Old Granny Fox

by Thornton W. Burgess

  Produced by Kent Fielden

  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 theSmiling Pool and the Laughing Brook. Reddy and Granny Fox were hungrymost of the time. It was not easy to find enough to eat these days, andso they spent nearly every minute they were awake in hunting. Sometimesthey hunted together, but usually one went one way, and the other wentanother way so as to have a greater chance of finding something. Ifeither found enough for two, the one finding it took the food back totheir home if it could be carried. If not, the other was told where tofind it.

  For several days they had had very little indeed to eat, and they wereso hungry that they were willing to take almost any chance to get a goodmeal. For two nights they had visited Farmer Brown's henhouse, hopingthat they would be able to find a way inside. But the biddies had beensecurely 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 thesecond try, "to hope to get one of those hens at night. If we are goingto get any at all, we will have to do it in broad daylight. It canbe done, for I have done it before, but I don't like the idea. We arelikely to be seen, and that means that Bowser the Hound will be set tohunting 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 Foxwho didn't think he knew all there is to know, and you're just like therest. When you've lived as long as I have you will have learned not tobe quite so sure of your own opinions. I grant you that when there is nosnow on the ground, any Fox with a reasonable amount of Fox sense in hishead can fool Bowser, but with snow everywhere it is a very differentmatter. If Bowser once takes it into his head to follow your trail thesedays, you will have to be smarter than I think you are to fool him. Theonly way you will be able to get away from him will be by going intoa hole in the ground, and when you do that you will have given away asecret that will mean we will never have any peace at all. We will neverknow 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 thosehens in the daytime unless we are starving."

  "I'm starving now," whined Reddy.

  "No such thing!" Granny snapped. "I've been without food longer thanthis 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'tanything there."

  "Perhaps not," replied Granny, "but I learned a long time ago that itis a poor plan to overlook any chance. There is a place in the Big Riverwhich never freezes because the water runs too swiftly to freeze, andI've found more than one meal washed ashore there. You go over there nowwhile I see what I can find in the Green Forest. If neither of us findsanything, it will be time enough to think about Farmer Brown's hensto-morrow."

  Much against his will Reddy obeyed. "It isn't the least bit of use," hegrumbled, as he trotted towards the Big River. "There won't be anythingthere. It is just a waste of time."

  Late that afternoon he came hurrying back, and Granny knew by the waythat he cocked his ears and carried his tail that he had news of somekind. "Well, what is it?" she demanded.

  "I found a dead fish that had been washed ashore," replied Reddy. "Itwasn'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 anygood. 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 Duckhunting."

  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 dailyclimb up in the blue, blue sky that morning when he spied two figurestrotting across the snow-covered Green Meadows, one behind the other.They were trotting along quite as if they had made up their minds justwhere 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 rantoo swiftly to freeze. The day before Reddy had discovered Quacker theWild Duck swimming about there, and now they were on their way to try tocatch 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 catchQuacker, because Quacker kept out in the water where he was as safe fromthem as if they were a thousand miles away. The only reason that Reddyhad willingly started with Granny was the hope that he might find a deadfish washed up on the shore as he had the day before.

  "Granny certainly is growing foolish in her old age," thought Reddy, ashe trotted along behind her. "I told her that Quacker never once cameashore all the time I watched yesterday. I don't believe he ever comesashore, and if she knows anything at all she ought to know that shecan't catch him out there in the water. Granny used to be smart enoughwhen 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 ather. I have to laugh myself."

  He did laugh, but you may be sure he took great pains that Granny shouldnot see him laughing. Whenever she looked around he was as sober ascould be. In fact, he appeared to be quite as eager as if he felt surethey would catch Quacker. Now old Granny Fox is very wise in the ways ofthe Great World, and if Reddy could have known what was going on in hermind as she led the way to the Big River, he might not have felt quiteso sure of his own smartness. Granny was doing some quiet laughingherself.

  "He thinks I'm old and foolish and don't know what I'm about, the youngscamp!" thought she. "He thinks he has learned all there is to learn. Itisn't the least use in the world to try to tell him anything. When youngfolks 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 theconceit out of these youngsters."

  Now conceit is the feeling that you know more than any one else. Perhapsyou do. Then again, perhaps you don't. So sometimes it is best not tobe too sure of your own opinion. Reddy was sure. He trotted along behindold Granny Fox and planned smart things to say to her when she foundthat 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 thinkthemselves smart are quite apt to be saucy.

  Presently they came to the bank of the Big River. Old Granny Fox toldReddy to sit still while she crept up behind some bushes where she couldpeek out over the Big River. He grinned as he watched her. He was stillgrinning when she tiptoed back. He expected to see her face long withdisappointment. Instead she looked very much pleased.

  "Quacker is there," said she, "and I think he will make us a very gooddinner. Creep up behind those bushes and see for yourself, then comeback 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 whogrinned as she watched. As he crept along, Reddy wondered if it could bethat for once Quacker had come ashore. Granny seemed so sure they couldcatch him that this must be the case. But when he peeped through thehushes, there was Quacker way out in the middle of the open water justwhere 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 busheson the bank of the Big River
and saw Quacker swimming about in the waterwhere it ran too swiftly to freeze. "We've got just as much chance ofcatching him as I have of jumping over the moon. That's what I'll tellGranny."

  He crept back carefully so as not to be seen by Quacker, and when he hadreached the place where Granny was waiting for him, his face wore a veryimpudent 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 asaucy 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. "Notby 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 atoss 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 dojust as I tell you. You creep back there where you can watch Quacker andall that happens, and mind that you keep out of his sight. Now go."

  Reddy went. There was nothing else to do. He didn't dare disobey.Granny watched until Reddy had readied his hiding-place. Then what doyou think she did? Why, she walked right out on the little beach justbelow Reddy and in plain sight of Quacker! Yes, Sir, that is what shedid!

  Then began such a queer performance that it is no wonder that Reddy wassure Granny had lost her senses. She rolled over and over. She chasedher tail round and round until it made Reddy dizzy to watch her. Shejumped up in the air. She raced back and forth. She played with a bitof stick. And all the time she didn't pay the least attention to Quackerthe 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 withoutfood so long that she had gone crazy. Poor Granny! She was in her secondchildhood. Reddy could remember how he had done such things when he wasvery young, just by way of showing how fine he felt. But for a grown-upFox to do such things was undignified, to say the least. You know Reddythinks a great deal of dignity. It was worse than undignified; it waspositively disgraceful. He did hope that none of his neighbors wouldhappen along and see Granny cutting up so. He never would hear the endof 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. Reddywas just trying to decide whether to go off and leave her until she hadregained her common sense, or to go out and try to stop her, when hehappened to look out in the open water where Quacker was. Quacker wassitting up as straight as he could. In fact, he had his wings raised tohelp him sit up on his tail, the better to see what old Granny Fox wasdoing.

  "As I live," muttered Reddy, "I believe that fellow is nearer than hewas!"

  Reddy crouched lower than ever, and instead of watching Granny hewatched 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, verycurious, how sometimes curiosity will get the best of even the wisestand most sensible of people. Even Old Granny Fox herself has been knownto be led into trouble by it. We expect it of Peter Rabbit, but Peterisn'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 expectto be led into trouble by curiosity. Quacker had spent the summer in theFar North with Honker the Goose. In fact, he had been born there. He hadstarted for the far away Southland at the same time Honker had, but whenhe reached the Big River he had found plenty to eat and had decided tostay until he had to move on. The Big River had frozen over everywhereexcept in this one place where the water was too swift to freeze, andthere Quacker had remained. You see, he was a good diver and on thebottom of the river he found plenty to eat. No one could get at himout there, unless it were Roughleg the Hawk, and if Roughleg did happenalong, all he had to do was to dive and come up far away to laugh andmake 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 Quackerhad early learned to be always on the watch and to take the best of careof himself. On his way down to the Big River he had been hunted by menwith terrible guns, and he had learned all about them. In fact, he feltquite able to keep out of harm's way. He rather prided himself thatthere was no one smart enough to catch him.

  I suspect he thought he knew all there was to know. In this respect hewas 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 youngstersI know.

  When Quacker first saw Granny Fox on the little beach, he flirted hisabsurd little tail and smiled as he thought how she must wish she couldcatch 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 suddenlyhe sat up very straight and looked with all his might. What under thesun was the matter with that Fox? She was acting as if she had suddenlylost her senses.

  Over and over she rolled. Around and around she spun. She turnedsomersaults. 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 besomething the matter with her.

  Quacker began to get excited. He couldn't keep his eyes off Old GrannyFox. He began to swim nearer. He wanted to see better. He quite forgotshe was a Fox. She moved so fast that she was just a queer red spot onthe beach. Whatever she was doing was very curious and very exciting. Heswam nearer and nearer. The excitement was catching. He began to swim incircles himself. All the time he drew nearer and nearer to the shore. Hedidn't have the least bit of fear. He was just curious. He wanted to seebetter.

  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 wasclose to the shore. If he kept on, he would be right on the land in afew minutes. And all the time he stared and stared. No thought of dangerentered his head. You see, there was no room because it was so filledwith curiosity.

  "In a minute more I'll have him," thought Granny, and whirled fasterthan 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 theGreen Forest that night, afraid to go home. You see, he had almost dinedon Quacker the Duck over at the Big River that day and then hadn't, andit was all his own fault. That was why he was afraid to go home. Fromhis hiding-place on the bank he had watched Quacker swim in and in untilhe was almost on the shore where old Granny Fox was whirling and rollingand tumbling about as if she had entirely lost her senses. Indeed, Reddyhad been quite sure that she had when she began. It wasn't until he sawthat curiosity was drawing Quacker right in so that in a minute or twoGranny would be able to catch him, that he understood that Granny wasanything but crazy, and really was teaching him a new trick as well astrying to catch a dinner.

  When he realized this, he should have been ashamed of himself fordoubting the smartness of Granny and for thinking that he knew all therewas to know. But he was too much excited for any such thoughts. Nearerand nearer to the shore came Quacker, his eyes fixed on the red,whirling form of Granny. Reddy's own eyes gleamed with excitement. WouldQuacker keep on right up to the shore? Nearer and nearer and nearer hecame. 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 seeGranny mak
e that jump which would mean a dinner for both.

  Forgetting what Granny had charged him, Reddy eagerly raised his head tolook over the edge of the bank. Now it just happened that at that veryminute Quacker chanced to look that way. His quick eyes caught themovement 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 butone thing--danger! It was all a trick! He saw through it now. Like aflash he turned. There was the whistle of stiff wings beating the airand the patter of feet striking the water as he got under way. Then heflew out to the safety of the open water. Granny sprang, but she wasjust 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 theplace where Reddy had been hiding. She couldn't see him. Then shebounded up the bank. There was no Reddy there, but far away across thesnow-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 dinnerdisappear just as it is almost within reach.

  "I'll teach that young scamp a lesson he won't soon forget when I gethome," she muttered, as she watched him. Then she went back to the edgeof the Big River and there she found a dead fish which had been washedashore. It was a very good fish, and when she had eaten it Granny feltbetter.

  "Anyway," thought she, "I have taught him a new trick and one he is n'tlikely to forget. He knows now that Granny still knows a few tricks thathe doesn't, and next time he won't feel so sure he knows it all. I guessit was worth while even if I didn't catch Quacker. My, but he would havetasted good!" Granny smacked her lips and started for home.