Zog and the Flying Doctors

"Meet the Flying Doctors - a dragon, knight and girl. Their names are Gadabout the Great, and Zog, and Princess Pearl." Zog and the Flying Doctors is a comic adventure about the unlikely trio of Princess Pearl, Sir Gadabout and Zog the dragon which tests each of them to their limit and eventually unites them as a brilliant team. The three of them fly from place to place, looking after all kinds of creatures, real and mythical. It’s a happy life which contrasts with Pearl’s memory of the King, her uncle, wanting her to stay in the palace and live a constrained princess life. Instead she’s living her dream of becoming a doctor. Zog is brilliant at flying them around, but he’s not so good at landing, to Gadabout’s repeated discomfort. While both Gadabout and Zog are keen to gain Pearl’s favour, they’re less keen on each other, and are constantly trying to show the other one up – but Pearl keeps the peace. As they adventure on, they look after a mermaid with sunburn, a unicorn who’s grown a second horn, and a sneezing lion. The patients’ ailments are complex, but Pearl, Gadabout and Zog each have a special skill which means they can help. As they set off after treating the lion, they fly into a tremendous storm. It’s hard flying and Gadabout and Zog are tired and miserable, so when Pearl spots her uncle’s castle they decide to fly down to take shelter. The King is still furious that Pearl slipped away from the castle all those years ago, and that she’s got rid of her pretty clothes. When she points out that she’s a doctor now, he refuses to accept it and has her locked up; while Zog and Gadabout are chased away. In captivity Pearl is overseen by the fearsome Governess of her youth and forced to wear a frilly dress, arrange flowers and sew cushions. Meanwhile Zog and Gadabout compete with attempts to rescue her, though all in vain. When the Governess has an injured hand Pearl provides a remedy, to the Governess’s delight, and she’s softened so much that she brings her sneezing cat to be treated by Pearl as well. In return, realising Pearl’s anguish at her captivity, the Governess helps her find a way to gain freedom. But just as Pearl sees a clear path to escape she discovers how ill her uncle has become, and makes the brave decision to stay and find a way to look after him. Her uncle calls doctors from far and wide, but none of them know the way to treat a man who’s so ill and whose skin has turned bright orange. Meanwhile Pearl is desperately searching for a cure in all the reference books she can find. It’s only when she sees a sick dove that Pearl realises the answer. She discovers that the ingredients she needs are grated horn of unicorn, a mighty lion’s sneeze, some mermaid’s scales, a little slime and half a pound of cheese. Wonderfully of course she knows where to get these. Gadabout and Zog, finally united in determination to help Pearl, set off to collect everything quickly from their old friends. It’s a long way to fly, but they don’t rest until they deliver everything to Pearl. She mixes it all up – and comes up with the vital medicine. Zog and Gadabout’s celebration unfortunately lands them right in the guards’ room and they’re chased out to battle in the grounds. Meanwhile Pearl sets out to convince her uncle to take the medicine she’s prepared. At first he stubbornly refuses, but she eventually appeals to his softer side and he grudgingly accepts a spoonful. Immediately he begins to recover and after further spoonfuls he’s dancing with delight. He concedes that Princesses can be doctors and decides to set Pearl free – only at that moment realising she could have walked out long before, but instead she stayed to look after him. She finally leaves the castle with his support and understanding. A final grand goodbye sets the trio on their way, and once more Zog and the Flying Doctors speed away into the sunset.

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