the adventures of reddy fox(兰迪福克斯奇遇)-第4节
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and that wasn't gentle at all。 Oh； my； no！ There was nothing gentle about
that！
You see； old Granny Fox is wise and very； very sharp and shrewd。 Just
as soon as she saw Reddy's hurts； she knew that they were made by shot
from a gun； and that meant that Reddy Fox had been careless or he never；
never would have been where he was in danger of being shot。
〃I hope this will teach you a lesson！〃 said Granny Fox。 〃What are your
eyes and your ears and your nose for？ To keep you out of just such trouble
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
as this。
〃A little Fox must use his eyes Or get someday a sad surprise。
〃A little Fox must use his ears And know what makes each sound he
hears。
〃A little Fox must use his nose And try the wind where'er he goes。
〃A little Fox must use all three To live to grow as old as me。
〃Now tell me all about it； Reddy Fox。 This is summer and men don't
hunt foxes now。 I don't see how it happens that Farmer Brown's boy was
waiting for you with a gun。
So Reddy Fox told Granny Fox all about how he had run too near the
old tree trunk behind which Farmer Brown's boy had been hiding； but
Reddy didn't tell how he had been trying to show off； or how in broad
daylight he had stolen the pet chicken of Farmer Brown's boy。 You may be
sure he was very careful not to mention that。
And so old Granny Fox puckered up her brows and thought and
thought； trying to find some good reason why Farmer Brown's boy should
have been hunting in the summertime。
〃Caw； caw； caw！〃 shouted Blacky the Crow。
The face of Granny Fox cleared。 〃Blacky the Crow has been stealing；
and Farmer Brown's boy was out after him when Reddy came along；〃 said
Granny Fox； talking out loud to herself。
Reddy Fox grew very red in the face； but he never said a word。
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
IX。 Peter Rabbit Hears the News
Johnny Chuck came running up to the edge of the Old Briarpatch quite
out of breath。 You see； he is so round and fat and roly…poly that to run
makes him puff and blow。 Johnny Chuck's eyes danced with excitement as
he peered into the Old Briar…patch； trying to see Peter Rabbit。
〃Peter！ Peter Rabbit！ Oh； Peter！〃 he called。 No one answered。 Johnny
Chuck looked disappointed。 It was the middle of the morning； and he had
thought that Peter would surely be at home then。 He would try once more。
〃Oh； you Peter Rabbit！〃 he shouted in such a high…pitched voice that it
was almost a squeal。
〃What you want？〃 asked a sleepy voice from the middle of the Old
Briar…patch。
Johnny Chuck's face lighted up。 〃Come out here； Peter； where I can
look at you；〃 cried Johnny。
〃Go away； Johnny Chuck！ I'm sleepy；〃 said Peter Rabbit； and his voice
sounded just a wee bit cross； for Peter had been out all night； a habit which
Peter has。
〃I've got some news for you； Peter；〃 called Johnny Chuck eagerly。
〃How do you know it's news to me？〃 asked Peter； and Johnny noticed
that his voice wasn't quite so cross。
〃I'm almost sure it is； for I've just heard it myself； and I've hurried
right down here to tell you because I think you'll want to know it；〃 replied
Johnny Chuck。
〃Pooh！〃 said Peter Rabbit； 〃it's probably as old as the hills to me。 You
folks who go to bed with the sun don't hear the news until it's old。 What is
it？〃
〃It's about Reddy Fox；〃 began Johnny Chuck； but Peter Rabbit
interrupted him。
〃Shucks； Johnny Chuck！ You are slow！ Why； it was all over Green
Meadows last night how Reddy Fox had been shot by Farmer Brown's
boy！〃 jeered Peter Rabbit。 〃That's no news。 And here you've waked me up
to tell me something I knew before you went to bed last night！ Serves
Reddy Fox right。 Hope he'll be lame for a week；〃 added Peter Rabbit。
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
〃He can't walk at all！〃 cried Johnny Chuck in triumph； sure now that
Peter Rabbit hadn't heard the news。
〃What's that？〃 demanded Peter； and Johnny Chuck could hear him
begin to hop along one of his little private paths in the heart of the Old
Briar…patch。 He knew now that Peter Rabbit's curiosity was aroused； and
he smiled to himself。
In a few minutes Peter thrust a sleepy…looking face out from the Old
Briar…patch and grinned rather sheepishly。 〃What was that you were saying
about Reddy Fox？〃 he asked again。
〃I've a good mind not to tell you； Mr。 Know…it…all；〃 exclaimed Johnny
Chuck。
〃Oh； please； Johnny Chuck；〃 pleaded Peter Rabbit。
Finally Johnny gave in。 〃I said that Reddy Fox can't walk。 Aren't you
glad； Peter？〃
〃How do you know？〃 asked Peter； for Peter is very suspicious of
Reddy Fox； and has to watch out for his tricks all the time。
〃Jimmy Skunk told me。 He was up by Reddy's house early this
morning and saw Reddy try to walk。 He tried and tried and couldn't。 You
won't have to watch out for Reddy Fox for some time； Peter。 Serves him
right； doesn't it？''
〃Let's go up and see if it really is true！〃 said Peter suddenly。
〃All right；〃 said Johnny Chuck； and off they started。
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
X。 Poor Reddy Fox
Peter Rabbit and Johnny Chuck stole up the hill toward the home of
Reddy Fox。 As they drew near； they crept from one bunch of grass to
another and from bush to bush； stopping behind each to look and listen。
They were not taking any chances。 Johnny Chuck was not much afraid of
Reddy Fox； for he had whipped him once； but he was afraid of old Granny
Fox。 Peter Rabbit was afraid of both。 The nearer he got to the home of
Reddy Fox； the more anxious and nervous he grew。 You see； Reddy Fox
had played so many tricks to try and catch Peter that Peter was not quite
sure that this was not another trick。 So he kept a sharp watch in every
direction； ready to run at the least sign of danger。
When they had tiptoed and crawled to a point where they could see the
doorstep of the Fox home； Peter Rabbit and Johnny Chuck lay down in a
clump of bushes and watched。 Pretty soon they saw old Granny Fox come
out。 She sniffed the wind and then she started off at a quick run down the
Lone Little Path。 Johnny Chuck gave a sigh of relief； for he wasn't afraid
of Reddy and now he felt safe。 But Peter Rabbit was just as watchful as
ever。
〃I've got to see Reddy for myself before I'll go a step nearer； he
whispered。 Just then Johnny Chuck put a hand on his lips and pointed with
the other hand。 There was Reddy Fox crawling out of his doorway into the
sun。 Peter Rabbit leaned forward to see better。 Was Reddy Fox really so
badly hurt； or was he only pretending？
Reddy Fox crawled painfully out onto his doorstep。 He tried to stand
and walk； but he couldn't because he was too stiff and sore。 So he just
crawled。 He didn't know that anyone was watching him； and with every
movement he made a face。 That was because it hurt so。
Peter Rabbit； watching from the clump of bushes； knew then that
Reddy was not pretending。 He knew that he had nothing； not the least little
thing； to fear from Reddy Fox。 So Peter gave a whoop of joy and sprang
out into view。
Reddy looked up and tried to grin； but made a face of pain instead。
You see； it hurt so to move。
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
〃I suppose you're tickled to death to see me like this；〃 he growled to
Peter Rabbit。
Now Peter had every reason to be glad； for Reddy Fox had tried his
best to catch Peter Rabbit to give to old Granny Fox for her dinner； and
time and again Peter had just barely escaped。 So at first Peter Rabbit had
whooped with joy。 But as he saw how very helpless Reddy really was and
how much pain he felt； suddenly Peter Rabbit's big； soft eyes filled with
tears of pity。
He forgot all about the threats of Reddy Fox and how Reddy ha
