Doctor Aybolit

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Doctor Aybolit (Russian: Доктор Айболит, Aibolit) is a fictional character from the Aybolit (Doctor Aybolit) poem for children by Korney Chukovsky, that was followed by several more books by the same author. The name may be translated as "Ow, it hurts!"

The origins of Aybolit can be traced to Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting. Like Buratino by Aleksey Tolstoy or The Wizard of the Emerald City by Alexander Volkov, Aybolit is a loose adaptation of a foreign book by a Russian author. For example, the adaptation includes a Pushmi-pullyu, тяни-толкай (tyani-tolkay) in Russian.

A living prototype of the character may have been Chukovskys acquaintance, Vilnian Jewish doctor Zemach Shabad (1864-1935), to whom a monument was uncovered in Vilnius on 16 May 2007.

The character has become a recognizable feature of Russian culture. There are films based on Doctor Aybolit (Doktor Aybolit (black and white, 1938), Aybolit 66 (Mosfilm, 1967, English title: Oh How It Hurts 66), Doctor Aybolit (animated film, Kievnauchfilm, 1985)). His appearance and name are used in names, logos, and slogans of various medical establishments, candies, etc.

Aybolit's antagonist, an evil robber Barmaley, became an archetypal villain in Russian culture. Actually, Barmaley debuted in Chukovsky's book Crocodile in 1916, 13 years before the first appearance of Aybolit.

The poem is a source a number of Russian catch phrases, such as "Nu spasibo tebe, Aybolit" (Thanks to you, Aybolit), "Ne hodite deti v Afriku gulyat" (Children, don't go to Africa for a walk). It was also the inspiration for the Barmaley Fountain in Stalingrad.