The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins facts for kids
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| Author | Dr. Seuss |
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| Cover artist | Dr. Seuss |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's literature |
| Publisher | Vanguard Press |
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Publication date
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September 1, 1938 (renewed 1965) |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| OCLC | 192190 |
| Preceded by | And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street |
| Followed by | The King's Stilts |
The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins is a famous children's book. It was written and illustrated by Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss. The book was first published in 1938 by Vanguard Press.
Unlike most of Dr. Seuss's books, this story is written in regular sentences, called prose. It does not use rhymes or a special rhythm. Dr. Seuss loved collecting hats. He got the idea for this story while riding a train. He saw a very serious businessman wearing a hat. Dr. Seuss wondered what would happen if the man's hat was gone. He thought the man was so proper that a new hat would just appear!
The main characters, Bartholomew and King Derwin, appeared again later. They were in another book called Bartholomew and the Oobleck.
Contents
What Happens in the Story?
Bartholomew's Strange Problem
The story takes place in a land called the Kingdom of Didd. This was a long time ago, in feudal times. A young boy named Bartholomew Cubbins lives with his family. He wears a simple red hat with a white feather. This hat has been in his family for many years.
One day, Bartholomew goes to town to sell berries. He sees King Derwin riding through the street. By law, everyone must take off their hat when the king passes. Bartholomew takes off his hat, but then another hat magically appears on his head! He tries to take that one off, but another one appears. No matter how many hats he removes, a new one instantly pops up.
Trying to Solve the Mystery
Bartholomew is taken to the castle. Many people try to help him. The royal hatter gets scared and runs away. The King's young nephew tries to shoot the hats off with arrows, but he fails. A great bowman also tries and fails. Even the royal Wizards try to use magic. They say their spell would only work in "Ten Short Years."
The King becomes very frustrated. He decides to have Bartholomew punished. But there's another law: a person cannot be punished if they are wearing a hat.
The King's Decision and the Hats' Transformation
The King's nephew suggests throwing Bartholomew from the highest tower. The King doesn't like the idea much, but he agrees. As they climb the tower, Bartholomew keeps pushing off hats very quickly.
Then, something amazing happens. From the 451st hat onward, the hats become more fancy and beautiful. The 451st hat has two feathers. The 452nd hat has three feathers. The 453rd hat has three feathers and a small gem. Each new hat is more wonderful than the last.
The Final Hat and a Happy Ending
Finally, the 500th hat appears. It is the most beautiful of all! It is covered with huge gems and feathers from rare birds. It also has shiny gold decorations. Bartholomew doesn't even seem to notice how amazing it is.
King Derwin is amazed by the hat's beauty. But his nephew is even angrier than before. He tries to push Bartholomew off the tower. The King stops him and punishes his nephew. King Derwin then offers Bartholomew a deal. He will give Bartholomew 500 gold coins for all 500 hats.
Bartholomew agrees and goes home with his big reward. The King keeps all the hats in a huge chest. He admires them for many years. The story ends with the narrator saying that no one ever knew why this strange event happened. But it probably will never happen again!
Other Versions of the Story
Audio and Film Adaptations
Soon after the book was published, the story became an audio recording. It was released by RCA Victor. Paul Wing told the story, which lasted about 13 minutes. It had music and sound effects.
Dr. Seuss also wrote the script for a short film in 1943. It was a Puppetoon movie made by George Pal. This film was even nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. In the movie, Bartholomew's hats were all different kinds, not just the same one like in the book.
Stage Play Adaptation
Minnesota's Children's Theatre Company created a play version of The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins. This was in their 1979-1980 season. They say it was the first time a Dr. Seuss book was made into a theater play.
Images for kids
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The original book cover
See also
In Spanish: Los 500 sombreros de Bartolomé Cubbins para niños
