(a story)
This is a true story I heard last night.... a tale from the 1950s. Most of the people are family so I won't use their real names! .... but the events were actual!
In those times, the guys would often camp out when they were working on distant farms... and on this occasion, Harry and Stuart were with a friend Jack.... working a long way from the home farm... so it was not possible to go home at night.
The camp site was basically just an area in the bush in which they cleared space on the ground for their swags. Some readers may not know what a "swag" is..... it's a piece of canvas on which you lay your bedding and then roll it up. After tying the roll, it becomes an easily managed mobile bed!
Now when camping in the bush, the morning brings with it a minor deluge of drops of condensation from the trees above.... and without some protection, the drops will surely mean the end of your slumber because your bed will be wet. So the crew had strung rope between the trees and a larger tarpaulin was suspended over the camp area.
The weary workers settled down to sleep but after a time Stuart noticed a shape moving in the darkness. He roused Harry with a whispered "We've got a fox!" The two slowly raised their heads and watched the dim shape moving around them. The light from the dying fire was enough to make the fox's eyes glow like red coals in the darkness... and the men watched with fascination. The fox was very unlikely to try and bite them.... but it was unusual for an animal this wary to approach humans so closely. But this fella was curious!
In those times, the guys would often camp out when they were working on distant farms... and on this occasion, Harry and Stuart were with a friend Jack.... working a long way from the home farm... so it was not possible to go home at night.
The camp site was basically just an area in the bush in which they cleared space on the ground for their swags. Some readers may not know what a "swag" is..... it's a piece of canvas on which you lay your bedding and then roll it up. After tying the roll, it becomes an easily managed mobile bed!
Now when camping in the bush, the morning brings with it a minor deluge of drops of condensation from the trees above.... and without some protection, the drops will surely mean the end of your slumber because your bed will be wet. So the crew had strung rope between the trees and a larger tarpaulin was suspended over the camp area.
The weary workers settled down to sleep but after a time Stuart noticed a shape moving in the darkness. He roused Harry with a whispered "We've got a fox!" The two slowly raised their heads and watched the dim shape moving around them. The light from the dying fire was enough to make the fox's eyes glow like red coals in the darkness... and the men watched with fascination. The fox was very unlikely to try and bite them.... but it was unusual for an animal this wary to approach humans so closely. But this fella was curious!
After a short time Harry made a noise and the fox took off! Thinking that they'd seen the last of that fella, they settled down to sleep.
Now Jack had slept through this excitement and he slumbered still. Beside his swag he had a small bag with his toothbrush and his false teeth!..... and after the camp had settled back to sleep, the fox paid another visit. This time it had already scouted the territory and its target now was the small bag beside Jack.... I can only imagine that the odour of false teeth was something that the fox just had to examine.
Quickly the fox snatched the bag and was off.... but in his rush he knocked over the shovel leaning on the tree next to Jack. Poor Jack! ..... to be rudely roused by that shovel falling on his head. He woke with a loud cry and then chaos reigned.....
The guys soon realised that the fox had the bag.... and the teeth! The bag was OK but Jack had to have his teeth! So the chase was on. An unladen fox moves silently..... but a fox dragging a bag was making a lot of noise. So the guys could follow the fox in the dark. Unfortunately the bag was open and as the fox dragged the bag, the contents were emptying one by one...... but fortunately the set of teeth was one of the first to fall out. Jack found them.... and the guys then left the fox to it! As long as Jack had his teeth, he could cope with the rest.
The guys soon realised that the fox had the bag.... and the teeth! The bag was OK but Jack had to have his teeth! So the chase was on. An unladen fox moves silently..... but a fox dragging a bag was making a lot of noise. So the guys could follow the fox in the dark. Unfortunately the bag was open and as the fox dragged the bag, the contents were emptying one by one...... but fortunately the set of teeth was one of the first to fall out. Jack found them.... and the guys then left the fox to it! As long as Jack had his teeth, he could cope with the rest.
In the morning the trail of the dragging bag was plain to see and all the contents and the bag were found. I wonder whether the fox thought it was worth the fuss!
© Ian Croft February 2019
© Ian Croft February 2019
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