下载掌阅APP，畅读海量书库
立即打开
Time—A HOT SUMMER DAY
Place—THE WOODS
Persons:
brother Fox
brother rAbbit
[Brother Fox is trotting along a path in the woods, and suddenly meets Brother Rabbit.]
BR OTHER RABBIT. It’s a hot day, Brother Fox. Where are you going?
BROTHER FOX. I’m going fishing. Come along with me.
BR OTHER RABBIT. On a hot day like this? Sit in the sun and fish? No, indeed!
BR OTHER FOX. Well, let’s get some boughs and build a little house on the edge of the river. Then we can sit in it and be cool while we fish.
BR OTHER RABBIT. Build a house this hot day? No, thank you!I don’t care for fish, anyway. A few green leaves are all I need.
BR OTHER FOX. [Angrily.] Very well, then! But I’m going to build a cool little house. It will be my own house, and I shall fish there alone!
BROTHER RABBIT. All right, Brother Fox. Good-bye!
[Brother Rabbit runs off down the path.]
BR OTHER FOX. Now I’ll build my house; and I’d like to see Brother Rabbit set his foot in it.
[Brother Fox goes to the river bank and builds a house of boughs.]
Time—the next AFternoon
Place—brother Fox’S LittLe houSe
Persons:
brother Fox
brother rAbbit
[Brother Rabbit is sitting in Brother Fox’s house, fishing. He hears a sound.]
BR OTHER RABBIT. That must be Brother Fox! I’ll run up the bank and hide in the bushes.
[He hides, and a moment later Brother Fox comes along with a basket and a fish-pole]
BR OTHER FOX. Now for a fine basket of fish! No more sitting in the hot sun for me! [Suddenly he sees tracks near the door.]What are these? Rabbit-tracks? So Brother Rabbit has been in my house! Oh, I wish I could catch him fishing here! But how can I do it? [After a moment’s thought.] I have it! I have it!Look out, Brother Rabbit! I’ll catch you yet!
[Brother Fox runs off down the path, and Brother Rabbit runs home, laughing.]
Time—THE AFTERNOON OF THE THIRD DAY
Place—THE LITTLE HOUSE BY THE RIVER
Persons:
BROTHER FOX BROTHER RABBIT
THE TAR BABY
[Brother Fox steals through the bushes, carrying a wooden doll covered with tar.]
BR OTHER FOX. I’ll catch Brother Rabbit this time. How soft and sticky this tar is!
[Brother Fox puts the Tar Baby on the path near the little house.Then he hides in the bushes. By and by Brother Rabbit comes down the path, with his fish-pole and line]
BR OTHER RABBIT. [Looking around.] No one here! Now for a cool fish! [Suddenly he see the Tar Baby.] Hello, there! Who are you?
[The Tar Baby says nothing.]
BROTHER RABBIT. Why don’t you answer me?
[The Tar Baby says nothing.]
BR OTHER RABBIT. [Going up closer.] See here! Have you no tongue in your black head? Answer me! Speak up in a hurry, or I’ll hit you.
[The Tar Baby says nothing. Brother: Rabbit hits him with his right hand. It sticks fast.]
BR OTHER RABBIT. [Very angry.] Here! What’s this! Let go my hand. Let go, I tell you! Will you let go? [He raises his left hand.]
[The Tar Baby says nothing. Brother Rabbit strikes—Bam! His left hand sticks fast.]
BR OTHER RABBIT. [In a rage.] Turn me loose! [He raises his right foot.] Do you see this foot? Do you want me to kick you with it?
[The Tar Baby says nothing. Brother Rabbit kicks him—Bom! His foot sticks fast. He quickly raises the other.]
BR OTHER RABBIT. [Shouting.] Do you think I have only one foot? See this one! If I kick you with it, you’ll think it is Brother Bear knocking your teeth out!
[The Tar Baby says nothing. Brother Rabbit kicks him—Boom! His left foot sticks fast, too. He wags his head back and forth.]
BR OTHER RABBIT. [Screaming.] Look out now! Turn me loose!If I butt your woolly head, it will be the last of you. You’ll never stop till you strike the bottom of the river. Answer me! Will you turn me loose?
[The Tar Baby says nothing. Brother Rabbit butts him—Riff! His head sticks fast.]
BR OTHER RABBIT. [Whining.] Black boy, let me go! Turn me loose! I was just playing!
BR OTHER FOX. [Running from the bushes and dancing up and down with joy.] How do you like my Tar Baby, Brother Rabbit?I have you now! You’ll see what happens to people who steal into my little house.
BR OTHER RABBIT. [Whining.] Let me go, Brother Fox! Let me go. I am your friend.
BROTHER FOX. I don’t want a thief for a friend.
I think I’ll just build a big fire.
BR OTHER RABBIT. [Frightened. ] What for, Brother Fox? What for?
BR OTHER FOX. I think I’ll have a roast for dinner. Roast rabbit is good.
[Brother Fox gathers branches and puts them down beside Brother Rabbit and the Tar Baby. Then he sets the branches on fire, and goes off for more fire-wood]
BR OTHER RABBIT. [Squirming.] Oh, oh, my hair and whiskers!
I’m scorching! Turn me loose! [As the fire grows hotter it melts the tar, and one of Brother Rabbit’s hands is loosened.] My hand is loose! Hurrah! This Tar Baby is melting! Hurrah,hurrah! [He squirms again.]
BR OTHER FOX. [Returning and throwing on more branches.] How is that, Brother Rabbit? Is that fire big enough to roast a rabbit?
[Brother Rabbit stops squirming. He sits very still and does not let Brother Fox see that one of his hands is loose.]
BR OTHER RABBIT. [Scornfully.] Do you call this a fire? You’ll have to build a bigger one than this to scare me!
BR OTHER FOX. [Very angry.] You shall have fire enough to do more than scare you. I’ll bring an armful that will roast you.[Brother Fox goes off for more branches. While he is away, the fire melts the tar so that Brother Rabbit shakes himself free.]
BR OTHER RABBIT. [Calling back as he runs away.] Build your fire all you want to, Brother Fox! But you can’t have roast rabbit this time! How would you like some melted tar?
[He goes off into the bushes, laughing.]
(Frederick Ortoli )
bough : branches
steals : walks carefully
rage : great anger
butt : strike with the head
squirm : twist about
scorching : burning
A) Contractions are words that are made up of two separate words.For example: cannot is changed into can’t. Fill in the appropriate contraction or two words that made up that contraction.
1) it’s _______ ________
2) ______________ let us
3) don’t ____________ ______________
4) _______________ I will
5) ____________________ I would
6) you’ll ___________ __________
7) couldn’t ______________________
8) __________ _________ we will
9) __________ __________ should not
10) I’ve ____________ ___________
B) Answer the following questions.
1) What does Act I tell you about Brother Rabbit?
2) Why did Brother Fox want to catch Brother Rabbit?
3) What plan did Brother Fox make for catching him?
4) Tell how Brother Rabbit got caught.
5) How did Brother Rabbit get free?