Old Granny Fox is very smart. “Danny Meadow Mouse won't put his nose out of that old fence post for a day or two. Then he'll get tired of staying inside all the time, and he'll peep out of one of his little round doorways³ to see if the way is clear. If he doesn't see any danger, he'll come out and run around on top of the snow to get some of the seeds in the tops of the tall grasses that stick out through the snow. If nothing frightens him, he'll keep going a little farther and a little farther from that old fence post. I must see to it that Danny Meadow Mouse isn't frightened for a few days.” So said old Granny Fox to herself, as she lay under a hemlock⁴ tree, studying how she could best get the next meal.

 

Then she called Reddy Fox to her and forbade him to go down on the meadows until she should tell him he might. Reddy grumbled⁵ and mumbled⁶ and didn't see why he shouldn't go where he pleased, but he didn't dare disobey. You see, he had a sore foot. He had hurt it on a wire barb⁷ when he was plunging through the snow after Danny Meadow Mouse, and now he had to run on three legs. That meant that he must depend upon Granny Fox to help him get enough to eat. So Reddy didn't dare to disobey.

 

It all came out just as Granny Fox had thought it would. Danny Meadow Mouse did get tired of staying in the old fence post. He did peep out first, and then he did run a little way on the snow, and then a little farther and a little farther. But all the time he took great care not to get more than a jump or two from one of his little round doorways leading down to his tunnels under the snow.

分享到：