Little David Copperfield Page #2

"Little David Copperfield" is a reimagined version of Charles Dickens' classic novel "David Copperfield," focusing on the early life and coming-of-age journey of the protagonist, David. The story follows young David as he navigates the challenges of his childhood, including the loss of his father, mistreatment from his stepfather, and his quest for love and belonging. Filled with whimsical illustrations and engaging prose, this adaptation captures the essence of Dickens’ original work while making it accessible and enjoyable for younger readers. Themes of resilience, friendship, and self-discovery permeate the narrative, showcasing David's transformation into a compassionate and determined individual.

• Children
• Short story

								

eat his dinner and accepted one of his bright shillings.

When they got to Salem House, as the School was called, David found that
he had been sent before the holidays were over as a punishment, and was
also to wear a placard on his back, on which was written--"Take care of
him. He bites." This made David miserable, and he dreaded the return of
the boys.

Some of the boys teased David by pretending he was a dog, calling him
Towser, and patting and stroking him; but, on the whole, it was not so
bad as David had expected. The head boy, Steerforth, promised to take
care of him, and David loved him dearly, and thought him a great hero.
Steerforth took a great fancy to the pretty bright-eyed little fellow,
and David became a favorite with all the boys, by telling them all he
could remember of the tales he had read.

One day David had a visit from Mr. Peggotty and Ham, who had brought two
enormous lobsters, a huge crab, and a large canvas bag of shrimps, as
they "remembered he was partial to a relish with his meals."

David was proud to introduce his friend Steerforth to these kind simple
friends, and told them how good Steerforth was to him, and the "relish"
was much appreciated by the boys at supper that night.

When he got home for the holidays David found he had a little baby
brother, and his mother and Peggotty were very much pleased to see him
again. Mr. and Miss Murdstone were out, and David sat with his mother
and Peggotty, and told them all about his school and Steerforth, and
took the little baby in his arms and nursed it lovingly. But when the
Murdstones came back they showed plainly they disliked him, and thought
him in the way, and scolded him, and would not allow him to touch the
baby, or even to sit with Peggotty in the kitchen, so he was not sorry
when the time came for him to go back to school, except for leaving his
dear mamma and the baby.

About two months after he had been back at school he was sent for one
day and told that his dear mamma had died! The wife of the head-master
was very kind and gentle to the desolate little boy, and the boys were
very sorry for him.

David went home the next day, and heard that the dear baby had died too.
Peggotty received him with great tenderness, and told him about his
mother's illness and how she had sent a loving message.

"Tell my dearest boy that his mother, as she lay here, blessed him not
once, but a thousand times," and she had prayed to God to protect and
keep her fatherless boy.

Mr. Murdstone did not take any notice of poor little David, nor had Miss
Murdstone a word of kindness for the orphan. Peggotty was to leave in a
month, and, to their great joy, David was allowed to go with her on a
visit to Mr. Peggotty. On their way David found out that the mysterious
message he had given to Peggotty meant that Barkis wanted to marry her,
and Peggotty had consented. Everyone in Mr. Peggotty's cottage was
pleased to see David, and did their best to comfort him. Little Em'ly
was at school when he arrived, and he went out to meet her, but when he
saw her coming along, her blue eyes bluer, and her bright face prettier
than ever, he pretended not to know her, and was passing by, when Em'ly
laughed and ran away, so of course he was obliged to run and catch her
and try to kiss her, but she would not let him, saying she was not a
baby now. But she was kind to him all the same, and when they spoke
about the loss of his dear mother, David saw that her eyes were full of
tears.

During this visit Peggotty was married to Mr. Barkis, and had a nice
little house of her own, and Davy spent the night before he was to
return home in a little room in the roof.

"Young or old, Davy dear, so long as I have this house over my head,"
said Peggotty, "you shall find it as if I expected you here directly
every minute. I shall keep it as I used to keep your old little room, my
darling, and if you was to go to China, you might think of its being
kept just the same all the time you were away."

David felt how good and true a friend she was, and thanked her as well
as he could, for they had brought him to the gate of his home, and
Peggotty had him clasped in her arms.

How utterly wretched and forlorn he felt! He found he was not to go back
to school any more, and wandered about sad and solitary, neglected and
uncared for. Peggotty's weekly visits were his only comfort. No one took
any pains with him, and he had no friends near who could help him.

At last one day, after some weary months had passed, Mr. Murdstone told
him he was to go to London and earn his own living. There was a place
for him at Murdstone & Grinby's, a firm in the wine trade. His lodging
and clothes would be provided for him by his step-father, and he would
earn enough for his food and pocket money. The next day David was sent
up to London with the manager, dressed in a shabby little white hat with
black crape round it for his mother, a black jacket, and hard, stiff
corduroy trousers, a little fellow of ten years old to fight his own
battles in the world!

His place, he found, was one of the lowest, with boys of no education
and in quite an inferior station to himself--his duties were to wash
bottles, stick on labels, and so on. David was utterly miserable at
being degraded in this way, and shed bitter tears, as he feared he would
forget all he had learnt at school. His lodging, one bare little room,
was in the house of some people named Micawber, shiftless, careless,
good-natured people, who were always in debt and difficulties. David
felt great pity for their misfortunes and did what he could to help poor
Mrs. Micawber to sell her books and other little things she could spare,
to buy food for herself, her husband, and their four children. If he had
not been a very innocent-minded, good little boy, he might easily have
fallen into bad ways at this time. But God took care of the orphan boy
and kept him from harm.

The troubles of the Micawbers increased more and more, until at last
they were obliged to leave London. The last Sunday the Micawbers were in
town David dined with them. After he had seen them off the next morning
by the coach, he wrote to Peggotty to ask her if she knew where his
aunt, Miss Betsy Trotwood, lived, and to borrow half a guinea; for he
had resolved to run away from Murdstone & Grinby's, and go to his aunt
and tell her his story. Peggotty wrote, enclosing the half-guinea, and
saying she only knew Miss Trotwood lived near Dover, but whether in that
place itself, or at Folkestone, Sandgate, or Hythe, she could not tell.
Hearing that all these places were close together, David made up his
mind to start. As he had received his week's wages in advance, he waited
till the following Saturday, thinking it would not be honest to go
before. He went out to look for some one to carry his box to the coach
office, and unfortunately employed a wicked young man who not only ran

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