A Dog of Flanders

In a village outside Antwerp, an orphaned boy named Nello lives in poverty with his aged grandfather. Together they rescue a mistreated draught dog, Patrasche, who becomes Nello’s devoted companion as the two haul milk carts to town each day. Nello dreams of becoming a painter and longs above all to see the great Rubens altarpieces kept behind a curtain in the cathedral, shown only to those who can pay. Poverty, a false accusation, and the indifference of his neighbors close in on the boy, and the tale moves toward one of the most famous tearful endings in children’s literature. Ouida’s 1872 story has stayed in print for a century and a half and is especially cherished in Japan. Free PDF and EPUB editions are available here.