02887cam a22003493u 4500 76853 UtSlPG 20260610134759.0 m cr n 260607r20251912utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d UtSlPG nl iso639-1 PZ Boschma, Hilbrandt, 1869-1954 Blank en Bruin Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2025 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Release date is 2025-09-10 Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net/ for Project Gutenberg "Blank en Bruin" by Hilbrandt Boschma is a juvenile novel written in the late 19th century. It follows Leo van Dintelburg, a Dutch-Indies boy, and his Javanese guardian Bamboe as they settle in a Dutch town, where schoolyard rivalry, class pride, and racial prejudice test character and faith. Opposite Leo stands Rudolf van Dintelburg, a privileged classmate, and the story frames youth as a choice between two paths, with a clear Christian, didactic bent. The opening of the novel sets out a prefatory promise: a contemporary Dutch tale for boys that avoids chauvinism, stays close to recent history, and urges youth to devote their lives to God by showing the contrast between serving Him and not. The story then introduces Bamboe and Leo arriving with parrots and a monkey, drawing rude curiosity from local boys led by Rudolf; Leo’s quick wit and a policeman end the first confrontation. At school, Mr. Selhof welcomes Leo, explains his mixed Dutch–Javanese background, and the class warm to him, with cultural misunderstandings (like “kool/kolen”) used for gentle humor. Tensions rise when Rudolf challenges Leo over the shared surname, but Dirk Drijver sides with Leo. Winter brings a planned, rule-bound snowball battle; Leo’s side fortifies a “fort,” a fierce fight ends with Rudolf accidentally felled by his own hard snowball, after which Leo and Bamboe tend him and Leo offers friendship—rejected out of class and color prejudice. The scene shifts to skating, where Rudolf spitefully sends a ball toward thin ice; Leo falls through, Bamboe bravely tries to save him and also goes in, and the episode breaks off with Dirk attempting a risky rescue. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Originally published: 's-Gravenhage: D. A. Daamen, 1912 Christian life -- Juvenile fiction Children's stories, Dutch Youth -- Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction Indonesia -- Juvenile fiction Rünckel, A. (Arie), 1876-1956 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/76853 117578 117578