the adventures of reddy fox(兰迪福克斯奇遇)-第5节
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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 had tried
to trick him。 He forgot all about how mean Reddy had been。
〃Poor Reddy Fox；〃 said Peter Rabbit。 〃Poor Reddy Fox。〃
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
XI。 Granny Fox Returns
Up over the hill trotted old Granny Fox。 She was on her way home
with a tender young chicken for Reddy Fox。 Poor Reddy！ Of course； it
was his own fault； for he had been showing off and he had been careless or
he never would have gone so near to the old tree trunk behind which
Farmer Brown's boy was hiding。
But old Granny Fox didn't know this。 She never makes such mistakes
herself。 Oh； my； no！ So now； as she came up over the hill to a place where
she could see her home； she laid the chicken down and then she crept
behind a little bush and looked all over the Green Meadows to see if the
way was clear。 She knew that Bowser the Hound was chained up。 She had
seen Farmer Brown and Farmer Brown's boy hoeing in the cornfield； so
she had nothing to fear from them。
Looking over to her doorstep； she saw Reddy Fox lying in the sun； and
then she saw something else； something that made her eyes flash and her
teeth come together with a snap。 It was Peter Rabbit sitting up very
straight； not ten feet from Reddy Fox。
〃So that's that young scamp of a Peter Rabbit whom Reddy was going
to catch for me when I was sick and couldn't！ I'll just show Reddy Fox
how easily it can be done； and he shall have tender young rabbit with his
chicken！〃 said Granny Fox to herself。
So first she studied and studied every clump of grass and every bush
behind which she could creep。 She saw that she could get almost to where
Peter Rabbit was sitting and never once show herself to him。 Then she
looked this way and looked that way to make sure that no one was
watching her。
No one did she see on the Green Meadows who was looking her way。
Then Granny Fox began to crawl from one clump of grass to another and
from bush to bush。 Sometimes she wriggled along flat on her stomach。
Little by little she was drawing nearer and nearer to Peter Rabbit。
Now with all her smartness old Granny Fox had forgotten one thing。
Yes； Sir； she had forgotten one thing。 Never once had she thought to look
up in the sky。
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
And there was Ol' Mistah Buzzard sailing round and round and
looking down and seeing all that was going on below。
Ol' Mistah Buzzard is sharp。 He knew just what old Granny Fox was
planning to doknew it as well as if he had read her thoughts。 His eyes
twinkled。
〃Ah cert'nly can't allow li'l' Brer Rabbit to be hurt； Ah cert'nly can't！〃
muttered Ol' Mistah Buzzard； and chuckled。
Then he slanted his broad wings downward and without a sound slid
down out of the sky till he was right behind Granny Fox。
〃Do yo' always crawl home； Granny Fox？〃 asked Ol' Mistah Buzzard。
Granny Fox was so startled； for she hadn't heard a sound； that she
jumped almost out of her skin。 Of course Peter Rabbit saw her then； and
was off like a shot。
Granny Fox showed all her teeth。 〃I wish you would mind your own
business； Mistah Buzzard！〃 she snarled。
〃Cert'nly； cert'nly； Ah sho'ly will！〃 replied Ol' Mistah Buzzard； and
sailed up into the blue； blue sky。
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
XII。 The Lost Chicken
When old Granny Fox had laid down the chicken she was bringing
home to Reddy Fox to try to catch Peter Rabbit； she had meant to go right
back and get it as soon as she had caught Peter。 Now she saw Peter going
across the Green Meadows； lipperty…lipperty…lip； as fast as he could go。
She was so angry that she hopped up and down。 She tore up the grass and
ground her long； white teeth。 She glared up at Ol' Mistah Buzzard； who
had warned Peter Rabbit； but all she could do was to scold； and that didn't
do her much good； for in a few minutes Ol' Mistah Buzzard was so far up
in the blue； blue sky that he couldn't hear a word she was saying。 My； my；
but old Granny Fox certainly was angry！ If she hadn't been so angry she
might have seen Johnny Chuck lying as flat as he could make himself
behind a big clump of grass。
Johnny Chuck was scared。 Yes； indeed； Johnny Chuck was dreadfully
scared。 He had fought Reddy Fox and whipped him； but he knew that old
Granny Fox would be too much for him。 So it was with great relief that
Johnny Chuck saw her stop tearing up the grass and trot over to see how
Reddy Fox was getting along。 Then Johnny Chuck crept along until he
was far enough away to run。 How he did run！ He was so fat and roly…poly
that he was all out of breath when he reached home； and so tired that he
just dropped down on his doorstep and panted。
〃Serves me right for having so much curiosity；〃 said Johnny Chuck to
himself。
Reddy Fox looked up as old Granny Fox came hurrying home。 He was
weak and very； very hungry。 But he felt sure that old Granny Fox would
bring him something nice for his breakfast； and as soon as he heard her
footsteps his mouth began to water。
〃Did you bring me something nice； Granny？〃 asked Reddy Fox。
Now old Granny Fox had been so put out by the scare she had had and
by her failure to catch Peter Rabbit that she had forgotten all about the
chicken she had left up on the hill。 When Reddy spoke； she remembered it；
and the thought of having to go way back after it didn't improve her
temper a bit。
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
〃No！〃 she snapped。 〃I haven't！You don't deserve any breakfast
anyway。 If you had any gumption〃that's the word Granny Fox used；
gumption〃if you had any gumption at all； you wouldn't have gotten in
trouble； and could get your own breakfast。〃
Reddy Fox didn't know what gumption meant； but he did know that he
was very； very hungry； and do what he would； he couldn't keep back a
couple of big tears of disappointment。 Granny Fox saw them。
〃There； there； Reddy！ Don't cry。 I've got a fine fat chicken for you up
on the hill； and I'll run back and get it；〃 said Granny Fox。
So off she started up the hill to the place where she had left the
chicken when she started to try to catch Peter Rabbit。 When she got there；
there wasn't any chicken。 No； Sir； there was no chicken at alljust a few
feathers。 Granny Fox could hardly believe her own eyes。 She looked this
way and she looked that way； but there was no chicken； just a few feathers。
Old Granny Fox flew into a greater rage than before。
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
XIII。 Granny Fox Calls Jimmy
Skunk Names
Granny Fox couldn't believe her own eyes。 No； Sir； she couldn't
believe her own eyes； and she rubbed them two or three times to make
sure that she was seeing right。 That chicken certainly had disappeared； and
left no trace of where it had gone。
It was very queer。 Old Granny Fox sat down to think who would dare
steal anything from her。 Then she walked in a big circle with her nose to
the ground； sniffing and sniffing。 What was she doing that for？ Why； to
see if she could find the tracks of anyone who might have stolen her
chicken。
〃Aha！〃 exclaimed old Granny Fox； starting to run along the top of the
hill； her nose to the ground。 〃Aha！ I'll catch him this time！〃
In a few minutes she began to run more slowly； and every two or three
steps she would look ahead。 Suddenly her eyes snapped； and she began to
creep almost flat on her stomach； just as she had crept for Peter Rabbit。
But it wasn't Peter Rabbit this time。 It waswho do you think？ Jimmy
Skunk！ Yes；
