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The Tale of Tommy Fox

by Arthur Scott Bailey

The Tale of Tommy Fox

The Tale of Tommy Fox is a story about the adventures of the mischievous Tommy Fox and his escapades with the Farmer, his dog, and his boy.

Source: Bailey, A. S. (1917). The Tale of Tommy Fox. New York: Grosset and Dunlap.

Chapter 1: “Tommy Enjoys Himself”
Tommy Fox plays with a feather and runs in circles to distract a dog’s scent trail. On his way home, he gets hungry and picks up the scent of Old Mother Grouse.
Chapter 2: “Johnnie Green Goes Hunting”
Tommy sees Old Mother Grouse and tries to eat her but she flies away just in time. He hears Johnny Green and runs home.
Chapter 3: “Tommy Fox Learns to Hunt”
Mrs. Fox teaches Tommy how to hunt by using a woodchuck.
Chapter 4: “Mother Grouse’s Children”
Tommy learns a lesson about cleverness when he is fooled by Old Mother Grouse and is unable to catch her or her children.
Chapter 5: “Tommy Fox is Hungry”
When Tommy Fox plays ill, a squirrel is fooled.
Chapter 6: “Mr. Gray Squirrel’s Mistake”
Tommy Fox opens one eye a little bit to see the squirrel. The squirrel saw this and Tommy missed catching the squirrel.
Chapter 7: “Tommy Chases Mr. Woodchuck”
Tommy Fox plays a cat-and-mouse game with Mr. Woodchuck and Mr. Woodchuck escapes down a hole.
Chapter 8: “Something Makes Tommy Very Proud”
Tommy hunts Mr. Woodchuck and brings him home.
Chapter 9: “Tommy Fox in Trouble”
Despite a warning from his mother, Tommy tries to steal one of Farmer Green’s hens.
Chapter 10: “Mrs. Fox Outwits Dog Spot”
When Tommy is chased by Farmer Green’s dog for trying to steal a hen, he runs straight for home. His mother fools the dog and loses him.
Chapter 11: “Tommy Grows Too Careless”
Tommy was older now and loved to have Spot, the dog, chase him. When Spot almost catches him, Tommy runs home. Spot discovers Tommy’s home and Tommy is worried.
Chapter 12: “Old Mr. Crow Is Pleased”
When Mrs. Fox returns home, she finds a trap outside her house. She warns Tommy not to step on the trap, but when Mr. Crow yells out something, Tommy is frightened and steps in the trap.
Chapter 13: “Johnnie Green and His New Pet”
When Tommy is caught in a trap, Farmer Green’s son wants to keep him as a pet.
Chapter 14: “Tommy Fox Makes a Strange Friend”
Tommy and Spot become friends. Farmer Green discovers hen feathers near Tommy.
Chapter 15: “Johnnie Green Feels Sad”
When Farmer Green discovers that Tommy was stealing his hens, he wants to kill Tommy. Johnnie feels sad for Tommy, but luckily Tommy escapes.
Chapter 16: “Tommy Becomes Boastful”
Johnnie lets Tommy loose. Tommy runs to his new home with his mother. He tells the forest animals his adventures with Farmer Green.
Chapter 17: “Paying a Call on a Friend”
Mr. Crow tricks Tommy into paying a call on his new friend Spot. When Tommy sees that Farmer Green has a new dog, he runs home.
Chapter 18: “The World Turns White”
Tommy and his mother are chased by Farmer Green’s new dog. They try to outwit and outrun him.
Chapter 19: “Tommy Fox Learns a New Trick”
Tommy and his mother outwit and outrun the farmer’s dogs.
Chapter 20: “The Drummer of the Woods”
Tommy makes up his mind to catch a grouse and chases Mr. Grouse.
Chapter 21: “The Biggest Surprise of All”
Tommy tries to catch Mr. Grouse. Mrs. Fox has five babies.
  • Year Published: 1917
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: United States of America
  • Readability:
    • Flesch–Kincaid Level: 4.0
  • Word Count: 13,777
  • Genre: Fantasy
  • Keywords: 20th century literature, american literature, children's stories, sleepy-time tales
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