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A Dog of Flanders

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A Dog of Flanders
AuthorMarie Louise de la Ramée (as Ouida)
LanguageEnglish
GenreDrama, Tragedy
PublisherChapman and Hall
Publication date
1872
Publication placeUK
Media typePrint (Hardcover)
Pages293 pp
ISBNNA Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character

A Dog of Flanders is a novel about a boy Nello and his dog Patrasche, written by Marie Louise de la Ramée under the pseudonym Ouida in 1872. It is widely read in Japan, and has been adapted into several films and anime.

The story is little known in Belgium, and then primarily because of the tourists it attracts to Antwerp. There is a small statue of Nello and Patrache at the Kapelstraat (Chapel Street) in the Antwerp suburb of Hoboken, and a commemorative plaque in front of the Antwerp Cathedral donated by Toyota. This novel was very popular in the Philippines and it was dubbed and localized by ABS-CBN.

Plot summary

In the 19th century, a boy named Nello becomes an orphan at the age of two when his mother dies in the Ardennes. His grandfather, Jehan Daas, who lives in a small village, Hoboken, near the city of Antwerp, takes him in.

One day, Nello finds a dog who was almost beaten to death and names him Patrasche. Due to the good care of Jehan, the dog recovers, and from then on, Nello and Patrasche are inseparable. Since they are very poor, Nello has to help his grandfather by selling milk. Patrasche helps him pull the milk cart that Nello uses to sell milk in the town.

Nello has a friend, Aloise, the daughter of a well-off man in the village. The father doesn't want his daughter to have a poor sweetheart. Although Nello is illiterate, he is very talented in drawing. He enters a junior drawing contest in Antwerp, hoping to win the first prize, 200 francs per year. However, the jury selects somebody else.

Afterwards, his grandfather dies and he is accused of causing a fire. His life becomes even more desperate. Having no place to stay, Nello goes to the cathedral of Antwerp to see Rubens' The Elevation of the Cross, but he doesn't have enough money to enter. On the night of Christmas Eve, he and Patrasche go to Antwerp and, by chance, find the door to the church open. The next morning, the boy and his dog are found frozen to death in front of the triptych.

Film, TV or theatrical adaptations

The novel has been adapted for cinema and television in live-action and animation:

For its authentic 19th century buildings, the Open Air Museum of Bokrijk, (Flanders) was used as scenery for the 1975 and 1992 anime and the 1999 film.

Documentary film

Trivia

  • This was referencened in the anime Lucky Star segment Lucky Channel, In episode 6 they were talking about otakus. Minoru says they cry at the end of A Dog of Flanders (the movie version), Akira then asks how old his view of Otaku is, in an annoyed fashion, presumably because the movie was made in the 1990's.
  • In "Kimi Kiss - Pure Rouge" anime series the book "A Dog of Flanders" plays an essential role as a symbol of long-lasting relationship between the two main protagonists.
  • Comic book Het Dreigende Dinges in the Suske and Wiske series by Willie Vandersteen tells the story of a dog of Flanders. It is considered one of the best comic books ever to be written by fans all over the world, touched by the story.
  • In Disgaea 3 a fallen character's last lines are "I'm sleepy, Grand...ma" before being taken away by two angels, referencing A Dog of Flanders.
  • In Hayate The Combat Butler, A Dog of Flanders is referenced by Hayate in episode one. He is having an inner quarrel, and thinks of Nello and decides to 'avenge his death' by kidnapping the female lead, Nagi Sanzenin.
  • In Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, A Dog of Flanders is referenced after the ending credits of episode 7 in which a summary of the ending is read by Abiru Kobushi.
  • The eroge Wanko to Kurasou features the main characters calling a character Patrasche during a discussion.
  • Nerima Daikon Brothers anime series features an episode where they tell the story of A Dog of Flanders and even acted it out to 1 of their enemies they face against in the series.
  • In episode 4 of the anime series Honey and Clover when Yamada kicks Morita, he falls down saying, "Patrasche... it's a Rubens painting..."
  • Mentioned in Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokoro-chan
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