Beware of the Dog (short story)
Encyclopedia
Beware of the Dog is a 1944 World War II
story by Roald Dahl
which was originally published in Harper's Magazine
and later appeared in his Over to You
collection. It was made into the movie 36 Hours
in 1964.
. He then wakes up in hospital, his injuries treated, and is told he is in Brighton
. However, he soon begins to notice that the hospital is not quite as it should be. The water is hard
, but he remembers from his schooldays that water in Brighton is soft. He also hears the sounds of Junkers 88s flying overhead, when in England the German bombers would be quickly shot down. Finally, he looks out of the window and sees a sign which says 'Garde Au Chien' - French for 'Beware of the Dog', and he realises that he is in France. Shortly after this, the nurse tells him that someone from the Royal Air Force
is here to see him. However, knowing he is in France, and a prisoner of war
, Peter refuses to tell the man anything more than his name, rank and number.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
story by Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl was a British novelist, short story writer, fighter pilot and screenwriter.Born in Wales to Norwegian parents, he served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, in which he became a flying ace and intelligence agent, rising to the rank of Wing Commander...
which was originally published in Harper's Magazine
Harper's Magazine
Harper's Magazine is a monthly magazine of literature, politics, culture, finance, and the arts, with a generally left-wing perspective. It is the second-oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the U.S. . The current editor is Ellen Rosenbush, who replaced Roger Hodge in January 2010...
and later appeared in his Over to You
Over to You: Ten Stories of Flyers and Flying
Over to You: Ten Stories of Flyers and Flying is a collection of short stories by Roald Dahl. It was published in 1946 by Reynal & Hitchcock....
collection. It was made into the movie 36 Hours
36 Hours
36 Hours is a 1965 American suspense film, based on the short story "Beware of the Dog" by Roald Dahl, starring James Garner, Eva Marie Saint, and Rod Taylor, and directed by George Seaton...
in 1964.
Story
Peter Williamson, a Spitfire pilot, is flying home injured after a dogfight when he begins to feel light-headed, and decides to bail out of his plane over the English ChannelEnglish Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
. He then wakes up in hospital, his injuries treated, and is told he is in Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
. However, he soon begins to notice that the hospital is not quite as it should be. The water is hard
Hard water
Hard water is water that has high mineral content . Hard water has high concentrations of Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions. Hard water is generally not harmful to one's health but can pose serious problems in industrial settings, where water hardness is monitored to avoid costly breakdowns in boilers, cooling...
, but he remembers from his schooldays that water in Brighton is soft. He also hears the sounds of Junkers 88s flying overhead, when in England the German bombers would be quickly shot down. Finally, he looks out of the window and sees a sign which says 'Garde Au Chien' - French for 'Beware of the Dog', and he realises that he is in France. Shortly after this, the nurse tells him that someone from the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
is here to see him. However, knowing he is in France, and a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
, Peter refuses to tell the man anything more than his name, rank and number.