IX: Reddy Fox Hears About Granny Fox explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Deception and Trust

  Reddy Fox initially doubts Sammy Jay's story but trusts Tommy Tit's confirmation, highlighting the theme of trust and deception among the characters.

• Wisdom and Heedlessness

  Granny Fox's heedlessness in being caught napping contrasts with Reddy's lack of wisdom in planning to use the incident against her rather than learning from it.

Characters to notice

• Reddy Fox

  Reddy hears the news about Granny Fox and plans to use it against her.

• Old Granny Fox

  Granny Fox is the subject of the news; she was caught napping by Farmer Brown's boy.

• Sammy Jay

  Sammy Jay gleefully spreads the news about Granny Fox's mishap.

• Tommy Tit the Chickadee

  Tommy Tit confirms the story, lending credibility to Sammy Jay's tale.

• Farmer Brown

  Farmer Brown's boy is the one who caught Granny Fox napping and let her go.

Key passages

• “Had I such a stupid old Granny As some folks who think they are smart, I never would boast of my Granny, But live by myself quite apart!”

  Sammy Jay taunts Reddy by suggesting that if his grandmother were as foolish as some claim, he wouldn't brag about her.

  Sammy Jay uses a mocking rhyme to provoke Reddy Fox.

• “I don't believe it! I don't believe a word of it! Nobody ever yet caught Old Granny Fox napping, and nobody ever will.”

  Reddy Fox refuses to accept that Granny Fox was caught off guard.

  Reddy's denial shows his pride in Granny Fox's reputation.

• “I won't say a thing about it until some time when Granny scolds me for being careless. Then I'll see what she has to say. I guess she won't scold me so much after this.”

  Reddy plans to keep the secret and use it to deflect Granny Fox's future criticism of his own carelessness.

  Reddy's sly grin reveals his selfish and vengeful intentions.