Where the Red Fern Where the Red Fern GrowsGrows

Chapter VIII (8)Chapter VIII (8)

LanternLantern

Cleaned my boots until they Cleaned my boots until they were as soft as a were as soft as a

hummingbird’s nesthummingbird’s nest

Grinding my axGrinding my ax

These wonderful thoughts These wonderful thoughts made me feel just about made me feel just about as big as big

as our old red mule.as our old red mule.

Papa lit my Papa lit my lanternlantern. He said, . He said, “I’d like to see a big “I’d like to see a big coonskincoonskin

on the on the smokehousesmokehouse wall.” wall.”

Big Big grinninggrinning Ozark Ozark moonmoon, soft , soft yellow glow, starlit heavenyellow glow, starlit heaven

Every nerve in my body was Every nerve in my body was drawn up as tight as a drawn up as tight as a fiddlefiddle

string.string.

Tall Tall sycamoressycamores gleamed like gleamed like white streamerswhite streamers

A prowling A prowling skunkskunk

A A night hawknight hawk had found his had found his suppersupper..

They were out on an They were out on an old driftold drift, , sniffing around.sniffing around.

She came out on a She came out on a gravel gravel barbar……

He came out of He came out of the river onto the river onto a a sandbarsandbar..

He sailed over He sailed over the the log jamlog jam..

Large water oakLarge water oak

Bear LionBear Lion

Big CoonBig Coon

Sycamore (Giant of them Sycamore (Giant of them all)all)

Birch, Ash, Box Elder, and Water Birch, Ash, Box Elder, and Water OakOak

My My axax was sharp and the chips was sharp and the chips flew.flew.

My back felt like someone had My back felt like someone had pulled a plug out of one end of it pulled a plug out of one end of it

and and drained all the sap outdrained all the sap out..

Lunch BucketLunch Bucket

Her blue eyes got as big as a Her blue eyes got as big as a guinea’s eggguinea’s egg

““If that tree takes a notion to If that tree takes a notion to fall, it’ll mash you flatter fall, it’ll mash you flatter

than a than a tadpole’s tailtadpole’s tail.”.”

Chapter 8 VocabularyChapter 8 Vocabulary 1. rodent – a small animal with large 1. rodent – a small animal with large

gnawing teethgnawing teeth 2. riffle- water running over rocks2. riffle- water running over rocks

3. guinea’s egg- egg belonging to a guinea3. guinea’s egg- egg belonging to a guinea

Why did Billy decide to cut down “the big Why did Billy decide to cut down “the big sycamore tree” ?sycamore tree” ?