The Incredible Journey
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The Incredible Journey by the renowned Canadian author Sheila Burnford is a children's book first published by Hodder & Stoughton in London in 1961. The tale tells of the magnificent adventure shared by three domestic animals as they travel in the wilderness, searching for their beloved masters. It reveals the suffering and stress of an arduous journey together with the unveering loyalty and courage of the three animals.
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[edit] Characters
- Luath: Luath is a young Labrador Retriever. His fur is red-gold and his eyes are brown. He was of strong build. Luath is loyal and brave companion with the instincts of a leader.
- Bodger: Bodger is an old English Bull Terrier. His fur is white with a slight pinkish tint. Bodger's left eye was nearly blind. The dog was bred to fight and endure. Given that he is eleven years old, Bodger tires easily. Yet he was a brave, loyal, persevering and tenacious companion.
- Tao: Tao is a slender wheat-colored Siamese cat with chocolate-colored front paws and sapphire eyes. Tao is a tireless, bold and loyal animal. The cat is an independent and natural hunter, catching small birds for the group. Therefore, Tao was crucial to the dogs' survival.
- John Longridge: John Longridge is Elizabeth Hunter's godfather. He lives in a small stone house. Mr. Longridge wrote several historical books.
- The Hunter Family: The Hunter Family consists of the father Jim, the mother and their two children, Peter and Elizabeth. Jim owns Luath while Elizabeth and Peter own Tao and Bodger respectively.
[edit] Setting
The story is set in the northwestern part of Ontario, the second biggest province of Canada.This vast area of greatly wooded wilderness is full of lakes and rivers and tall mountain chains. There are hundreds of dusty roads and tracks that lead to abandoned homes and mines. It is a slightly inhabited area with only a few small towns and villages scattered everywhere.
[edit] Story
The Hunters had gone to England for university lectures and so entrusted the animals to John Longridge, Elizabeth's godfather. One fateful day, when John Longridge had left for a trip with his brother, the animals left without a trace. Mrs. Oakes, the caretaker, didn't find the animals and concluded that John had taken them with him. The animals followed their instincts and were always moving west back home, escaping death nearly every step of the way. But when the Bodger, the old Bull Terrier, gets attacked, they have to slow down. Tao is separated from the others because of a rushing river and faces several dangers before he succeeds in finding the dogs. Along the way, the animals are several times offered help. When the Hunters and John Longridge come back from their trips they are devastated when they learn that the animals have gone. They go back to the Hunters' cottage to celebrate Peter's birthday. There they find the animals and the story comes to an end.
[edit] Trivia
- A film version was released in 1963 by Walt Disney, and another in 1993 under the name Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey.
- Cartoonist Gary Larson lampooned the basic idea of the story in a one-panel The Far Side cartoon featuring a cow, a snake, and a squid.
