Nursery Tales from Many Lands  by Eleanor L. and Ada M. Skinner

The Travels of a Fox

Once upon a time a fox was travelling along the road. He stopped to dig behind the stump of a tree. Up flew a large bumble bee which he caught and put into a bag. On walked the fox until he came to the first house.

"May I leave my bag here while I go to Squintum's?" he asked the mistress.

"Yes, sir, you may," said the woman.

"Be very careful not to open the bag," said the fox.

But as soon as he was out of sight the woman opened a corner of the bag and peeped in.

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! Out flew the bee. Snap! The old woman's little rooster caught him and ate him up.

In a little while the fox came back. He looked into his bag and said, "Where is my bumblebee?"

"Oh, sir," said the woman, "I opened a corner of the bag to see what was in it. flew the bee. My little rooster caught him and ate him up."

"Very well," said the fox, "I must have the little rooster, then."

So he caught the rooster and put him into the bag. On walked the fox down the road until he came to the next house.

"May I leave my bag here while I go to Squintums's?" he asked the mistress of the house.

"Yes, sir, you may," said the woman.

"Be very careful not to open the bag," said the fox.

But as soon as the fox was out of sight the woman opened a corner of the bag and peeped in.

Flap! Flap! Flap! Out flew the rooster. Snap! The old woman's pig caught the little rooster and ate him up.

In a little while the fox came back. He looked into the bag and said, "Where is my little rooster?"

"Oh, sir," said the woman, "I opened a corner of the bag to see what was in it. Out flew the little rooster. My pig caught him and ate him up."

"Very well, I must have the pig, then."

So the fox caught the pig and put him into the bag. On he walked down the road until he came to the next house.

"May I leave my bag here while I go to Squintum's?" he asked the mistress of the house.

"Yes, sir, you may," said the woman.

"Be very careful not to open the bag," said the fox.

But as soon as the fox was out of sight the woman opened the bag and peeped in.

"Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!" Out jumped the pig. Snap! The old woman's ox caught him and ate him up.

In a little while the fox came back. He looked into his bag and said, "Where is my pig?"

"Oh, sir," said the woman, "I opened the bag to see what was in it. Out jumped the pig. My ox caught him and ate him up."

"Very well," said the fox. "I must have the ox, then."

So he caught the ox and put him into the bag. On walked the fox down the road until he came to the next house.

"May I leave my bag here while I go to Squintum's?" he asked the mistress of the house.

"Yes, sir, you may," said the woman.

"Be very careful not to open the bag," said the fox.

But as soon as the fox was out of sight the woman opened the bag and peeped in.

Moo—oo—oo! Out jumped the ox and ran out of the house. The woman's little boy chased him far away over the fields.

In a little while the fox came back. He looked into the bag and said, "Where is my ox?"

"Oh, sir," said the woman, "I opened the bag to see what was in it. Out jumped the ox. He ran out of the house and my little boy chased him far away over the fields."

"Very well," said the fox. "I must have your little boy, then."

So he caught the woman's little boy and put him into the bag. On walked the fox down the road until he came to the next house.

"May I leave my bag here while I go to Squintum's?" he asked the mistress of house.

"Yes, sir, you may," said the woman.

"Be very careful not to open the bag," said the fox.

It happened that the woman was baking a cake. When she took it out of the oven the children cried out, "Please, mother, give me a piece of cake! Please, mother, give a piece of cake!"

And the little boy who was tied up in the bag smelled the cake and cried out, "Please, mammy, give me a piece of cake!"

The woman opened the bag and out stepped the little boy. She put the house-dog quickly into the bag and tied the bag up. Then she gave the little boy a piece of cake. He and the other children ate the cake and were very happy.

In a little while the fox came back. He thought his bag had not been opened for it was tied up as he had left it. He put it over his back and walked on down the road and into the deep woods. He sat down and untied his bag.

Bow, wow, wow! Out jumped the house-dog and ate up that fox.