Foundling Mick
An orphan rises from poverty to merchant success in Ireland.
Foundling Mick (originally published in French as *P'tit-Bonhomme* in 1893) is an adventure novel by Jules Verne. Its social themes appear to draw influence from the writings of Charles Dickens.
The story begins in Ireland in 1875. Mick, an orphan like many others of the era, is first forced to work for a puppeteer. Kind-hearted people later place him in a school for poor children, but life there is scarcely better. He survives thanks to Grip, an older teenager who looks out for him.
After a fire destroys the school, a flamboyant young actress takes Mick in, only to abandon him after a brief period of indulgence. A farming family, the McCarthys, then adopts him out of pity. Mick spends four happy years with them until they are evicted for failing to pay rent, which separates him from the family.
As he grows older, Mick dreams of becoming a successful merchant. After a short stay with an arrogant young count, he starts a tiny traveling business with Bob, a homeless boy he saved from drowning. The two children travel for three months to reach Dublin, where they save enough to rent a shop in a working-class area. They open a bazaar focused on toys and gradually build a loyal customer base. With advice from his landlord, Mick cautiously expands the business, even buying a ship’s cargo to add a grocery section.
Success does not make him forget those who helped him. He reunites the scattered McCarthy family and gives them money to buy back their old farm. He also makes Grip his business partner and arranges for Grip to marry Sissy, the bazaar’s cashier. By age sixteen, Mick has achieved a comfortable position, and it seems he will continue to rise and fulfill his childhood ambitions.
The novel has appeared in English under several titles, including *A Lad of Grit* and *The Extraordinary Adventures of Foundling Mick*. Its first English edition was published in London by Sampson Low, Marston and Co. in 1894. In 1933, the Educational Company of Ireland (Talbot Press) released it in Dublin as *A Lad of Grit*. A new translation by Kieran O'Driscoll, titled *The Extraordinary Adventures of Foundling Mick*, was published by the Royal Irish Academy in Dublin in 2008.
Quick Facts
- Title Orig
- P'tit-Bonhomme
- Author
- Jules Verne
- Illustrator
- Léon Benett
- Country
- France
- Language
- French
- Series
- The Extraordinary Voyages #39
- Genre
- Adventure novel
- Publisher
- Pierre-Jules Hetzel
- Pub Date
- 1893
- English Pub Date
- 1895
- Media Type
- Print (Hardback)
- Preceded By
- Claudius Bombarnac
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
In 1875, in Ireland, Foundling Mick, an orphan like many at that time, is first exploited by a puppeteer. Compassionate people then place him in a school for the underprivileged, where he is hardly better off. He survives thanks to Grip, a teenager who takes him under his protection. After a fire destroys the school, an extravagant young actress takes him in but abruptly gets rid of him after pampering him. Moved by the toddler’s distress, a family of farmers, the McCarthys, adopt him. He spends four happy years with them until they are brutally evicted for non-payment of rent, separating him from the family.
Reader's Guide
As he grows, Foundling Mick dreams of becoming an important merchant. After a brief stay with an arrogant young count, he sets up a tiny traveling business with the help of Bob, a little vagabond he saved from drowning. The two children take three months to reach Dublin, where they save enough money to rent premises in a working-class neighborhood. They set up a bazaar specializing mainly in toys and begin to attract a loyal clientele. Advised by his landlord, Foundling Mick cautiously but cleverly develops his business, even buying the cargo of a ship, which allows him to add a grocery section to his store. His success does not make him forget those who helped him in difficult times. He reunites the dispersed McCarthy family and offers them the money needed to buy back their old farm. Moreover, he takes his friend Grip as a partner and arranges for him to marry Sissy, the cashier of the bazaar. At sixteen years old, Foundling Mick has reached an enviable situation, and everything suggests that he will go even further and realize his childhood dreams.
Did You Know?
- The novel was published in 1893 under the French title P'tit-Bonhomme.
- Foundling Mick is an orphan in Ireland in 1875.
- He saves a little vagabond named Bob from drowning.
- The novel has been published under the English titles A Lad of Grit and The Extraordinary Adventures of Foundling Mick.
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