The central idea of "The Hundredth Dove" is about the conflict between duty and personal feelings. Hugh, the fowler, is deeply loyal to the king and takes pride in serving him. But when his task to catch one hundred doves leads him to a magical white dove that turns out to be the king’s bride, Lady Columba, he faces a painful choice. Although the dove pleads for freedom and even offers him love, Hugh chooses duty over emotion and kills her to complete his task.
In the end, this act brings sorrow, not success. The wedding never happens, and Hugh gives up hunting. The story shows that blind obedience, without understanding or compassion, can lead to deep regret and loss.
Summary
In ancient England, there lived a solitary and skilled bird catcher named Hugh. He worked in the forest and provided birds for the king's table. For large birds, he used a bow and arrow and never missed. For smaller birds, especially doves, he used a soft, silken net he made himself, which allowed him to capture the plumpest birds without hurting them.
One early summer day, Hugh was summoned to the king’s court. Though uncomfortable in the stone palace, he obeyed the king's call. The king announced his upcoming wedding to Lady Columba, a woman as graceful and beautiful as a bird. Her name meant “dove.” To honour her, the king ordered Hugh to catch one hundred doves for the wedding feast. Lady Columba gently asked the king not to serve doves, but he ignored her plea and repeated his command to Hugh. Loyal to his duty, Hugh promised to bring the hundred doves.
Back in his forest cottage, Hugh carefully examined and repaired his net. At dawn, he returned to a secret clearing in the woods. He knew every inch of the forest and moved so quietly that no creature noticed him. At dusk, he cast his net over a flock of doves and caught twenty-one birds, including a rare white dove. But the white dove mysteriously escaped through the intact net.
Hugh, calm and focused, returned the next day and continued this process. Each time, he caught gray doves, but the white dove always slipped through the net. The bird fascinated him. On the fifth day, he had only caught ninety-nine doves. Determined not to fail, he vowed to catch the final one.
On the sixth day, Hugh waited all day. Magical and rare creatures appeared in the forest, but he paid no attention. Finally, at dusk, the white dove came alone, calling for its missing flock. When it fed at his feet, Hugh caught it in his net. This time, he held it tightly in his hands.
To his astonishment, the dove spoke in a woman’s voice and tried to bribe him with gold, silver, fame, and fortune. Hugh refused each offer, stating he served the king and the forest. Finally, the dove promised him the love of the queen, revealing a golden ring on its foot. In that moment, Hugh realized the dove was Lady Columba herself.
Trembling and overwhelmed by emotion, Hugh called out his motto "Servo" (I serve) and, in anguish, killed the dove by twisting its neck. He tore the embroidered motto from his chest, discarded it, and carried the dead dove home.
The next day, Hugh delivered the ninety-nine live doves and the one dead dove to the king's kitchen. But the wedding never happened.
After this, Hugh gave up hunting. He lived simply, eating berries and fruit. Each day, he returned to the clearing to scatter grain for birds. Around his neck, he wore a golden ring, and he often touched the torn spot on his tunic where his motto had once been. Many birds came to eat his grain, but he never again saw a dove.
Understanding
1. Why is the fowler summoned to the palace?
The fowler is summoned to the palace because the king wants him to catch one hundred doves to serve at the royal wedding feast in honour of his bride, Lady Columba.
The white dove that Hugh tries to catch is also described as slim, elegant, and white as milk, with bright black eyes. These features match Lady Columba’s appearance, suggesting a connection between them.
He sees the same gold ring again on the foot of the white dove, just before he realizes that the dove is actually Lady Columba.
Hugh refuses the offers of wealth and fame because he is loyal to his duty. He believes that gold, silver, fame, and fortune are not important in the forest and do not match the loyalty he owes to his king and the forest.
5. Why can the dove promise the queen's love in exchange for freedom?The dove can make this promise because it is Lady Columba herself in the form of a bird. She offers herself to Hugh out of desperation, hoping he will set her free and stop the king’s plan.
6. What does Hugh cry out as he kills the dove? Why does he rip the motto from his tunic?Hugh cries out, "Servo", which means "I serve." He does this to remind himself of his duty as he kills the dove. Afterwards, he rips the motto from his tunic because he realizes the cost of blindly serving the king. He is filled with sorrow and regret for what he has done.
7. In what way does the fowler serve his king exactly as promised? In what way does he fail to serve the king?Hugh serves the king exactly as promised by bringing one hundred doves, including the rare white one. However, he fails the king by killing Lady Columba, which causes the wedding to be cancelled. His act destroys the very purpose of the king’s command.
8. Why doesn't the wedding between the king and Lady Columba take place?The wedding does not take place because Lady Columba, who had been turned into the white dove, is killed by Hugh. Without the bride, the marriage cannot happen.
Rhetoric/Language/Writing
1. "Foreshadowing" is a hint, a warning signal, at the beginning of a story that something disturbing or tragic is going to happen. For example, Hugh's feeling in the 'king's presence is described as "uncomfortable... as though caught in a stone cage" (4). And another example of foreshadowing is on the first page of the story. Why do you think the writer uses foreshadowing in this story?
The writer uses foreshadowing to prepare the reader for a sad or tragic ending. When Hugh feels “caught in a stone cage” at the palace, it gives a hint that something unpleasant or painful may happen because of his duty to the king. Another example of foreshadowing is Lady Columba’s plea: “Please do not serve them, sire,” when the king announces his plan to serve doves at the wedding feast. This warning suggests something wrong or unnatural about the command. The author uses foreshadowing to build tension and hint that the story will not end happily, even though it starts with the announcement of a wedding.
2. In a "simile," two unlike things are compared, using words like or as. These sentences from the story contain similes.- But for the smaller birds that flocked like gray clouds over the forest, he used only a silken net he wove himself. (2)
- The net was as strong as his own stout heart. (16)
- The last was a dove that was slim, elegant, and white as milk. (20)
What is the simile in each sentence? What two things are compared? Find three more similes in the story and explain the comparisons in each.
a. “...that flocked like gray clouds over the forest...”
Simile: like gray clouds
Comparison: The birds are compared to gray clouds to show how many there are and how they move together.
b. “The net was as strong as his own stout heart”
Simile: as strong as his own stout heart
Comparison: The net is compared to Hugh’s strong and loyal heart, showing both are firm and reliable.
Three More Similes from the Story:
d. “He crept to the forest clearing and waited, quieter than any stone”
Simile: quieter than any stone
Comparison: Hugh is compared to a stone to show how still and silent he is while waiting.
e. “He knew every tree, every stone in the forest, as a lover knows the form of his beloved”
Simile: as a lover knows the form of his beloved
Comparison: Hugh’s knowledge of the forest is compared to the deep, careful knowledge a lover has of someone they truly care about.
f. “She floated down, feather-light and luminous at the clearing’s edge”
- While this sentence contains imagery, another better example of a simile can be found in the dove’s voice:
“Its voice was low and beguiling” is descriptive, but if we consider poetic tone, we can note:
“...eyes glittering like stars” (implied in the dove’s magical appearance) though not direct in text, such comparison would be stylistically similar if it had been used.
Since only a few direct similes are in the text, most figurative language in the story is through metaphor and imagery rather than many similes. The similes help readers picture things more clearly and add beauty and emotion to the descriptions.
3. Write the meanings of the italicized words in the following sentences. Be sure you can identify the clue to meaning in each sentence. Check your definitions against those in a dictionary.
a. And he is a man who lives as solitary as a monk in his wooded cell. (8)
b. These he rewove with great care, sitting straight-backed at his wooden loom. (15)
c. A long patience was his strength, and he waited the whole of the day, neither moving nor sleeping. (19)
a) “And he is a man who lives as solitary as a monk in his wooded cell.”
b) “These he rewove with great care, sitting straight-backed at his wooden loom.”
Meaning: A frame or machine used for weaving
c) “A long patience was his strength, and he waited the whole of the day, neither moving nor sleeping.”
Meaning: Ability to wait calmly for a long time
Clue: The sentence shows he waited all day without moving or sleeping, which shows he had great patience.
Discussion
1. The fowler's motto is Servo ("I serve") (13). The motto expresses the main principle by which he lives. Make up a motto that fits your life. In one paragraph, name the motto and explain why you chose it. Then, in a group, discuss if it is good to choose a motto and stick to it.
My motto is: Learn and Grow.
I chose this motto because I believe that every experience in life, whether good or bad, teaches something valuable. I want to keep learning new things and growing into a better version of myself. Just as trees grow taller by reaching for the sun, I want to keep improving by gaining knowledge, staying curious, and reflecting on my actions. This motto reminds me not to fear mistakes but to see them as chances to improve. In a group, it would be worth discussing whether sticking to a motto always helps or if there are times when it needs to be changed or rethought.
2. This story is a folktale. Find out a few elements of the folktale in this story.
The Hundredth Dove contains several key elements that are common in folktales. First, the story has a simple and timeless setting. It takes place in a forest and a royal court, which are typical locations in traditional tales. These settings create a world where magic and mystery feel natural. The main character, Hugh the fowler, is also a typical folktale figure: he is a solitary, skilled person who lives close to nature and serves a higher authority. He represents loyalty and discipline, while Lady Columba, who later appears in the form of a dove, symbolizes beauty, peace, and transformation.
Another important folktale element is the presence of magical or mysterious events. The white dove, which speaks in a human voice and wears a golden ring, clearly shows that the story includes enchantment or shape-shifting, both common in folklore. The fact that the dove may be Lady Columba in disguise adds to the magical atmosphere of the story. There is also repetition in the structure of the plot. Hugh repeatedly captures doves each day, and the white dove escapes every time. This kind of repeated action is often used in folktales to build rhythm and tension.
The story also teaches a moral lesson, which is a key feature of folktales. It warns about the danger of blind obedience and encourages readers to think about the consequences of their actions. Finally, the story uses symbolic language and characters. The dove, the forest, and the motto “Servo” all carry deeper meanings that help express the central message of the tale. These elements together make The Hundredth Dove a strong example of a modern literary folktale.
3. What do you think is the moral of the story?
The moral of the story is that blind loyalty to duty without understanding or compassion can lead to great loss and regret. Hugh follows his king’s order without question, even when he begins to sense that the white dove is special. In the end, his loyalty causes him to destroy the very person the king loves. The story teaches that while loyalty is important, wisdom and kindness must guide our choices. It also suggests that knowing when to question a command is part of true service.
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