Old Granny Fox

by Thornton W. Burgess

  "If only I could catch Granny doing something foolish or careless," hewould say to himself. But he never could, and he had begun to think thathe never would. But now at last Granny, clever Old Granny Fox, had beencareless! She had allowed Farmer Brown's boy to catch her napping! Reddydid wish he had been there to see it himself. But anyway, he had beentold about it, and he made up his mind that the next time Granny saidanything sharp to him about his carelessness he would have something tosay back. Yes, Sir, Reddy Fox was deliberately planning to answer back,which, as you know, is always disrespectful to one's elders.

  At last the chance came. Reddy did a thing no truly wise Fox ever willdo. He went two nights in succession to the same henhouse, and thesecond time he barely escaped being shot. Old Granny Fox found out aboutit. How she found out Reddy doesn't know to this day, but find outshe did, and she gave him such a scolding as even her sharp tongue hadseldom given him.

  "You are the stupidest Fox I ever heard of," scolded Granny.

  "I'm no more stupid than you are!" retorted Reddy in the most impudentway.

  "What's that?" demanded Granny. "What's that you said?"

  "I said I'm no more stupid than you are, and what is more, I hope I'mnot so stupid. I know better than to take a nap in broad daylight rightunder the very nose of Farmer Brown's boy." Reddy grinned in the mostimpudent way as he said this.

  Granny's eyes snapped. Then things happened. Reddy was cuffed this wayand cuffed that way and cuffed the other way until it seemed to him thatthe air was full of black paws, every one of which landed on his heador face with a sting that made him whimper and put his tail between hislegs, and finally howl.

  "There!" cried Granny, when at last she had to stop because she wasquite out of breath. "Perhaps that will teach you to be respectful toyour elders. I was careless and stupid, and I am perfectly ready toadmit it, because it has taught me a lesson. Wisdom often is gainedthrough mistakes, but never when one is not willing to admit themistakes. No Fox lives long who makes the same mistake twice. And thosewho are impudent to their elders come to no good end. I've got a fatgoose hidden away for dinner, but you will get none of it."

  "I--I wish I'd never heard of Granny's mistake," whined Reddy to himselfas he crept dinnerless to bed.

  "You ought to wish that you hadn't been impudent," whispered a smallvoice down inside him.

  CHAPTER XI: After The Storm

  The joys and the sunshine that make us glad; The worries and troubles that makes us sad Must come to an end; so why complain Of too little sun or too much rain? --Old Granny Fox.

  The thing to do is to make the most of the sunshine while it lasts, andwhen it rains to look forward to the corning of the sun again, knowingthat conic it surely will. A dreadful storm was keeping the littlepeople of the Green Forest, the Green Meadows, and the Old Orchardprisoners in their own homes or in such places of shelter as they hadbeen able to find.

  But it couldn't last forever, and they knew it. Knowing this was allthat kept some of them alive.

  You see, they were starving. Yes, Sir, they were starving. You and Iwould be very hungry, very hungry indeed, if we had to go without foodfor two whole days, but if we were snug and warm it wouldn't do us anyreal harm. With the little wild friends, especially the little featheredfolks, it is a very different matter. You see, they are naturally soactive that they have to fill their stomachs very often in order tosupply their little bodies with heat and energy. So when their foodsupply is wholly cut off, they starve or else freeze to death in a veryshort time. A great many little lives are ended this way in every long,hard winter storm.

  It was late in the afternoon of the second day when rough Brother NorthWind decided that he had shown his strength and fierceness long enough,and rumbling and grumbling retired from the Green Meadows and the GreenForest, blowing the snow clouds away with him. For just a little whilebefore it was time for him to go to bed behind the Purple Hills, jolly,round, red Mr. Sun smiled down on the white land, and never was hissmile more welcome. Out from their shelters hurried all the littleprisoners, for they must make the most of the short time before thecoming of the cold night.

  Little Tommy Tit the Chickadee was so weak that he could hardly fly, andhe shook with chills. He made straight for the apple-tree where FarmerBrown's boy always keeps a piece of suet tied to a branch for Tommy andhis friends. Drummer the Woodpecker was there before him. Now it isone of the laws of politeness among the feathered folk that when one iseating from a piece of suet a newcomer shall await his turn.

  "Dee, dee, dee!" said Tommy Tit faintly but cheerfully, for he couldn'tbe other than cheery if he tried. "Dee, dee, dee! That looks good tome."

  "It is good," mumbled Drummer, pecking away at the suet greedily. "Comeon, Tommy Tit. Don't wait for me, for I won't be through for a longtime. I'm nearly starved, and I guess you must be."

  "I am," confessed Tommy, as he flew over beside Drummer. "Thank you everso much for not making me wait."

  "Don't mention it," replied Drummer, with his mouth full. "This is notime for politeness. Here comes Yank Yank the Nuthatch. I guess there isroom for him too."

  Yank Yank was promptly invited to join them and did so after apologizingfor seeming so greedy.

  "If I couldn't get my stomach full before night, I certainly shouldfreeze to death before morning," said he. "What a blessing it is to haveall this good food waiting for us. If I had to hunt for my usual foodon the trees, I certainly should have to give up and die. It took allmy strength to get over here. My, I feel like a new bird already! Herecomes Sammy Jay. I wonder if he will try to drive us away as he usuallydoes."

  Sammy did nothing of the kind. He was very meek and most polite."Can you make room for a starving fellow to get a bite?" he asked. "Iwouldn't ask it but that I couldn't last another night without food."

  "Dee, dee, dee! Always room for one more," replied Tommy Tit, crowdingover to give Sammy room. "Wasn't that a dreadful storm?"

  "Worst I ever knew," mumbled Sammy. "I wonder if I ever will be warmagain."

  Until their stomachs were full, not another word was said. MeanwhileChatterer the Red Squirrel had discovered that the storm was over. As hefloundered through the snow to another apple-tree he saw Tommy Titand his friends, and in his heart he rejoiced that they had found foodwaiting for them. His own troubles were at an end, for in the tree hewas headed for was a store of corn.

  CHAPTER XII: Granny And Reddy Fox Hunt In Vain

  Old Mother Nature's plans for good Quite often are not understood. --Old Granny Fox.

  Tommy Tit and Drummer the Woodpecker and Yank Yank the Nuthatch andSammy Jay and Chatterer the Red Squirrel were not the only ones who wereout and about as soon as the great storm ended. Oh, my, no! No, indeed!Everybody who was not sleeping the winter away, or who had not a storeof food right at hand, was out. But not all were so fortunate as TommyTit and his friends in finding a good meal.

  Peter Rabbit and Mrs. Peter came out of the hole in the heart of thedear Old Briar-patch, where they had managed to keep comfortably warm,and at once began to fill their stomachs with bark from young trees andtender tips of twigs. It was very coarse food, but it would take awaythat empty feeling. Mrs. Grouse burst out of the snow and hurried toget a meal before dark. She had no time to be particular, and so she atespruce buds. They were very bitter and not much to her liking, but shewas too hungry, and night was too near for her to be fussy. She wasthankful to have that much.

  Granny Fox and Reddy were out too. They didn't need to hurry because, asyou know, they could hunt all night, but they were so hungry that theyjust had to be looking for something to eat. They knew, of course, thateverybody else would be out, and they hoped that some of these littlepeople would be so weak that they could easily be caught. That seemslike a dreadful hope, doesn't it? But one of the first laws of OldMother Nature is self-preservation. That means to save your own lifefirst. So perhaps Granny and Reddy are not to be blamed for hoping thatsome of their neighbors might be caught easily
because of the greatstorm. They were very hungry indeed, and they could not eat bark likePeter Rabbit, or buds like Mrs. Grouse, or seeds like Whitefoot theWoodmouse. Their teeth and stomachs are not made for such food.

  It was hard going for Granny and Reddy Fox. The snow was soft and deepin many places, and they had to keep pretty close to those places whererough Brother North Wind had blown away enough of the snow to makewalking fairly easy. They soon found that their hope that they wouldfind some of their neighbors too weak to escape was quite in vain. Whenjolly, round, red Mr. Sun dropped clown behind the Purple Hills to go tobed, their stomachs were quite as empty as when they had started out.

  "We'll go down to the Old Briar-patch. I don't believe it will be ofmuch use, but you never can tell until you try. Peter Rabbit may take itinto his silly head to come outside," said Granny, leading the way.

  When they reached the dear Old Briar-patch they found that Peter was notoutside. In fact, peering between the brambles and bushes, they couldsee his little brown form bobbing about as he hunted for tender bark. Hehad already made little paths along which he could hop easily. Peter sawthem almost as soon as they saw him.

  "Hard times these," said Peter pleasantly. "I hope your stomachs are notas empty as mine." He pulled a strip of bark from a young tree and beganto chew it. This was more than Reddy could stand. To see Peter eatingwhile his own stomach was just one great big ache from emptiness was toomuch.

  "I'm going in there and catch him, or drive him out where you can catchhim, if I tear my coat all to pieces!" snarled Reddy.

  Peter stopped chewing and sat up. "Come right along, Reddy. Come rightalong if you want to, but I would advise you to save your skin and yourcoat," said he.

  Reddy's only reply was a snarl as he pushed his way under the brambles.He yelped as they tore his coat and scratched his face, but he kept on.Now Peter's paths were very cunningly made. He had cut them through thevery thickest of the briars just big enough for himself and Mrs. Peterto hop along comfortably. But Reddy is so much bigger that he had toforce his way through and in places crawl flat on his stomach, which wasvery slow work, to say nothing of the painful scratches from the briars.It was no trouble at all for Peter to keep out of his way, and beforelong Reddy gave up. Without a word Granny Fox led the way to the GreenForest. They would try to find where Mrs. Grouse was sleeping under thesnow. But though they hunted all night, they failed to find her, for shewisely had gone to bed in a spruce-tree.

  CHAPTER XIII: Granny Fox Admits Growing Old

  Who will not admit he is older each day fools no one but himself. --Old Granny Fox.

  Old Granny Fox is a spry old lady for her age. If you don't believe itjust try to catch her. But spry as she is, she isn't as spry as she usedto be. No, Sir, Granny Fox isn't as spry as she used to be. The truthis, Granny is getting old. She never would admit it, and Reddy never hadrealized it until the day after the great storm. All that night they hadhunted in vain for something to eat and at daylight had crept into theirhouse to rest awhile before starting on another hunt. They had neitherthe strength nor the courage to search any longer then. Wading throughsnow is very hard work at best and very tiresome, but when your stomachhas been empty for so long that you almost begin to wonder what foodtastes like, it becomes harder work still. You see, it is food thatmakes strength, and lack of food takes away strength.

  This was why Granny and Reddy Fox just HAD to rest. Hungry as they were,they HAD to give up for awhile. Reddy flung himself down, and if everthere was a discouraged young Fox he was that one. "I wish I were dead,"he moaned.

  "Tut, tut, tut!" said Granny Fox sharply. "That's no way for a young Foxto talk! I'm ashamed of you. I am indeed." Then she added more kindly:"I know just how you feel. Just try to forget your empty stomach andrest awhile. We have had a tiresome, disappointing, discouraging night,but when you are rested things will not look quite so bad. You know theold saying:

  'Never a road so long is there But it reaches a turn at last; Never a cloud that gathers swift But disappears as fast.'

  You think you couldn't possibly feel any worse than you do right now,but you could. Many a time I have had to go hungry longer than this.After we have rested awhile we will go over to the Old Pasture. Perhapswe will have better luck there."

  So Reddy tried to forget the emptiness of his stomach and actually had anap, for he was very, very tired. When he awoke he felt better.

  "Well, Granny," said he, "let's start for the Old Pasture. The snowhas crusted over, and we won't find it such hard going as it was lastnight."

  Granny arose and followed Reddy out to the doorstep. She walked stiffly.The truth is, she ached in every one of her old bones. At least, that isthe way it seemed to her. She looked towards the Old Pasture. It seemedvery far away. She sighed wearily. "I don't believe I'll go, Reddy,"said she. "You run along and luck go with you."

  Reddy turned and stared at Granny suspiciously. You know his is a verysuspicious nature. Could it be that Granny had some secret plan of herown to get a meal and wanted to get rid of him?

  "What's the matter with you?" he demanded roughly. "It was you whoproposed going over to the Old Pasture."

  Granny smiled. It was a sad sort of smile. She is wonderfully sharp andsmart, is Granny Fox, and she knew what was in Reddy's mind as well asif he had told her.

  "Old bones don't rest and recover as quickly as young bones, and I justdon't feel equal to going over there now," said she. "The truth is,Reddy, I am growing old. I am going to stay right here and rest. Perhapsthen I'll feel able to go hunting to-night. You trot along now, and ifyou get more than a stomachful, just remember old Granny and bring her abite."

  There was something in the way Granny spoke that told Reddy she wasspeaking the truth. It was the very first time she ever had admittedthat she was growing old and was no longer the equal of any Fox. Neverbefore had he noticed how gray she had grown. Reddy felt a feeling ofshame creep over him,--shame that he had suspected Granny of playing asharp trick. And this little feeling of shame was followed instantly bya splendid thought. He would go out and find food of some kind, and hewould bring it straight back to Granny. He had been taken care of byGranny when he was little, and now he would repay Granny for all she haddone for him by taking care of her in her old age.

  "Go back in the house and lie down, Granny," said he kindly. "I am goingto get something, and whatever it may be you shall have your share."With this he trotted off towards the Old Pasture and somehow he didn'tmind the ache in his stomach as he had before.

  CHAPTER XIV: Three Vain And Foolish Wishes

  There's nothing so foolishly silly and vain As to wish for a thing you can never attain. --Old Granny Fox.

  We all know that, yet most of us are just foolish enough to make such awish now and then. I guess you have done it. I know I have. Peter Rabbithas done it often and then laughed at himself afterwards. I suspect thateven shrewd, clever old Granny Fox has been guilty of it more thanonce. So it is not surprising that Reddy Fox, terribly hungry as he was,should do a little foolish wishing.

  When he left home to go to the Old Pasture, in the hope that he wouldbe able to find something to eat there, he started off bravely. It wascold, very cold indeed, but his fur coat kept him warm as long as hewas moving. The Green Meadows were glistening white with snow. All theworld, at least all that part of it with which Reddy was acquainted, waswhite. It was beautiful, very beautiful, as millions of sparkles flashedin the sun. But Reddy had no thought for beauty; the only thought he hadroom for was to get something to put in the empty stomachs of himselfand Granny Fox.

  Jack Frost had hardened the snow so that Reddy no longer had to wadethrough it. He could run on the crust now without breaking through. Thismade it much easier, so he trotted along swiftly. He had intended to gostraight to the Old Pasture, but there suddenly popped into his heada memory of the shelter down in a far corner of the Old Orchard whichFarmer Brown's boy had built for Bob White. Probably the Bob Whitefamily were there no
w, and he might surprise them. He would go therefirst.

  Reddy stopped and looked carefully to make sure that Farmer Brown's boyand Bowser the Hound were nowhere in sight. Then he ran swiftly towardsthe Old Orchard. Just as he entered it he heard a merry voice just overhis head: "Dee, dee, dee, dee!" Reddy stopped and looked up. There wasTommy Tit the Chickadee clinging tightly to a big piece of fresh suettied fast to a branch of a tree, and Tommy was stuffing himself. Reddysat down right underneath that suet and looked up longingly. The sightof it made his mouth water so that it was almost more than he couldstand. He jumped once. He jumped twice. He jumped three times. But allhis jumping was in vain. That suet was beyond his reach. There was nopossible way of reaching it save by flying or climbing. Reddy's tonguehung out of his mouth with longing.

  "I wish I could climb," said Reddy.

  But he couldn't climb, and all the wishing in the world wouldn't enablehim to, as he very well knew. So after a little he started on. As hedrew near the far corner of the Old Orchard, he saw Bob White and Mrs.Bob and all the young Bobs picking up grain which Farmer Brown's boy hadscattered for them just in front of the shelter he had built forthem. Reddy crouched down and very slowly, an inch at a time, he creptforward, his eyes shining with eagerness. Just as he was almost withinspringing distance, Bob White gave a signal, and away flew the BobWhites to the safety of a hemlock-tree on the edge of the Green Forest.