Old Granny Fox

by Thornton W. Burgess

  Tears of rage and disappointment welled up in Reddy's eyes. "I wish Icould fly," he muttered, as he watched the brown birds disappear in thebig hemlock-tree.

  This was quite as foolish a wish as the other, so Reddy trotted on anddecided to go down past the Smiling Pool. When he got there he found it,as he expected, frozen over. But just where the Laughing Brook joins itthere was a little place where there was open water. Billy Mink wason the ice at its edge, and just as Reddy got there Billy dived in. Aminute later he climbed out with a fish in his mouth.

  "Give me a bite," begged Reddy.

  "Catch your own fish," retorted Billy Mink. "I have to work hard enoughfor what I get as it is."

  Reddy was afraid to go out on the ice where Billy was, and so he sat andwatched him eat that fine fish. Then Billy dived into the water againand disappeared. Reddy waited a long time, but Billy did not return. "Iwish I could dive," gulped Reddy, thinking of the fine fish somewhereunder the ice.

  And this wish was quite as foolish as the other wishes.

  CHAPTER XV: Reddy Fights A Battle

  'T is not the foes that are without But those that are within That give us battles that we find The hardest are to win. --Old Granny Fox

  After the last of his three foolish wishes, Reddy Fox left the SmilingPool and headed straight for the Old Pasture for which he had started inthe first place. He wished now that he had gone straight there. Then hewouldn't have seen the suet tied out of reach to the branch of a tree inthe Old Orchard; he wouldn't have seen the Bob Whites fly away to safetyjust as he felt almost sure of catching one; he wouldn't have seen BillyMink bring a fine fish out of the water and eat it right before him. Itis bad enough to be starving with no food in sight, but to be as hungryas Reddy Fox was and to see food just out of reach, to smell it, andnot be able to get it is,--well, it is more than most folks can standpatiently.

  So Reddy Fox was grumbling to himself as he hurried to the Old Pastureand his heart was very bitter. It seemed to him that everything wasagainst him. His neighbors had food, but he had none, not so much as acrumb. It was unfair. Old Mother Nature was unjust. If he could climb hecould get food. If he could fly he could get food. If he could dive hecould get food. But he could neither climb, fly, nor dive. He didn'tstop to think that Old Mother Nature had given him some of the sharpestwits in all the Green Forest or on all the Green Meadows; that she hadgiven him a wonderful nose; that she had given him the keenest of ears;that she had given him speed excelled by few. He forgot these thingsand was so busy thinking bitterly of the things he didn't have thathe forgot to use his wits and nose and ears when he reached the OldPasture. The result was that he trotted right past Old Jed Thumper,the big gray Rabbit, who was sitting behind a little bush holding hisbreath. The minute Old Jed saw that Reddy was safely past, he startedfor his bull-briar castle as fast as he could.

  It was not until then that Reddy discovered him. Of course, Reddystarted after him, and this time he made good use of his speed. But hewas too late. Old Jed Thumper reached his castle with Reddy two jumpsbehind him. Reddy knew now that there was no chance to catch Old Jedthat day, and for a few minutes he felt more bitter than ever. Then allin a flash Reddy Fox became the shrewd, clever fellow that he really is.he grinned.

  "It's of no use to try to fill an empty stomach on wishes," said he.

  "If I had come straight here and minded my own business, I'd have caughtold Jed Thumper. Now I'm going to get some food and I'm not going homeuntil I do."

  Very wisely Reddy put all unpleasant thoughts out of his head andsettled down to using his wits and his eyes and his ears and his nosefor all they were worth, as Old Mother Nature had intended he should.

  All through the Old Pasture he hunted, taking care not to miss a singleplace where there was the least chance of finding food. But it was allin vain. Reddy gulped down his disappointment.

  "Now for the Big River," said he, and started off bravely.

  When he reached the edge of the Big River, he hurried along the bankuntil he reached a place where the water seldom freezes. As he hadhoped, he found that it was not frozen now. It looked so black and coldthat it made him shiver just to see it. Back and forth with his noseto the ground he ran. Suddenly he stopped and sniffed. Then he sniffedagain. Then he followed his nose straight to the very edge of the BigRiver. There, floating in the black water, was a dead fish! By wading inhe could get it.

  Reddy shivered at the touch of the cold water, but what were wet feetcompared with such an empty stomach as his? In a minute he had that fishand was back on the shore. It wasn't a very big fish, but it would stopthe ache in his stomach until he could get something more. With a sighof pure happiness he sank his teeth into it and then--well, then heremembered poor Old Granny Fox. Reddy swallowed a mouthful and tried toforget Granny. But he couldn't. He swallowed another mouthful. Poorold Granny was back there at home as hungry as he was and too stiff andtired to hunt. Reddy choked. Then he began a battle with himself. Hisstomach demanded that fish. If he ate it, no one would be the wiser.But Granny needed it even more than he did. For a long time Reddy foughtwith himself. In the end he picked up the fish and started for home.

  CHAPTER XVI: Reddy Is Made Truly Happy

  It's what you do for others, Not what they do for you, That makes you feel so happy All through and through and through. --Old Granny Fox.

  Reddy Fox ran all the way home from the Big River just as fast as hecould go. In his mouth he carried the fish he had found and from whichhe had taken just two bites. You remember he had had a battle withhimself over that fish, and now he was running away from himself. Thatsounds funny, doesn't it? But it was true. Yes, Sir, Reddy Fox wasrunning away from himself. He was afraid that if he didn't get home toOld Granny Fox with that fish very soon, he would eat every last bit ofit himself. So he was running his very hardest so as to get there beforethis could happen. So really he was running away from himself, from hisselfish self.

  Old Granny Fox was on the doorstep watching for him, and he saw just howher hungry old eyes brightened when she saw him and what he had.

  "I've brought you something to eat, Granny," he panted, as he laid thefish at her feet. He was quite out of breath with running. "It isn'tmuch, but it is something. It is all I could find for you."

  Granny looked at the fish and then she looked sharply at Reddy, and intothose keen yellow eyes of hers crept a soft, tender look, such a look asyou would never have believed they could have held.

  "What have YOU had to eat?" asked Granny softly.

  Reddy turned his head that Granny might not see his face. "Oh, I've hadsomething," said he, trying to speak lightly. It was true; he had hadtwo bites from that fish.

  Now you know just how shrewd and smart and wise Granny Fox is. Reddydidn't fool her just the least little bit. She took two small bites fromthe fish.

  "Now," said she, "we'll divide it," and she bit in two parts whatremained. In a twinkling she had gulped down the smallest part, for youknow she was very, very hungry. "That is your share," said she, as shepushed what remained over to Reddy.

  Reddy tried to refuse it. "I brought it all for you," said he. "I knowyou did, Reddy," replied Granny, and it seemed to Reddy that he neverhad known her voice to sound so gentle. "You brought it to me when allyou had had was the two little bites you had taken from it. You can'tfool me, Reddy Fox. There wasn't one good meal for either of us in thatfish, but there was enough to give us both a little hope and keep usfrom starving. Now you mind what I say and eat your share." Granny saidthis last very sternly.

  Reddy looked at Granny, and then he bolted down that little piece offish without another word.

  "That's better," said Granny. "We will feel better, both of us. Now thatI've something in my stomach, I feel two years younger. Before you came,I didn't feel as if I should ever be able to go on another hunt. Ifyou hadn't brought something, I--I'm afraid I couldn't have lasted muchlonger. By another day you probably wouldn't have had old Granny tothink of.
You may not know it, but I know that you saved my life, Reddy.I had reached a point where I just had to have a little food. You knowthere are times when a very little food is of more good than a lot offood could be later. This was one of those times."

  Never in all his life had Reddy Fox felt so truly happy. He was stillhungry,--very, very hungry. But he gave it no thought. He had savedGranny Fox, good old Granny who had taught him all he knew. And he knewthat Granny knew how he had had to fight with himself to do it. Reddywas happy through and through with the great happiness that comes fromhaving done something for some one else.

  "It was nothing," he muttered.

  "It was a very great deal," replied Granny. And then she changed thesubject. "How would you like to eat a dinner of Bowser the Hound's?" sheasked.

  CHAPTER XVII: Granny Fox Promises Reddy Bowser's Dinner

  To give her children what each needs To get the most from life he can, To work and play and live his best, Is wise Old Mother Nature's plan. --Old Granny Fox.

  Old Granny Fox asked Reddy how he would like to eat a dinner of Bowserthe Hound's, Reddy looked at her sharply to see if she were jokingor really meant what she said. Granny looked so sober and so much inearnest that Reddy decided she couldn't be joking, even though it didsound that way.

  "I certainly would like it, Granny. Yes, indeed, I certainly would likeit," said he. "You--you don't suppose he will give us one, do you?"

  Granny chuckled. "No, Reddy," said she. "Bowser isn't so generous as allthat, especially to Foxes. He isn't going to give us that dinner; we aregoing to take it away from him. Yes, Sir, we just naturally are going totake it away from, him."

  Reddy didn't for the life of him see how it could be possible to takea dinner away from Bowser the Hound. That seemed to him almost asimpossible as it was for him to climb or fly or dive. But he had greatfaith in Granny's cleverness. He remembered how she had so nearly caughtQuacker the Duck. He knew that all the time he had been away trying tofind something for them to eat, old Granny Fox had been doing more thanjust rest her tired old bones. He knew that not for one single minutehad her sharp wits been idle. He knew that all that time she had beenstudying and studying to find some way by which they could get somethingto eat. So great was his faith in Granny just then that if she had toldhim she would get him a slice of the moon he would have believed her.

  "If you say we can take a dinner away from Bowser the Hound, I supposewe can," said Reddy, "though I don't see how. But if we can, let's doit right away. I'm hungry enough to dare almost anything for the sake ofsomething to put in my stomach. It is so empty that little bit of fishwe divided is shaking around as if it were lost. Gracious, I could eata million fish the size of that one! Have you thought of Fanner Brown'shens, Granny?"

  "Of course, Reddy! Of course! What a silly question!" replied Granny."We may have to come to them yet."

  "I wish I was at them right now," interrupted Reddy with a sigh.

  "But you know what I have told you," went on Granny. "The surest way ofgetting into trouble is to steal hens. I'm not feeling quite up to beingchased by Bowser the Hound just now, and if we came right home we wouldgive away the secret of where we live and might be smoked out, and thatwould be the end of us. Besides, those hens will be hard to get thisweather, because they will stay in their house, and there is no way forus to get in there unless we walk right in, in broad daylight, and thatwould never do. It will be a great deal better to take Bowser's dinneraway from him. In the first place, if we are careful, no one but Bowserwill know about it, and as long as he is chained up, we will havenothing to worry about from him. Besides, we will enjoy getting evenwith him for the times he has spoiled our chances of catching a fatchicken and for the way he has hunted us. Most decidedly it will bebetter and safer to try for Bowser's dinner than to try for one of thosehens."

  "Just as you say, Granny; just as you say," returned Reddy. "You knowbest. But how under the sun we can do it beats me."

  "It is very simple," replied Granny, "very simple indeed. Most thingsare simple enough when you find out how to do them. Neither of us coulddo it alone, but together we can do it without the least bit of risk.Listen."

  Granny went close to Reddy and whispered to him, although there wasn'ta soul within hearing. A slow grin spread over Reddy's face as helistened. When she had finished, he laughed right out.

  "Granny, you are a wonder!" he exclaimed admiringly. "I never shouldhave thought of that. Of course we can do it. My, won't Bowser besurprised! And how mad he'll be! Come on, let's be starting!"

  "All right," said Granny, and the two started towards Farmer Brown's.

  CHAPTER XVIII: Why Bowser The Hound Didn't Eat His Dinner

  The thing you've puzzled most about Is simple once you've found it out. --Old Granny Fox.

  Bowser The Hound dearly loves to hunt just for the pleasure of thechase. It isn't so much the desire to kill as it is the pleasure ofusing that wonderful nose of his and the excitement of trying to catchsome one, especially Granny or Reddy Fox. Farmer Brown's boy had putaway his dreadful gun because he no longer wanted to kill the littlepeople of the Green Forest and the Green Meadows, but rather to makethem his friends. Bowser had missed the exciting hunts he used to enjoyso much with Farmer Brown's boy. So Bowser had formed the habit ofslipping away alone for a hunt every once in a while. When FarmerBrown's boy discovered this, he got a chain and chained Bowser to hislittle house to keep him from running away and hunting on the sly.

  Of course Bowser wasn't kept chained all the time. Oh, my, no! When hismaster was about, where he could keep an eye on Bowser, he would let himgo free. But whenever he was going away and didn't want to take Bowserwith him, he would chain Bowser up. Now Bowser always had one good bigmeal a day. To be sure, he had scraps or a bone now and then besides,but once a day he had one good big meal served to him in a large tinpan. If he happened to be chained, it was brought out to him. If not, itwas given to him just outside the kitchen door.

  Granny Fox knew all about this. Sly old Granny makes it her business toknow the affairs of other people around her because there is no tellingwhen such knowledge may be of use to her. So Granny had watched Bowserthe Hound when he and his master had no idea at all that she wasanywhere about, and she had found out his ways, the usual hour for hisdinner and just how far that chain would allow him to go. It was suchthings which she had stored away in that shrewd old head of hers thatmade her so sure she and Reddy could take Bowser's dinner away from him.It was just about Bowser's dinner-time when Granny and Reddy trottedacross the snow-covered fields and crept behind the barn until theycould peep around the corner. No one was in sight, not even Bowser, whowas inside his warm little house at the end of the long shed back ofFarmer Brown's house. Granny saw that he was chained and a sly grincrept over her face.

  "You stay right here and watch until his dinner is brought out to him,"said she to Reddy. "As soon as whoever brings it has gone back to thehouse you walk right out where Bowser will see you. At the sight of you,he'll forget all about his dinner. Sit right down where he can see youand stay there until you see that I have got that dinner, or until youhear somebody coming, for you know Bowser will make a great racket. Thenslip around back of the barn and join me back of that shed."

  So Reddy sat down to watch, and Granny left him. By and by Mrs. Browncame out of the house with a pan full of good things. She put it downin front of Bowser's little house and called to him. Then she turned andhurried back, for it was very cold. Bowser came out of his little house,yawned and stretched lazily.

  It was time for Reddy to do his part. Out he walked and sat down rightin front of Bowser and grinned at him. Bowser stared for a minute asif he doubted his own eyes. Such impudence! Bowser growled. Then with ayelp he sprang towards Reddy.

  Now the chain that held him was long, but Reddy had taken care not toget too near, and of course Bowser couldn't reach him. He tugged withall his might and yelped and barked frantically, but Reddy just satthere and grinned in th
e most provoking manner. It was great fun totease Bowser this way.

  Meanwhile old Granny Fox had stolen out from around the corner of theshed behind Bowser. Getting hold of the edge of the pan with her teethshe pulled it back with her around the corner and out of sight. If shemade any noise, Bowser didn't hear it. He was making too much noisehimself and was too excited. Presently Reddy heard the sound of anopening door. Mrs. Brown was coming to see what all the fuss was about.Like a flash Reddy darted behind the barn, and all Mrs. Brown saw wasBowser tugging at his chain as he whined and yelped excitedly.

  "I guess he must have seen a stray cat or something," said Mrs. Brownand went back in the house. Bowser continued to whine and tug at hischain for a few minutes. Then he gave it up and, growling deep in histhroat, turned to eat his dinner. But there wasn't any dinner! It haddisappeared, pan and all! Bowser couldn't understand it at all.

  Back of the shed Granny and Reddy Fox licked that pan clean; lickedit until it was polished. Then, with little sighs of satisfaction, andevery once in a while a chuckle, they trotted happily home.

  CHAPTER XIX: Old Man Coyote Does A Little Thinking

  Investigate and for yourself find out Those things which most you want to know about. --Old Granny Fox.

  Never in all his life had Reddy Fox enjoyed a dinner more than that onehe and Granny had stolen from Bowser the Hound. Of course it would havetasted delicious anyway, because they were so dreadfully hungry, but toReddy it tasted better still because it had been intended for Bowser.Bowser has hunted Reddy so often that Reddy has no love for him at all,and it tickled him almost to death to think that they had taken hisdinner from almost under his nose.