A hunter teaches his new duck—hunting partner to retrieve sticks and carry eggs gently in his mouth without breaking them. But from their first hunting trip, the dog cannot bear to retrieve the wounded birds for his master. Instead, he brings sticks back to the hunter and takes the ducks to an island where they can heal. One night, the hunter discovers the secret after he follows his dog to the island where he delivers daily bread to the ducks. The hunter is ashamed. He follows the example of his tender—hearted dog and nurses the birds back to health before setting them free.
The reissue of this story of compassion is brightly illustrated with his characteristically colorful paintings. Readers will note that the hunter is dressed like a clown and may infer that the dog is wiser than his master.
Brian Wildsmith has deservedly won a reputation as one of the greatest living illustrators of books for children. Raised in England, he studied at the Slade School of Fine Art. In 1962, he published his first book, ABC , for which he was awarded the Kate Greenaway Medal , the highest honor in the field in Britain.
Wildsmith is known for his brilliant use of color, radiant portrayal of nature, and the soulful animation he brings to his illustrations of animals.
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