ted then loaned Jock to a store-owner named Tom Barnett. Tom was having problems with thieves and wild kraal dogs.
How the Book Was Published
Percy FitzPatrick first told these adventures as bedtime stories. He shared them with his four children. Rudyard Kipling, a famous writer and good friend of FitzPatrick, also listened to these stories. Kipling eventually convinced Percy to put all the tales into a book.
Jock of the Bushveld was first published in 1907. It was very popular right away. The book was printed four times in that first year alone. Since then, it has become a classic South African book. It is also widely read in other countries. More than one hundred different versions have been printed. The book has been translated into many languages. These include Afrikaans, Dutch, French, Xhosa, and Zulu.
The pictures for the book were drawn by Edmund Caldwell. He was the brother of Mary Tourtel. Mary Tourtel created the famous character, Rupert Bear. A newer South African edition of the book was published by AD Donker Publishers. The editor, Linda Rosenberg, said they removed any parts that might seem unfair or old-fashioned today. But they kept the book's special charm and gentle, thoughtful style.
Jock's Death
Jock lost his hearing permanently after a kudu antelope kicked him. The most common story of how Jock died goes like this: When Percy FitzPatrick moved to Barberton, he realized Jock was unhappy living in a town. So, he gave Jock to his friend Tom Barnett. Tom ran a supply store in what is now Mozambique.
One night, Tom Barnett called out to Jock. But he accidentally shot Jock. Tom thought Jock was a dog that had been killing chickens on the farm. However, Jock had already killed the other dog that was causing the trouble. This sad story is similar to old folk tales like Gelert and "Faithful Hound".
The exact place where Jock is buried is not officially marked. But in 1947, Percy FitzPatrick's daughter, Cecily Niven, tried to find it. She followed her father's travels based on the book. She wrote about what she found in her own book, "Jock & Fitz," published in 1968. Mrs. Niven believed she found the area of the grave. She said it was near Sonte, Mozambique, about 400 meters from the N4 road. Any signs of Tom Barnett's store and the wild fig tree where Jock was buried are now gone.
Sir Percy FitzPatrick himself is buried far away from Jock. They are about 1075 kilometers apart.
Jock's Statue
Cecily Niven was Percy FitzPatrick’s daughter. She was his only child who was still alive. She worked to honor her father’s story in the Lowveld area. She put up bronze plaques and statues in places important to Jock's story.
The most famous statue of Jock was made by a well-known South African artist, Ivan Mitford-Barberton. It was first placed on a farm in the Lowveld. But in 1984, during the town's 100th birthday, it was moved. Now, you can see it at the Barberton, Mpumalanga Town Hall.
Movies About Jock
The book was made into a movie in 1986. It starred Jonathan Rands, Gordon Mulholland, and Jocelyn Broderick. A dog named Mfubu played Jock. This movie was not very popular with American audiences. This was mainly because of its sad ending. So, another fictional movie was released in 1994. This one had an ending that was more pleasing to that audience.
At the end of 2007, Duncan MacNeillie and a small team of animators started making a new film. They moved from Nelspruit to Johannesburg to begin production on Jock of the Bushveld. It took a team of 25 animators three years to finish the movie. In mid-2009, they decided to complete the film in 3D.
A 3D animated movie called Jock the Hero Dog was released on July 24, 2012. The famous Canadian singer Bryan Adams provided the voice for Jock.
