Green Meadow Stories · Chapter
XVII: Farmer Brown’s Boy Drops a Pan of Corn explained
Reddy Fox hides in the henhouse, waiting anxiously for Farmer Brown's boy to open the door.
What happens
Reddy Fox hides in the henhouse, waiting anxiously for Farmer Brown's boy to open the door. When the boy enters, Reddy dashes between his legs, startling him so much that he drops the pan of corn. Farmer Brown's boy catches only a glimpse of Reddy's red coat and bushy tail as he escapes around the barn.
Themes in this chapter
Deception and Trust
Reddy Fox uses stealth and stillness to avoid detection by the hens and Farmer Brown's boy, relying on surprise for his escape.
Courage and Fear
Reddy experiences intense anxiety while hiding, yet must remain calm and act boldly when the moment comes.
Characters to notice
- Reddy Fox
Hides in the henhouse, waiting to escape when Farmer Brown's boy opens the door.
- Farmer Brown
Farmer Brown's boy is startled by Reddy's sudden dash and drops the pan of corn.
Key passages
“Who when surprised keeps calm and cool Is one most difficult to fool.”
A person who stays calm when startled is hard to deceive.
Opening couplet sets the theme of composure under surprise.
“Reddy Fox has spent many anxious moments, but none more anxious than those in which he waited for Farmer Brown’s boy to open the henhouse and feed the biddies on this particular morning.”
Reddy Fox had been nervous many times before, but never as nervous as when he waited for Farmer Brown's boy to open the henhouse that morning.
Highlights Reddy's extreme anxiety during the wait.
“His one chance to escape would be to take Farmer Brown’s boy entirely by surprise.”
The only way Reddy could get away was to catch Farmer Brown's boy completely off guard.
Reddy's strategy relies on sudden surprise.
“It startled him so that he dropped the pan and spilled the corn all over the henhouse floor.”
The surprise made him drop the pan, scattering the corn everywhere.
Farmer Brown's boy's reaction to Reddy's dash.