Fantastic Mr FoxDahl Roald.docx

Fantastic Mr FoxDahl Roald.docx

《Fantastic Mr FoxDahl Roald.docx》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《Fantastic Mr FoxDahl Roald.docx（22页珍藏版）》请在冰豆网上搜索。

FantasticMrFoxDahlRoald

RoaldDahl

FantasticMrFox

1TheThreeFarmers

Downinthevalleytherewerethreefarms.Theownersofthesefarmshaddonewell.Theywererichmen.Theywerealsonastymen.Allthreeofthemwereaboutasnastyandmeanasanymenyoucouldmeet.TheirnameswereFarmerBoggis,FarmerBunceandFarmerBean.

Boggiswasachickenfarmer.Hekeptthousandsofchickens.Hewasenormouslyfat.Thiswasbecauseheatethreeboiledchickenssmotheredwithdumplingseverydayforbreakfast,lunchandsupper.

Buncewasaduck-and-goosefarmer.Hekeptthousandsofducksandgeese.Hewasakindofpot-bellieddwarf.Hewassoshorthischinwouldhavebeenunderwaterintheshallowendofanyswimming-poolintheworld.Hisfoodwasdoughnutsandgoose-livers.Hemashedtheliversintoadisgustingpasteandthenstuffedthepasteintothedoughnuts.Thisdietgavehimatummy-acheandabeastlytemper.

Beanwasaturkey-and-applefarmer.Hekeptthousandsofturkeysinanorchardfullofappletrees.Heneverateanyfoodatall.Instead,hedrankgallonsofstrongciderwhichhemadefromtheapplesinhisorchard.Hewasasthinasapencilandthecleverestofthemall.

BoggisandBunceandBean

Onefat,oneshort,onelean.

Thesehorriblecrooks

Sodifferentinlooks

Werenonethelessequallymean.

Thatiswhatthechildrenroundaboutusedtosingwhentheysawthem.

2MrFox

Onahillabovethevalleytherewasawood.

Inthewoodtherewasahugetree.

Underthetreetherewasahole.

IntheholelivedMrFoxandMrsFoxandtheirfourSmallFoxes.

Everyeveningassoonasitgotdark,MrFoxwouldsaytoMrsFox,‘Well,mydarling,whatshallitbethistime?

AplumpchickenfromBoggis?

AduckoragoosefromBunce?

OraniceturkeyfromBean?

’AndwhenMrsFoxhadtoldhimwhatshewanted,MrFoxwouldcreepdownintothevalleyinthedarknessofthenightandhelphimself.

BoggisandBunceandBeanknewverywellwhatwasgoingon,anditmadethemwildwithrage.Theywerenotmenwholikedtogiveanythingaway.Lessstilldidtheylikeanythingtobestolenfromthem.Soeverynighteachofthemwouldtakehisshotgunandhideinadarkplacesomewhereonhisownfarm,hopingtocatchtherobber.

ButMrFoxwastoocleverforthem.Healwaysapproachedafarmwiththewindblowinginhisface,andthismeantthatifanymanwerelurkingintheshadowsahead,thewindwouldcarrythesmellofthatmantoMrFox’snosefromfaraway.Thus,ifMrBoggiswashidingbehindhisChickenHouseNumberOne,MrFoxwouldsmellhimoutfromfiftyyardsoffandquicklychangedirection,headingforChickenHouseNumberFourattheotherendofthefarm.

‘Dangandblastthatlousybeast!

’criedBoggis.

‘I’dliketoriphisgutsout!

’saidBunce.

‘Hemustbekilled!

’criedBean.

‘Buthow?

’saidBoggis.‘Howonearthcanwecatchtheblighter?

’

Beanpickedhisnosedelicatelywithalongfinger.‘Ihaveaplan,’hesaid.

‘You’veneverhadadecentplanyet,’saidBunce.

‘Shutupandlisten,’saidBean.‘Tomorrownightwewillallhidejustoutsidetheholewherethefoxlives.Wewillwaitthereuntilhecomesout.Then...Bang!

Bang-bang-bang.’

‘Veryclever,’saidBunce.‘Butfirstweshallhavetofindthehole.’

‘MydearBunce,I’vealreadyfoundit,’saidthecraftyBean.‘It’supinthewoodonthehill.It’sunderahugetree...’

3TheShooting

‘Well,mydarling,’saidMrFox.‘Whatshallitbetonight?

’

‘Ithinkwe’llhaveducktonight,’saidMrsFox.

‘Bringustwofatducks,ifyouplease.Oneforyouandme,andoneforthechildren.’

‘Ducksitshallbe!

’saidMrFox.‘Bunce’sbest!

’

‘Nowdobecareful,’saidMrsFox.

‘Mydarling,’saidMrFox,‘Icansmellthosegoonsamileaway.Icanevensmellonefromtheother.Boggisgivesoffafilthystinkofrottenchicken-skins.Buncereeksofgoose-livers,andasforBean,thefumesofappleciderhangaroundhimlikepoisonousgases.’

‘Yes,butjustdon’tgetcareless,’saidMrsFox.‘Youknowthey’llbewaitingforyou,allthreeofthem.’

‘Don’tyouworryaboutme,’saidMrFox.‘I’llseeyoulater.’

ButMrFoxwouldnothavebeenquitesocockyhadheknownexactlywherethethreefarmerswerewaitingatthatmoment.Theywerejustoutsidetheentrancetothehole,eachonecrouchingbehindatreewithhisgunloaded.Andwhatismore,theyhadchosentheirpositionsverycarefully,makingsurethatthewindwasnotblowingfromthemtowardsthefox’shole.Infact,itwasblowingintheoppositedirection.Therewasnochanceofthembeing‘smelledout’.

MrFoxcreptupthedarktunneltothemouthofhishole.Hepokedhislonghandsomefaceoutintothenightairandsniffedonce.

Hemovedaninchortwoforwardandstopped.

Hesniffedagain.Hewasalwaysespeciallycarefulwhencomingoutfromhishole.

Heinchedforwardalittlemore.Thefronthalfofhisbodywasnowintheopen.

Hisblacknosetwitchedfromsidetoside,sniffingandsniffingforthescentofdanger.Hefoundnone,andhewasjustabouttogotrottingforwardintothewoodwhenheheardorthoughtheheardatinynoise,asoftrustlingsound,asthoughsomeonehadmovedafooteversogentlythroughapatchofdryleaves.

MrFoxflattenedhisbodyagainstthegroundandlayverystill,hisearspricked.Hewaitedalongtime,butheheardnothingmore.

‘Itmusthavebeenafield-mouse,’hetoldhimself,‘orsomeothersmallanimal.’

Hecreptalittlefurtheroutofthehole...thenfurtherstill.Hewasalmostrightoutintheopennow.Hetookalastcarefullookaround.Thewoodwasmurkyandverystill.Somewhereintheskythemoonwasshining.

Justthen,hissharpnight-eyescaughtaglintofsomethingbrightbehindatreenotfaraway.Itwasasmallsilverspeckofmoonlightshiningonapolishedsurface.MrFoxlaystill,watchingit.Whatonearthwasit?

Nowitwasmoving.Itwascomingupandup...Greatheavens!

Itwasthebarrelofagun!

Quickasawhip,MrFoxjumpedbackintohisholeandatthatsameinstanttheentirewoodseemedtoexplodearoundhim.Bang-bang!

Bang-bang!

Bang-bang!

Thesmokefromthethreegunsfloatedupwardinthenightair.BoggisandBunceandBeancameoutfrombehindtheirtreesandwalkedtowardsthehole.

‘Didwegethim?

’saidBean.

Oneofthemshoneaflashlightonthehole,andthereontheground,inthecircleoflight,halfinandhalfoutofthehole,laythepoortatteredbloodstainedremainsof...afox’stail.Beanpickeditup.‘Wegotthetailbutwemissedthefox,’hesaid,tossingthethingaway.

‘Dangandblast!

’saidBoggis.‘Weshottoolate.Weshouldhaveletflythemomenthepokedhisheadout.’

‘Hewon’tbepokingitoutagaininahurry,’Buncesaid.

Beanpulledaflaskfromhispocketandtookaswigofcider.Thenhesaid,‘It’lltakethreedaysatleastbeforehegetshungryenoughtocomeoutagain.I’mnotsittingaroundherewaitingforthat.Let’sdighimout.’

‘Ah,’saidBoggis.‘Nowyou’retalkingsense.Wecandighimoutinacoupleofhours.Weknowhe’sthere.’

‘Ireckonthere’sawholefamilyofthemdownthathole,’Buncesaid.

‘Thenwe’llhavethelot,’saidBean.‘Gettheshovels!

’

4TheTerribleShovels

Downthehole,MrsFoxwastenderlylickingthestumpofMrFox’stailtostopthebleeding.‘Itwasthefinesttailformilesaround,’shesaidbetweenlicks.

‘Ithurts,’saidMrFox.

‘Iknowitdoes,sweetheart.Butit’llsoongetbetter.’

‘Anditwillsoongrowagain,Dad,’saidoneoftheSmallFoxes.

‘Itwillnevergrowagain,’saidMrFox.‘Ishallbetaillessfortherestofmylife.’Helookedveryglum.

Therewasnofoodforthefoxesthatnight,andsoonthechildrendozedoff.ThenMrsFoxdozedoff.ButMrFoxcouldn’tsleepbecauseofthepaininthestumpofhistail.‘Well,’hethought,‘IsupposeI’mluckytobealiveatall.Andnowthey’vefoundourhole,we’regoingtohavetomoveoutassoonaspossible.We’llnevergetanypeaceifwe...Whatwasthat?

’Heturnedhisheadsharplyandlistened.Thenoiseheheardnowwasthemostfrighteningnoiseafoxcaneverhear–thescrape-scrape-scrapingofshovelsdiggingintothesoil.

‘Wakeup!

’heshouted.‘They’rediggingusout!

’

MrsFoxwaswideawakeinonesecond.Shesatup,quiveringallover.‘Areyousurethat’sit?

’shewhispered.

‘I’mpositive!

Listen!

’

‘They’llkillmychildren!

’criedMrsFox.

‘Never!

’saidMrFox.

‘Butdarling,theywill!

’sobbedMrsFox.‘Youknowtheywill!

’

Scrunch,scrunch,scrunchwenttheshovelsabovetheirheads.Smallstonesandbitsofearthbeganfallingfromtheroofofthetunnel.

‘Howwilltheykillus,Mummy?

’askedoneoftheSmallFoxes.Hisroundblackeyeswerehugewithfright.‘Willtherebedogs?

’hesaid.

MrsFoxbegantocry.Shegatheredherfourchildrenclosetoherandheldthemtight.

Suddenlytherewasanespeciallyloudcrunchabovetheirheadsandthesharpendofashovelcamerightthroughtheceiling.ThesightofthisawfulthingseemedtohaveanelectriceffectuponMrFox.Hejumpedupandshouted,‘I’vegotit!

Comeon!

There’snotamomenttolose!

Whydidn’tIthinkofitbefore!

’

‘Thinkofwhat,Dad?

’

‘Afoxcandigquickerthanaman!

’shoutedMrFox,beginningtodig.‘Nobodyintheworldcandigasquickasafox!

’

ThesoilbegantoflyoutfuriouslybehindMrFoxashestartedtodigfordearlifewithhisfrontfeet.MrsFoxranforwardtohelphim.Sodidthefourchildren.

‘Godownwards!

’orderedMrFox.‘We’vegottogodeep!

Asdeepaswepossiblycan!

’

Thetunnelbegantogrowlongerandlonger.Itslopedsteeplydownward.Deeperanddeeperbelowthesurfaceofthegrounditwent.Themotherandthefatherandallfourofthechildrenwerediggingtogether.Theirfrontlegsweremovingsofastyoucouldn’tseet