The Hundredth Dove Response
By Jane Yolen
Did you know that almost every king has a fowler? Well in the short story “The Hundredth Dove” By Jane Yolen, there once was a king, who lived in the old England forest with a fowler named Hugh. Hugh did whatever the king requested, no matter what the task was, he would carry it through. While the fowler was minding his own business, the king had a big announcement to be made. Although Hugh, always did as the King asked, that was never enough.
The king was nice, but he was also greedy, and he never knew when to say enough was enough. That’s why Hugh always did as he said, because he was afraid that the king would do something to hurt him. But it doesn’t matter, because whatever was supposed to happen, happened. Hguh was a great guy but when the king made a request, he couldn’t pass it up. The king’s announcement was that he would be married in a week, and his fiancé reminded him of a dove, so he sent Hugh out to hunt for one hundred doves to serve at his wedding feast. His soon to b e wife didn’t want to kill/eat doves but of course, the king has spoken.
Whenever the king wants something, he gets it. Obviously, because he is the king, but let’s say one day he didn’t receive as he wished for, then some bad things would happen to Hugh, and others. Although they might get exicuted, Hugh was going through a hard time with the hundredth dove. It could speak. Hugh had no other choice but to kill it with his bo. But the king happened to not get married, Hugh continued to follw his wish, though. He brought all one hundred doves. Ninety nine living ones, and one dead.
Although Hugh carried out this task, he decided to brake his moddo “servo” meaning “I serve” and he ripped off the moddo sewed on his shirt, and decided to never hunt again. If you ask someone about what mode of literature this is, they might say tragety, but no, it’s actually romance if you think about it. The dove is symbolism, and they king was going to get married, everything fits.
