Evening star., 1940-07-27
Bedtime Stories
By THORNTON w. BURGESS.

BY THORNTON w. BURGESS.
Old Granny Fox had sent Reddy
Fox into the house and told him to
stay there until she returned home.
Reddy had not wanted to mind, but
he knew that Granny Fox meant
Just what she said, and so he had
slowly crawled down tile long hall
to the bedroom way under ground.
Pretty soon Reddy Fox heard
voice. 1t was very faint. for you
know Reddy was in his bedroom
way under ground, but he knew it.
He pricked up his ears and listened.
It was the voice of Bowser the
Hound, and Reddy knew by the
sound that Bowser was chasing
Granny Fox.
Reddy grinned. He wasn't at all
worried about Granny Fox. not the
least little bit. He knew how smart
she is and that whenever she want
ed to she could get rid of Bowser
the Hound. Then a sudden thought
popped into Reddy's head, and he
grew sober.
Granny did feel trouble coming,
just as she said" he thought.
Then Reddy Fox curled himself
up and tried to sleep. He intended
to mind and not put his little black
nose outside until Old Granny Fox
returned. But somehow Reddy
couldn't get to sleep. His bedroom
was small and he was so stiff and
sore where he had been shot by
Farmer Browns Boy that he could
not get comfortable.
He twisted and turned and fidget-
ed the more uncomfortable he grew.
He thought of the warm sunshine
outside and how comfortable he
would be stretched out full length
on the doorstep. 1t would take
the soreness out of his legs. Some
thing must have happened to
Granny to keep her so long. If she
had known that she was going to
be gone such a long time she
wouldn't have told him to stay until
she came back, thought Reddy.
BY and by Reddy Fox crept a
little way up the long, dark hall.
He could just see the sunlight on
the doorstep. Pretty soon he went
little bit nearer. He wasn't going
to disobey Old Granny Fox. oh, no!
No, indeed! She had told him to
stay in the house until she returned
She hadn't said that he couldn't
look out. Reddy crawled a little
nearer to the open door and the
sunlight.
Granny Fox is getting old and
timid just as if my eyes aren't as
sharp as hers! I'd like to see
Farmer Browns Boy get near me
when I am really on the watch"
said Reddy Fox to himself. And
then he crept a little nearer the
open door.
How bright and warm and pleas
ant it did look outside! Reddy just
knew that he would feel ever and
ever so much better if he could
stretch out on the doorstep. He
could hear Jenny Wren fussing and
scolding at some one or something,
and he wondered what it could be.
He crept just wee bit nearer
Now he could hear Bowser's voice,
but it was so faint that he had to
prick up his sharp little ears and
listen with all his might to hear 1t
at all.
"Granny's led them way off on
the mountain. Good old GRANNY"
thought Reddy Fox. Then he
crawled right up to the very door,
way. He could still hear Jenny
Wren scolding and fussing. What
does all her?"
If it's hot or if it's too cold
Jenny Wren will always scold.
From morn till night the whole
day long
Her timber tongue is going strong.
I'm going to find out what it
means" said Reddy, talking to
himself.
Reddy Fox poked his head out
and looked straight into the free
kled face of Farmer Browns Boy
and the muzzle of that dreadful