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Thornton W. Burgess >> Old Granny Fox
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OLD GRANNY FOX
BY THORNTON W. BURGESS
CHAPTER I: Reddy Fox Brings Granny News
Pray who is there who would refuse
To bearer be of happy news?
- Old Granny Fox.
Snow covered the Green Meadows and the Green Forest, and ice bound
the Smiling Pool and the Laughing Brook. Reddy and Granny Fox were
hungry most of the time. It was not easy to find enough to eat these
days, and so they spent nearly every minute they were awake in hunting.
Sometimes they hunted together, but usually one went one way, and
the other went another way so as to have a greater chance of finding
something. If either found enough for two, the one finding it took
the food back to their home if it could be carried. If not, the
other was told where to find it.
For several days they had had very little indeed to eat, and they were
so hungry that they were willing to take almost any chance to get a
good meal. For two nights they had visited Farmer Brown's henhouse,
hoping that they would be able to find a way inside. But the biddies
had been securely locked up, and try as they would, they couldn't
find a way in.
"It's of no use," said Granny, as they started back home after the
second try, "to hope to get one of those hens at night. If we are
going to get any at all, we will have to do it in broad daylight.
It can be done, for I have done it before, but I don't like the idea.
We are likely to be seen, and that means that Bowser the Hound will
be set to hunting us."
"Pooh!" exclaimed Reddy. "What of it? It's easy enough to fool him."
"You think so, do you?" snapped Granny. "I never yet saw a young Fox
who didn't think he knew all there is to know, and you're just like
the rest. When you've lived as long as I have you will have learned
not to be quite so sure of your own opinions. I grant you that when
there is no snow on the ground, any Fox with a reasonable amount of
Fox sense in his head can fool Bowser, but with snow everywhere it is
a very different matter. If Bowser once takes it into his head to
follow your trail these days, you will have to be smarter than I think
you are to fool him. The only way you will be able to get away from
him will be by going into a hole in the ground, and when you do that
you will have given away a secret that will mean we will never have any
peace at all. We will never know when Farmer Brown's boy will take it
into his head to smoke us out. I've seen it done. No, Sir, we are not
going to try for one of those hens in the daytime unless we are starving."
"I'm starving now," whined Reddy.
"No such thing!" Granny snapped. "I've been without food longer than
this many a time. Have you been over to the Big River lately?"
"No," replied Reddy. "What's the use? It's frozen over. There isn't
anything there."
"Perhaps not," replied Granny, "but I learned a long time ago that
it is a poor plan to overlook any chance. There is a place in the
Big River which never freezes because the water runs too swiftly
to freeze, and I've found more than one meal washed ashore there.
You go over there now while I see what I can find in the Green
Forest. If neither of us finds anything, it will be time enough to
think about Farmer Brown's hens to-morrow."
Much against his will Reddy obeyed. "It isn't the least bit of use,"
he grumbled, as he trotted towards the Big River. "There won't be
anything there. It is just a waste of time."
Late that afternoon he came hurrying back, and Granny knew by the way
that he cocked his ears and carried his tail that he had news of some
kind. "Well, what is it?" she demanded.
"I found a dead fish that had been washed ashore," replied Reddy.
"It wasn't big enough for two, so I ate it."
"Anything else?" asked Granny.
"No-o," replied Reddy slowly; "that is, nothing that will do us any good.
Quacker the Wild Duck was swimming about out in the open water, but
though I watched and watched he never once came ashore."
"Ha!" exclaimed Granny. "That is good news. I think we'll go
Duck hunting."
CHAPTER II: Granny And Reddy Fox Go Hunting
When you're in doubt what course is right,
The thing to do is just sit tight.
- Old Granny Fox.
Jolly, round, bright Mr. Sun had just got well started on his daily
climb up in the blue, blue sky that morning when he spied two figures
trotting across the snow-covered Green Meadows, one behind the other.
They were trotting along quite as if they had made up their minds
just where they were going. They had. You see they were Granny and
Reddy Fox, and they were bound for the Big River at the place where
the water ran too swiftly to freeze. The day before Reddy had
discovered Quacker the Wild Duck swimming about there, and now they
were on their way to try to catch him.
Granny led the way and Reddy meekly followed her. To tell the truth,
Reddy hadn't the least idea that they would have a chance to catch
Quacker, because Quacker kept out in the water where he was as safe
from them as if they were a thousand miles away. The only reason that
Reddy had willingly started with Granny was the hope that he might
find a dead fish washed up on the shore as he had the day before.
"Granny certainly is growing foolish in her old age," thought Reddy,
as he trotted along behind her. "I told her that Quacker never once
came ashore all the time I watched yesterday. I don't believe he
ever comes ashore, and if she knows anything at all she ought to
know that she can't catch him out there in the water. Granny used
to be smart enough when she was young, I guess, but she certainly is
losing her mind now. It's a pity, a great pity. I can just imagine
how Quacker will laugh at her. I have to laugh myself."
He did laugh, but you may be sure he took great pains that Granny
should not see him laughing. Whenever she looked around he was as
sober as could be. In fact, he appeared to be quite as eager as if
he felt sure they would catch Quacker. Now old Granny Fox is very
wise in the ways of the Great World, and if Reddy could have known
what was going on in her mind as she led the way to the Big River,
he might not have felt quite so sure of his own smartness.
Granny was doing some quiet laughing herself.
"He thinks I'm old and foolish and don't know what I'm about, the young
scamp!" thought she. "He thinks he has learned all there is to learn.
It isn't the least use in the world to try to tell him anything.
When young folks feel the way he does, it is a waste of time to talk
to them. He has got to be shown. There is nothing like experience
to take the conceit out of these youngsters."
Now conceit is the feeling that you know more than any one else.
Perhaps you do. Then again, perhaps you don't. So sometimes it
is best not to be too sure of your own opinion. Reddy was sure.
He trotted along behind old Granny Fox and planned smart things to
say to her when she found that there wasn't a chance to catch
Quacker the Duck. I am afraid, very much afraid, that Reddy was
planning to be saucy. People who think themselves smart are quite
apt to be saucy.
Presently they came to the bank of the Big River. Old Granny Fox
told Reddy to sit still while she crept up behind some bushes where
she could peek out over the Big River. He grinned as he watched her.
He was still grinning when she tiptoed back. He expected to see her
face long with disappointment. Instead she looked very much pleased.
"Quacker is there," said she, "and I think he will make us a very
good dinner. Creep up behind those bushes and see for yourself, then
come back here and tell me what you think we'd better do to get him."
So Reddy stole up behind the bushes, and this time it was Granny who
grinned as she watched. As he crept along, Reddy wondered if it
could be that for once Quacker had come ashore. Granny seemed so
sure they could catch him that this must be the case. But when he
peeped through the hushes, there was Quacker way out in the middle
of the open water just where he had been the day before.
CHAPTER III: Reddy Is Sure Granny Has Lost Her Senses
Perhaps 'tis just as well that we
Can't see ourselves as others see.
- Old Granny Fox.
"Just as I thought," muttered Reddy Fox as he peeped through the
bushes on the bank of the Big River and saw Quacker swimming about
in the water where it ran too swiftly to freeze. "We've got just as
much chance of catching him as I have of jumping over the moon.
That's what I'll tell Granny."
He crept back carefully so as not to be seen by Quacker, and when
he had reached the place where Granny was waiting for him, his face
wore a very impudent look.
"Well," said Granny Fox, "what shall we do to catch him?"
"Learn to swim like a fish and fly like a bird," replied Reddy in such
a saucy tone that Granny had hard work to keep from boxing his ears.
"You mean that you think he can't be caught?" said she quietly.
"I don't think anything about it; I know he can't!" snapped Reddy.
"Not by us, anyway," he added.
"I suppose you wouldn't even try?" retorted Granny.
"I'm old enough to know when I'm wasting my time," replied Reddy
with a toss of his head.
"In other words you think I'm a silly old Fox who has lost her senses,"
said Granny sharply.
"No-o. I didn't say that," protested Reddy, looking very uncomfortable.
"But you think it," declared Granny. "Now look here, Mr. Smarty, you
do just as I tell you. You creep back there where you can watch Quacker
and all that happens, and mind that you keep out of his sight. Now go."
Reddy went. There was noth-ing else to do. He didn't dare disobey.
Granny watched until Reddy had readied his hiding-place. Then what
do you think she did? Why, she walked right out on the little beach
just below Reddy and in plain sight of Quacker! Yes, Sir, that is
what she did!
Then began such a queer performance that it is no wonder that Reddy
was sure Granny had lost her senses. She rolled over and over.
She chased her tail round and round until it made Reddy dizzy to
watch her. She jumped up in the air. She raced back and forth.
She played with a bit of stick. And all the time she didn't pay the
least attention to Quacker the Duck.
Reddy stared and stared. Whatever had come over Granny? She was
crazy. Yes, Sir, that must be the matter. It must be that she had
gone without food so long that she had gone crazy. Poor Granny! She
was in her second childhood. Reddy could remember how he had done
such things when he was very young, just by way of showing how fine
he felt. But for a grown-up Fox to do such things was undignified,
to say the least. You know Reddy thinks a great deal of dignity.
It was worse than undignified; it was positively disgraceful. He
did hope that none of his neighbors would happen along and see
Granny cutting up so. He never would hear the end of it if they did.
Over and over rolled Granny, and around and around she chased her tail.
The snow flew up in a cloud. And all the time she made no sound.
Reddy was just trying to decide whether to go off and leave her
until she had regained her common sense, or to go out and try to
stop her, when he happened to look out in the open water where
Quacker was. Quacker was sitting up as straight as he could.
In fact, he had his wings raised to help him sit up on his tail, the
better to see what old Granny Fox was doing.
"As I live," muttered Reddy, "I believe that fellow is nearer than
he was!"
Reddy crouched lower than ever, and instead of watching Granny he
watched Quacker the Duck.
CHAPTER IV: Quacker The Duck Grows Curious
The most curious thing in the world is curiosity.
- Old Granny Fox.
Old Granny Fox never said a truer thing than that. It is curious, very
curious, how sometimes curiosity will get the best of even the wisest
and most sensible of people. Even Old Granny Fox herself has been
known to be led into trouble by it. We expect it of Peter Rabbit, but
Peter isn't a bit more curious than some others of whom we do not
expect it.
Now Quacker the Wild Duck is the last one in the world you would
expect to be led into trouble by curiosity. Quacker had spent the
summer in the Far North with Honker the Goose. In fact, he had been
born there. He had started for the far away Southland at the same
time Honker had, but when he reached the Big River he had found
plenty to eat and had decided to stay until he had to move on.
The Big River had frozen over everywhere except in this one place
where the water was too swift to freeze, and there Quacker had remained.
You see, he was a good diver and on the bottom of the river he found
plenty to eat. No one could get at him out there, unless it were
Roughleg the Hawk, and if Roughleg did happen along, all he had to
do was to dive and come up far away to laugh and make fun of Roughleg.
The water couldn't get through his oily feathers, and so he didn't
mind how cold it was.
Now in his home in the Far North there were so many dangers that
Quacker had early learned to be always on the watch and to take the
best of care of himself. On his way down to the Big River he had been
hunted by men with terrible guns, and he had learned all about them.
In fact, he felt quite able to keep out of harm's way. He rather
prided himself that there was no one smart enough to catch him.
I suspect he thought he knew all there was to know. In this respect he
was a good deal like Reddy Fox himself. That was because he was young.
It is the way with young Ducks and Foxes and with some other youngsters
I know.
When Quacker first saw Granny Fox on the little beach, he flirted his
absurd little tail and smiled as he thought how she must wish she
could catch him. But so far as he could see, Granny didn't once look
at him.
"She doesn't know I'm out here at all," thought Quacker.
Then suddenly he sat up very straight and looked with all his might.
What under the sun was the matter with that Fox? She was acting as
if she had suddenly lost her senses.
Over and over she rolled. Around and around she spun. She turned
somersaults. She lay on her back and kicked her heels in the air.
Never in his life had he known any one to act like that. There must
be something the matter with her.
Quacker began to get excited. He couldn't keep his eyes off Old
Granny Fox. He began to swim nearer. He wanted to see better.
He quite forgot she was a Fox. She moved so fast that she was just
a queer red spot on the beach. Whatever she was doing was very
curious and very exciting. He swam nearer and nearer. The excitement
was catching. He began to swim in circles himself. All the time he
drew nearer and nearer to the shore. He didn't have the least bit
of fear. He was just curious. He wanted to see better.
All the time Granny was cutting up her antics, she was watching Quacker,
though he didn't suspect it. As he swam nearer and nearer to the shore,
Granny rolled and tumbled farther and farther back. At last Quacker
was close to the shore. If he kept on, he would be right on the land
in a few minutes. And all the time he stared and stared. No thought
of danger entered his head. You see, there was no room because it
was so filled with curiosity.
"In a minute more I'll have him," thought Granny, and whirled faster
than ever. And just then something happened.
CHAPTER V: Reddy Fox Is Afraid To Go Home
Yes, Sir, a chicken track is good to see, but
it often puts nothing but water in my mouth.
- Old Granny Fox.
Reddy Fox thought of that saying many times as he hunted through the
Green Forest that night, afraid to go home. You see, he had almost
dined on Quacker the Duck over at the Big River that day and then
hadn't, and it was all his own fault. That was why he was afraid to
go home. From his hiding-place on the bank he had watched Quacker
swim in and in until he was almost on the shore where old Granny Fox
was whirling and rolling and tumbling about as if she had entirely
lost her senses. Indeed, Reddy had been quite sure that she had
when she began. It wasn't until he saw that curiosity was drawing
Quacker right in so that in a minute or two Granny would be able to
catch him, that he understood that Granny was anything but crazy,
and really was teaching him a new trick as well as trying to catch
a dinner.
When he realized this, he should have been ashamed of himself for
doubting the smartness of Granny and for thinking that he knew all
there was to know. But he was too much excited for any such thoughts.
Nearer and nearer to the shore came Quacker, his eyes fixed on the
red, whirling form of Granny. Reddy's own eyes gleamed with excitement.
Would Quacker keep on right up to the shore? Nearer and nearer and
nearer he came. Reddy squirmed uneasily. He couldn't see as well
as he wanted to. The bushes behind which he was lying were in his way.
He wanted to see Granny make that jump which would mean a dinner
for both.
Forgetting what Granny had charged him, Reddy eagerly raised his
head to look over the edge of the bank. Now it just happened that
at that very minute Quacker chanced to look that way. His quick
eyes caught the movement of Reddy's head and in an instant all his
curiosity vanished. That sharp face peering at him over the edge of
the bank could mean but one thing -- danger! It was all a trick!
He saw through it now. Like a flash he turned. There was the
whistle of stiff wings beating the air and the patter of feet
striking the water as he got under way. Then he flew out to the
safety of the open water. Granny sprang, but she was just too late
and succeeded in doing no more than wet her feet.
Of course, Granny didn't know what had frightened Quacker, not at
first, anyway. But she had her suspicions. She turned and looked
up at the place where Reddy had been hiding. She couldn't see him.
Then she bounded up the bank. There was no Reddy there, but far
away across the snow-covered Green Meadows was a red spot growing
smaller and smaller. Reddy was running away. Then she knew.
At first Granny was very angry. You know it is a dreadful thing to
be hungry and have a good dinner disappear just as it is almost
within reach.
"I'll teach that young scamp a lesson he won't soon forget when I
get home," she muttered, as she watched him. Then she went back to
the edge of the Big River and there she found a dead fish which had
been washed ashore. It was a very good fish, and when she had eaten
it Granny felt better.
"Anyway," thought she, "I have taught him a new trick and one he is
n't likely to forget. He knows now that Granny still knows a few
tricks that he doesn't, and next time he won't feel so sure he knows
it all. I guess it was worth while even if I didn't catch Quacker.
My, but he would have tasted good!" Granny smacked her lips and
started for home.
But Reddy, with a guilty conscience, was afraid to go home. And so,
miserable and hungry, he hunted through the Green Forest all the long
night and wished and wished that he had heeded what old Granny Fox had
told him.
CHAPTER VI: Old Granny Fox Is Caught Napping
The wisest folks will make mistakes, but
if they are truly wise they will profit from them.
- Old Granny Fox.
There is a saying among the little people of the Green Forest and the
Green Meadows which runs something like this:
"You must your eyes wide open keep
To catch Old Granny Fox asleep."
Of course this means that Old Granny Fox is so smart, so clever, so
keenly on the watch at all times, that he must be very smart indeed
who fools her or gets ahead of her. Reddy Fox is smart, very smart.
But Reddy isn't nearly as smart as Old Granny Fox. You see, he
hasn't lived nearly as long, so of course there is much knowledge of
many things stored away in Granny's head of which Reddy knows little.
But once in a while even the smartest people are caught napping.
Yes, Sir, that does happen. They will be careless sometimes.
It was just so with Old Granny Fox. With all her smartness and
cleverness and wisdom she grew careless, and all the smartness and
cleverness and wisdom in the world is useless if the possessor
becomes careless.
You see, Old Granny Fox had become so used to thinking that she was
smarter than any one else, unless it was Old Man Coyote, that she
actually believed that no one was smart enough ever to surprise her.
Yes, Sir, she actually believed that. Now, you know when a person
reaches the point of thinking that no one else in all the Great
World is quite so smart, that person is like Peter Rabbit when he
made ready one winter day to jump out on the smooth ice of the
Smiling Pool, -- getting ready for a fall. It was this way with Old
Granny Fox.
Because she had lived near Farmer Brown's so long and had been
hunted so often by Farmer Brown's boy and by Bowser the Hound, she
had got the idea in her head that no matter what she did they would
not be able to catch her. So at last she grew careless. Yes, Sir,
she grew careless. And that is something no Fox or anybody else can
afford to do.
Now on the edge of the Green Forest was a warm, sunny knoll, which,
as you know, is a sort of little hill. It overlooked the Green
Meadows and was quite the most pleasant and comfortable place for a
sun-nap that ever was. At least, that is what Old Granny Fox
thought. She took sun-naps there very often. It was her favorite
resting place. When Bowser the Hound had found her trail and had
chased her until she was tired of running and had had quite all the
exercise she needed or wanted, she would play one of her clever
tricks by which to make Bowser lose her trail. Then she would hurry
straight to that knoll to rest and grin at her own smartness.
It happened that she did this one day when there was fresh snow on
the ground. Of course, every time she put a foot down she left a
print in the snow. And where she curled up in the sun she left the
print of her body. They were very plain to see, were these prints,
and Farmer Brown's boy saw them.
He had been tramping through the Green Forest late in the afternoon
and just by chance happened across Granny's footprints. Just for
fun he followed them and so came to the sunny knoll. Granny had
left some time before, but of course she couldn't take the print of
her body with her. That remained in the snow, and Farmer Brown's
boy saw it and knew instantly what it meant. He grinned, and could
Granny Fox have seen that grin, she would have been uncomfortable.
You see, he knew that he had found the place where Granny was in the
habit of taking a sun-nap.
"So," said he, "this is the place where you rest, Old Mrs. Fox,
after running Bowser almost off his feet. I think we will give you
a surprise one of these days. Yes, indeed, I think we will give you
a surprise. You have fooled us many times, and now it is our turn."
The next day Farmer Brown's boy shouldered his terrible gun and sent
Bowser the Hound to hunt for the trail of Old Granny Fox. It wasn't
long before Bowser's great voice told all the Great World that he
had found Granny's tracks. Farmer Brown's boy grinned just as he
had the day before. Then with his terrible gun he went over to the
Green Forest and hid under some pine boughs right on the edge of
that sunny knoll.
He waited patiently a long, long time. He heard Bowser's great
voice growing more and more excited as he followed Old Granny Fox.
By and by Bowser stopped baying and began to yelp impatiently.
Farmer Brown's boy knew exactly what that meant. It meant that
Granny had played one of her smart tricks and Bowser had lost her trail.
A few minutes later out of the Green Forest came Old Granny Fox, and
she was grinning, for once more she had fooled Bowser the Hound and
now could take a nap in peace. Still grinning, she turned around two
or three times to make herself comfortable and then, with a sigh of
contentment, curled up for a sun-nap, and in a few minutes was asleep.
And just a little way off behind the pine boughs sat Farmer Brown's
boy holding his terrible gun and grinning. At last he had caught
Old Granny Fox napping.
CHAPTER VII: Granny Fox Has A Bad Dream
Nothing ever simply happens;
Bear that point in mind.
If you look long and hard enough
A cause you'll always find.
- Old Granny Fox.
Old Granny Fox was dreaming. Yes, Sir, she was dreaming. There she
lay, curled up on the sunny little knoll on the edge of the Green
Forest, fast asleep and dreaming. It was a very pleasant and very
comfortable place indeed. You see, jolly, round, bright Mr. Sun
poured his warmest rays right down there from the blue, blue sky.
When Old Granny Fox was tired, she often slipped over there for a
short nap and sun-bath even in winter. She was quite sure that no
one knew anything about it. It was one of her secrets.
This morning Old Granny Fox was very tired, unusually so. In the
first place she had been out hunting all night. Then, before she
could reach home, Bowser the Hound had found her tracks and started
to follow them. Of course, it wouldn't have done to go home then.
It wouldn't have done at all. Bowser would have followed her
straight there and so found out where she lived. So she had led
Bowser far away across the Green Meadows and through the Green
Forest and finally played one of her smart tricks which had so mixed
her tracks that Bowser could no longer follow them. While he had
sniffed and snuffed and snuffed and sniffed with that wonderful nose
of his, trying to find out where she had gone, Old Granny Fox had
trotted straight to the sunny knoll and there curled up to rest.
Right away she fell asleep.