Karintsev (Dudel’) N.A.: In the African Forests

Title

V lesakh Afriki, “Iunaia Rossiia”, 1913, n. 8-12

In the African Forests

Keywords

Summary

In the African Forests is an adaptation of Henry Stanley’s 1873 novel My Kalulu, Prince, King, and Slave. In a footnote, Karintsev presents the events he recounts as a true story that was told to Stanley during his time in Zanzibar. In fact, although the names of the main protagonists (Kalulu and Selim) coincide with those of Stanley’s adopted son, a young black slave whom he freed and brought to Europe, and his interpreter, it is a work of fiction centring on the themes of slavery and male friendship. Stanley intended the book to be read by “those clever, bright-eyed, intelligent boys, of all classes, who have begun to be interested in romantic literature”, to whom he wished to impart a lesson about the terrible practice of slavery. Set in Zanzibar, the novel revolves around two young men, one an “Arab” (Selim) and the other a “Negro” (Kalulu), who become friends against all odds and face adventures and challenges together in a country still pervaded by slavery.

Originally published in the journal “Iunaia Rossiia”, Karintsev’s adaptation also appeared as a volume with the title Two Friends. From Life in the African Forests (1915), illustrated by Sergei Ploshinskii.

Bio

Nikolai Karintsev (born Dudel’) was a Russian and Soviet writer and translator. Born in Odessa, he moved to Saint Petersburg to study at the Peter the Great Polytechnic Institute. He translated works from several languages, including French, Swedish, English and Dutch, and adapted many novels and short stories for children. He was also the author of popular biographies of renowned musicians such as Mozart, Verdi and Paganini. He is best remembered for his contributions to children’s literature, especially his 1926 novel Around the World on an Aeroplane.

Sources

“Karintsev Nikolai Aleksandrovich”, in Sovetskie detskie pisateli, Moskva 1961, p. 175-176;

E. Sholok, “Karintsev, Nikolai Aleksandrovich”, in Kratkaia literaturnaia entsiklopediia, t. 3, Moskva 1966, clmn. 408-409;

R. Aldrich, Colonialism and Homosexuality, London-New York, 2003, p. 36-47 (on Stanley’s novel).

A.F.

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