A Dog of Flanders

A children's book written by the British female author Ouida. Published in 1872. Nello, a young boy who lives with his grandfather in a small village in the Flanders region of Belgium, lives a poor life, going to town to sell milk in a cart pulled by his old dog Patrasche. However, he has ambitions to become an artist and paints a portrait of Alois, the daughter of a wealthy miller. However, after Alois's father's death, Nello is driven out of the village. Devastated by his failure to win a painting competition, Nello has Patrasche deliver the large sum of money he found in the snow from the miller, and then freezes to death in front of Rubens' painting. His deep love for the poor and animals, his Belgian climate, and his skillful portrayal of the characters all make this book a popular read to this day.

[Teruo Jingu]

"A Dog of Flanders" translated by Hanako Muraoka (Shincho Bunko)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

イギリスの女流作家ウィーダの児童文学作品。1872年作。ベルギーのフランダース地方の小村に祖父と暮らす少年ネルロは、老犬パトラッシュの引く荷車で牛乳を町へ売りに行く貧しい生活をしながら、絵への野心をもち、金持ちの粉屋の娘アロアの肖像を描く。だがアロアの父は、祖父の死後ネルロを村から追い出す。ネルロはコンクール落選に追い討ちされて絶望し、雪のなかで拾った粉屋の大金をパトラッシュに届けさせたあと、ルーベンスの絵の前で凍死する。貧しい人々と動物への深い愛情、ベルギーの風土、人物像の巧みな描出などによって、いまもなお読み継がれている。

［神宮輝夫］

『村岡花子訳『フランダースの犬』（新潮文庫）』

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例