Chapter One Summary

The novel "Dodger" by Terry Pratchett is a traditional rags to riches story. The soft-hearted Dodger sets into motion for himself a whirlwind of upward mobility when he rescues a girl whom he sees trying to get away from two men one rainy night in London. The girl, who turns out to be a princess, falls in love with Dodger, as he does with her. Dodger uses his street smarts not only to keep Simplicity from having to go back to her abusive husband but also catches the eye of both the London police and other government officials with his unusual talents. For this reason, he is hired to work as a spy for the English government.

On a dirty, rainy night in London, a girl throws herself from a carriage into a gutter. One of the carriage wheels makes a...