24 Veruca in the Nut Room
Mr Wonka rushed on down the corridor. THE NUT ROOM, it said on the next door they
came to.
‘All right,’ said Mr Wonka, ‘stop here for a moment and catch your breath, and take a
peek¹ through the glass panel of this door. But don’t go in! Whatever you do, don’t go
into THE NUT ROOM! If you go in, you’ll disturb the squirrels!’
Everyone crowded around the door.
‘Oh look, Grandpa, look!’ cried Charlie.
‘Squirrels!’ shouted Veruca Salt.
‘Crikey!’ said Mike Teavee.
It was an amazing sight. One hundred squirrels were seated upon high stools around a
large table. On the table, there were mounds² and mounds of walnuts⁴, and the squirrels
were all working away like mad, shelling the walnuts at a tremendous speed.
‘These squirrels are specially⁵ trained for getting the nuts out of walnuts,’ Mr Wonka
explained.
‘Why use squirrels?’ Mike Teavee asked. ‘Why not use Oompa-Loompas?’
‘Because,’ said Mr Wonka, ‘Oompa-Loompas can’t get walnuts out of walnut³ shells in
one piece. They always break them in two. Nobody except squirrels can get walnuts
whole out of walnut shells every time. It is extremely difficult. But in my factory, I insist
upon only whole walnuts. Therefore I have to have squirrels to do the job. Aren’t they
wonderful, the way they get those nuts out! And see how they first tap each walnut with
their knuckles⁶ to be sure it’s not a bad one! If it’s bad, it makes a hollow sound, and they
don’t bother to open it. They just throw it down the rubbish chute. There! Look! Watch
that squirrel nearest to us! I think he’s got a bad one now!’
They watched the little squirrel as he tapped the walnut shell with his knuckles. He
cocked his head to one side, listening intently, then suddenly he threw the nut over his
shoulder into a large hole in the floor.

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