Bob, Son of Battle
Encyclopedia
Bob, Son of Battle is a children's classic written by English
author Alfred Ollivant
. It was published in 1898, and went on to become a popular children's book both in the United Kingdom
and the United States
even though most of the dialogue in the book was written in the Cumbrian dialect.
and uses the Cumbrian dialect extensively for dialogue.
The story focuses on the rivalry between two sheepdogs and their masters, and chronicles the coming of age of a boy who is caught between them. David M'Adam, the boy, was half-orphaned by the death of his mother, and is left to the care of his father, Adam M'Adam, a sarcastic, angry alcoholic with a few redeeming qualities. M'Adam is the owner of Red Wull, a huge, violent dog who herds his sheep by brute force. The other dog is Bob, son of Battle. He herds sheep by finesse and persuasion. His master is James Moore, Master of Kenmuir, who acts as surrogate father to David. Moore is also the father of the girl David loves. The dogs compete for the Shepherd's Trophy, the prize in an annual sheep-herding contest which is the highlight of the year in the North Country. A dog who wins three competitions in a row wins the Shepherd's Cup outright, which has never yet happened. Complications arise -- a rogue dog is killing sheep, and both Bob and Red Wull are suspected of being the culprit. The story chronicles David's boyhood and early manhood, his struggle to live with his father, his frequent escapes to Kenmuir, and his on and off wooing of Maggie Moore.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
author Alfred Ollivant
Alfred Ollivant (writer)
Alfred Ollivant was an English novelist best known for his children's classic Bob, Son of Battle. Ollivant also wrote about a dozen other novels ranging from small-scale cautionary tales to grand historical epics....
. It was published in 1898, and went on to become a popular children's book both in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
even though most of the dialogue in the book was written in the Cumbrian dialect.
The plot
The book is set in the English county of CumbriaCumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
and uses the Cumbrian dialect extensively for dialogue.
The story focuses on the rivalry between two sheepdogs and their masters, and chronicles the coming of age of a boy who is caught between them. David M'Adam, the boy, was half-orphaned by the death of his mother, and is left to the care of his father, Adam M'Adam, a sarcastic, angry alcoholic with a few redeeming qualities. M'Adam is the owner of Red Wull, a huge, violent dog who herds his sheep by brute force. The other dog is Bob, son of Battle. He herds sheep by finesse and persuasion. His master is James Moore, Master of Kenmuir, who acts as surrogate father to David. Moore is also the father of the girl David loves. The dogs compete for the Shepherd's Trophy, the prize in an annual sheep-herding contest which is the highlight of the year in the North Country. A dog who wins three competitions in a row wins the Shepherd's Cup outright, which has never yet happened. Complications arise -- a rogue dog is killing sheep, and both Bob and Red Wull are suspected of being the culprit. The story chronicles David's boyhood and early manhood, his struggle to live with his father, his frequent escapes to Kenmuir, and his on and off wooing of Maggie Moore.
Comic Books
- Bob, Son of Battle Dell ComicsDell ComicsDell Comics was the comic book publishing arm of Dell Publishing, which got its start in pulp magazines. It published comics from 1929 to 1973. At its peak, it was the most prominent and successful American company in the medium...
one-shot, issue #729 in Dell's catch-all nigh-weekly comic book, Four Color Comics. Adaptation written by Gaylord Du Bois. Art by Mike SekowskyMike SekowskyMichael Sekowsky was a Jewish American comic book artist best known as the exclusive penciler for DC Comics' Justice League of America during most of the 1960s, and as the regular writer and artist on Wonder Woman during the late 1960s and early 1970s.-Early life and career:Mike Sekowsky began...
.