Good evening and welcome.
To Dreamtime Stories with Jackie.
I'm so glad you stopped by.
For a bedtime story.
Tonight we're going to read the final chapter of Old Granny Fox.
I have really enjoyed her romps through the old meadow and the green forest.
Tonight we're going to read chapter 29.
In our last chapter,
Brickley Forkey,
The porcupine,
Was teasing Bowser and old Granny Fox.
And in chapter 29,
We're going to find Granny and Reddy getting a new home.
So snuggle down in your blankets.
Plump up your pillow.
And let's begin chapter 29,
The New Home in the Old Pasture.
Who keeps a watch upon his toes?
Need never fear,
He'll bump his nose.
Old Granny Fox.
Now,
There is nothing like being shut in alone in the dark to make one think.
A voice inside Reddy began to whisper to him.
If you hadn't tried to be so smart and show off,
You wouldn't have brought all this trouble on yourself and old Granny Fox,
" said the voice.
Oh,
I know it,
Replied Reddy,
Right out loud,
Completely forgetting that it was only a small voice inside of him.
What do you know?
Asked Prickly Porky.
He was still keeping Reddy in and Granny out.
And he had overheard what Reddy said.
It's none of your business.
Snapped.
Ready?
Reddy could hear Prickly Porky chuckle.
And then the little porcupine repeated,
As if to himself in a very strange,
Cracked voice,
The following.
Rudeness never,
Never pays.
Nor is there gain in saucy ways.
It's always best to be polite.
And never give way to ugly spite.
If that's the way you feel inside,
You'd better all such feelings hide.
Or he must smile who hopes to win.
And he who loses best will grin.
Reddy pretended that he hadn't heard.
Prickly Porky continued to chuckle for a while,
And finally,
Reddy fell asleep.
When he awoke.
It was to find that Prickly Porky had left.
An old granny fox had brought him something to eat.
Just as soon as Reddy was able to travel.
He and Granny had moved to the old pasture.
The old pasture is very different from the green meadows or the green forest.
Yes,
Indeed,
It is very,
Very different.
Ready Box thought so.
And Reddy did not like the change,
Not a bit.
All about were great big rocks and around and over them grew bushes and young trees and bull briars with long ugly thorns.
And blackberry and raspberry canes.
That seemed to have a million little hooked hands reaching out to catch and tear his red coat.
And to scratch his face and hands.
There were little open places where wild-eyed,
Young cattle fed on the short grass.
They had made many little paths,
All crisscrossing among the bushes.
And when you tried to follow one of these paths,
You never really could tell where you were coming out.
No,
Reddy did not like the old pasture at all.
There was no long,
Soft green grass to lie down in,
And it was lonesome up there.
He missed the little people of the green meadows and the green forest.
There was no one to tease.
And it was such a long,
Long way from Farmer Brown's hen yard.
That old Granny Fox wouldn't even try to bring him a fat pen.
Well,
At least that's what she told Reddy.
The truth is,
Wise old Granny Fox knew that the very best thing she could do was to stay away from Farmer Browns for a long time.
She knew that Reddy couldn't go down there because he was still too lame and sore to travel such a long way.
And she hoped that by the time Reddy was well enough to go,
He would have learned better than to do such a foolish thing as to try to show off by stealing a chicken in broad daylight,
As he had when he brought all this trouble on them.
Down on the green meadow,
The home of Granny and Ready Fox had been on a little knoll,
Which you know is a little low hill,
Right where they could sit on their doorstep and look out over the green meadows.
It had been very,
Very beautiful.
They have made lovely little paths through the tall green meadow grass,
And the buttercups and daisies had grown close up to their very doorsteps.
But up here in the old pasture,
Granny Fox had chosen the thickest clump of bushes and young trees she could find.
And in the middle was a great big pile of rocks.
Way in among these rocks,
Granny Fox had dug their new house.
It was right down under the rocks.
Even in the middle of the day,
Jolly Round Red,
Mr.
Sun,
Could hardly find it with a few of his long,
Bright beams.
All the rest of the time it was dark and gloomy.
No,
Reddy did not like his new home at all.
But when he said so to old Granny Fox,
She told him that was just too bad.
It's your own fault that we've got to live here now,
She said.
It's the only place where we are safe.
Barmer Brown's boy will never find this home.
And even if he did,
He could not dig into it like he could into our home on the great green meadows.
Here we are,
And here we've got to stay.
All because a foolish little fox thought himself smarter than anybody else and tried to show off.
Reddy hung his head.
I don't care,
He said.
Which was very,
Very bullish because you know,
He really did care a big deal.
And here we will leave wise old Granny Fox and ready,
Safe.
Even if they do not like their new home.
You see,
Lightfoot the deer is getting jealous.
He thinks there should be some books about people of the green forest and that the first one.
Should be about him.
And because we all love Lightfoot the deer.
The very next book is going to bear fruit.
His name.
The end.
Oh,
That was such a great story.
I hope you liked it.
Perhaps our next book will be Life with the Deer.
So snuggle down in your bed.
Have delightful dreams tonight.
This is Jackie sending you a great big hug.
Good night now
