# Porthos — The Little White Bird character guide

> Porthos in The Little White Bird by J. M. Barrie.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Whereupon Porthos, Whereas Porthos

**First appearance:** 0019-xx-david-and-porthos-compared

## Snapshot

David's devoted dog, whose sudden vanishing from Kensington Gardens leaves a silence that the narrator and the boy cannot quite fill.

## Who they are

Porthos escorts David everywhere, growling softly at strangers and barking his knock-and-ring bark at Mary's door, a guardian so cautious at crossings that an accident to him seems impossible. When he fails to come home one day, the narrator is distraught and David turns aside to cry in private, and their grief opens the way to a wistful stranger at the Story-seat. His absence is the quiet engine of the book's middle chapters, turning a familiar walk into a search.

## Relationships

### [David](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_little_white_bird_se/characters/david)

_friendship_

David has a loving bond with Porthos, his loyal dog and constant companion.

### [Timothy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_little_white_bird_se/characters/timothy)

_friendship_

Porthos the dog and Timothy are friendly companions, often playing together.

### [David](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_little_white_bird_se/characters/david)

_friendship_

David has a loving bond with Porthos, his loyal dog and constant companion.

### [David](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_little_white_bird_se/characters/david)

_friendship_

David has a loving bond with Porthos, his loyal dog and constant companion.

## In the story

### [IV: A Night-Piece](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_little_white_bird_se/chapters/iv-a-night-piece)

The narrator's great dog, who follows him as he wanders through his empty rooms.

### [The Fight for Timothy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_little_white_bird_se/chapters/v-the-fight-for-timothy)

The narrator's St. Bernard dog, who accompanies him to toy shops, has a history of destroying toys, and is used as a decoy to mislead Mary.

### [XI: The Runaway Perambulator](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_little_white_bird_se/chapters/xi-the-runaway-perambulator)

Briefly referenced as a contrast to David, who scorns repeating tricks.

### [XII: The Pleasantest Club in London](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_little_white_bird_se/chapters/xii-the-pleasantest-club-in-london)

Mentioned as a comparison: David's act of striking another boy is likened to Porthos knocking down other dogs.

### [The Grand Tour of the Gardens](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_little_white_bird_se/chapters/xiii-the-grand-tour-of-the-gardens)

Porthos is mentioned as being always with the narrator and David, so they pretend not to know about the Dog's Cemetery.

### [XX: David and Porthos Compared](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_little_white_bird_se/chapters/xx-david-and-porthos-compared)

The narrator's dog, compared to David; noted for his politeness, gentleness with small creatures, and deep attachment to his master.

### [William Paterson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_little_white_bird_se/chapters/xxi-william-paterson)

The narrator's beloved dog, thought lost, returns mysteriously at the end of the chapter.

### [XXIII: Pilkington’s](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_little_white_bird_se/chapters/xxiii-pilkington-s)

Porthos is the narrator's dog, mentioned in a simile about the narrator's humble behavior.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_little_white_bird_se/characters/porthos
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_little_white_bird_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_little_white_bird_se/characters