Fantastic Mr. Fox

2008/9 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Children's Books

Fantastic Mr. Fox is a children's book written by Roald Dahl, first published in the US by Alfred A. Knopf in 1970 with illustrations by Donald Chaffin. Some later editions were illustrated by Tony Ross, others by Quentin Blake and Jill Bennett.

Plot

The story is about a fox called Mr. Fox. At night, he steals chickens, ducks, and turkeys from three mean farmers — Boggis, Bunce and Bean — in order to feed his family. The farmers are fed up with this and try everything to kill him. One night they wait outside his foxhole in an attempt to ambush him. When Mr. Fox emerges from his home, they fire at him but only succeed in blowing off his tail.

Determined to catch him, the farmers use spades and shovels to dig their way into the foxes' home, but Mr and Mrs Fox and their four children dig a tunnel deeper into the ground and manage to escape. The farmers even resort to using bulldozers in order to dig deeper into the ground, but to no avail.

The three men therefore decide to play a waiting game, keeping watch on the entrance to the tunnel with shotguns at the ready, while their men patrol the area to make sure the foxes don't escape.

After three days of starving, Mr. Fox comes up with a plan. He and his children dig further on and end up in Boggis' number one chicken house. There they steal some chickens and depart without leaving any sign of their presence there. They also raid Bunce's storehouse of ducks, geese and vegetables and Bean's underground cellar of apple cider.

Along the way they meet Badger and other digging animals who are also starving due to the farmers' siege of the hillside. Mr Fox, feeling responsible for the whole affair, invites the other animals to a feast made from the loot and they all decide to make an underground town where they will be safe, while discreetly obtaining food from the farmers.

Meanwhile Boggis, Bunce and Bean keep guard on the tunnel entrance in pouring rain, unaware that Mr Fox and his friends are stealing their food right under their noses.

Verse about the Three Farmers

In the book, local children sing the following verse to taunt the three farmers:

Boggis and Bunce and Bean
One fat, one short, one lean.
These horrible crooks
So different in looks
Were nonetheless equally mean.

Opera

Fantastic Mr Fox has been adapted into an opera by Tobias Picker (libretto by Donald Sturrock).

Film version

The book is being adapted into a film by director Wes Anderson for release in 2009.

Editions

ISBN 0-375-82207-0 ( hardcover, 2002)

ISBN 0-14-131128-2 ( paperback, 2001)

ISBN 0-14-130753-6 (paperback, 2000)

ISBN 0-670-88025-6 (hardcover, 1998)

ISBN 0-14-130113-9 (paperback, 1998)

ISBN 0-14-038251-8 (paperback, 1996)

ISBN 0-14-032872-6 (paperback, 1988)

ISBN 0-394-80497-X (hardcover, 1970)