A Rough Shaking

This is the tale of an orphaned boy who wanders the earth in abject poverty, facing a long string of injustices that would turn many people into unhappy, embittered souls. MacDonald also introduces us in this book to his view on the eternal souls of animals - a theme which is found in some of his other writings and which betrays his obvious love for animals and helps explains his vigorous advocacy for fair treatment of animals.