Fox in Socks
Encyclopedia
Fox in Socks is a children's book
by Dr. Seuss
, first published in 1965. It features two main characters, Fox (an anthropomorphic fox) and Knox, who speak almost entirely in densely rhyming tongue-twister
s.
The book in some ways bears a resemblance to Green Eggs and Ham
, another book by Dr. Seuss. Both stories contain two main characters: one who is stubborn and wants to be left alone; the other, a persistent and sometimes annoying opposite.
Finally, after the Fox gives an extended dissertation on Tweetle Beetles who fight (battle) with paddles while standing in a puddle inside a bottle (a Tweetle Beetle Bottle Puddle Paddle Battle Muddle), Knox acts on his frustration by stuffing Fox into the bottle, reciting a tongue-twister of his own:
Knox then declares that the game is finished, thanking the Fox for the fun, and walks away while the beetles, a poodle
, and the stunned Fox watch.
, a 1975 CBS
television special
. Here, the skit was part of a job: that of a "famous Tweetle Beetle statistician". If you took on this job, "you could be the world's greatest authority on Tweetle Beetle battlistics, if you study Tweetle Beetles and their ballistic characteristics." It ended by cutting back to the base, with Mr. Hoober-Bloob waving his arms around, covering his ears, and yelling, "Stop it! Stop it! I can't stand it! That world is a vastly cruddy, bloody bore!" The dissertation was read by Bob Holt, the voice of Mr. Hoober-Bloob, using a German impression similar to Ludwig von Drake
.
On the Dr. Seuss Presents... Audio CD Series, the story was narrated by Marvin Miller
(read in both a normal-speed and a fast version), along with Green Eggs and Ham
, Horton Hatches the Egg
, The Sneetches and Other Stories
, Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories, Bartholomew and the Oobleck
, If I Ran the Zoo
, and Dr. Seuss's Sleep Book
.
The entire book was translated by the Israeli author and lyricist Leah Na'or into Hebrew as "בא עם גרבים" (Ba Im Garba'im, literally "He Came With Socks"). Some emendations were made to the original text for better rhyming; for example, Knox's name, in this version, is "ברגז" (Bargaz), to rhyme with "ארגז" (argaz, meaning box), and the chicks in the beginning of the book became ducks. Occasionally the translator wrote a new tongue-twister to fit the existing artwork; the entire poem about the cheese trees, for instance, was replaced with an entirely new poem about an elephant who tripped and fell on his nose. This version of the book was published in 1980 by Keter Publications in Jerusalem.
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
by Dr. Seuss
Dr. Seuss
Theodor Seuss Geisel was an American writer, poet, and cartoonist most widely known for his children's books written under the pen names Dr. Seuss, Theo LeSieg and, in one case, Rosetta Stone....
, first published in 1965. It features two main characters, Fox (an anthropomorphic fox) and Knox, who speak almost entirely in densely rhyming tongue-twister
Tongue-twister
A tongue-twister is a phrase that is designed to be difficult to articulate properly, and can be used as a type of spoken word game. Some tongue-twisters produce results which are humorous when they are mispronounced, while others simply rely on the confusion and mistakes of the speaker for their...
s.
The book in some ways bears a resemblance to Green Eggs and Ham
Green Eggs and Ham
Green Eggs and Ham is a best-selling and critically acclaimed book by Dr. Seuss, first published on August 12, 1960. As of 2001, according to Publishers Weekly, it was the fourth-best-selling English-language children's book of all time....
, another book by Dr. Seuss. Both stories contain two main characters: one who is stubborn and wants to be left alone; the other, a persistent and sometimes annoying opposite.
Storyline
The book begins by introducing Fox and Knox (sometimes called "Mr. Fox" and "Mr. Knox") along with some props (a box and a pair of socks). After taking those four rhyming items through several permutations, more items are added (chicks, bricks, blocks, clocks), and so on. As the book progresses the Fox describes each situation with rhymes that progress in complexity, with Knox periodically complaining of the difficulty of the tongue-twisters.Finally, after the Fox gives an extended dissertation on Tweetle Beetles who fight (battle) with paddles while standing in a puddle inside a bottle (a Tweetle Beetle Bottle Puddle Paddle Battle Muddle), Knox acts on his frustration by stuffing Fox into the bottle, reciting a tongue-twister of his own:
- When a fox is in the bottle where the tweetle beetles battle with their paddles in a puddle on a noodle-eating poodle, THIS is what they call...
- ...a tweetle beetle noodle poodle bottled paddled muddled duddled fuddled wuddled fox in socks, sir!
Knox then declares that the game is finished, thanking the Fox for the fun, and walks away while the beetles, a poodle
Poodle
The Poodle is a breed of dog. The poodle breed is found officially in toy, miniature, and standard sizes, with many coat colors. Originally bred as a type of water dog, the poodle is highly intelligent and skillful in many dog sports, including agility, obedience, tracking, and even herding...
, and the stunned Fox watch.
Adaptations
The Tweetle Beetle skit was featured in The Hoober-Bloob HighwayThe Hoober-Bloob Highway
The Hoober-Bloob Highway is an animated musical special written by Dr. Seuss and produced by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises for CBS in 1975. The special is a musical, and features several songs written by Dr. Seuss and composed by Dean Elliott.Mr...
, a 1975 CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
television special
Television special
A television special is a television program which interrupts or temporarily replaces programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Sometimes, however, the term is given to a telecast of a theatrical film, such as The Wizard of Oz or The Ten Commandments, which is not part of a regular...
. Here, the skit was part of a job: that of a "famous Tweetle Beetle statistician". If you took on this job, "you could be the world's greatest authority on Tweetle Beetle battlistics, if you study Tweetle Beetles and their ballistic characteristics." It ended by cutting back to the base, with Mr. Hoober-Bloob waving his arms around, covering his ears, and yelling, "Stop it! Stop it! I can't stand it! That world is a vastly cruddy, bloody bore!" The dissertation was read by Bob Holt, the voice of Mr. Hoober-Bloob, using a German impression similar to Ludwig von Drake
Ludwig Von Drake
Professor Ludwig von Drake is one of Walt Disney's cartoon and comic book characters. He was first introduced on September 24, 1961, as the presenter in the cartoon An Adventure in Color, part of the first show of Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color on NBC...
.
On the Dr. Seuss Presents... Audio CD Series, the story was narrated by Marvin Miller
Marvin Miller (actor)
Marvin Elliott Miller was an American film and voice-over actor. Possessing a deep, baritone voice, he began his career in radio in St. Louis, Missouri before becoming a Hollywood actor...
(read in both a normal-speed and a fast version), along with Green Eggs and Ham
Green Eggs and Ham
Green Eggs and Ham is a best-selling and critically acclaimed book by Dr. Seuss, first published on August 12, 1960. As of 2001, according to Publishers Weekly, it was the fourth-best-selling English-language children's book of all time....
, Horton Hatches the Egg
Horton Hatches the Egg
Horton Hatches the Egg is a children's book by Dr. Seuss, first published in 1940. The character Horton appeared again in Horton Hears a Who!, published in 1954...
, The Sneetches and Other Stories
The Sneetches and Other Stories
The Sneetches and Other Stories is a collection of stories by Dr. Seuss . It is composed of four separate stories, unrelated except in the fact that most of the stories have important morals...
, Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories, Bartholomew and the Oobleck
Bartholomew and the Oobleck
Bartholomew and the Oobleck is a 1949 book by Dr. Seuss . It follows the adventures of a young boy named Bartholomew, who must rescue his kingdom from a sticky substance called "oobleck". The book is a sequel of sorts to The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins...
, If I Ran the Zoo
If I Ran the Zoo
If I Ran the Zoo is a children's book written by Dr. Seuss in 1950.The book is written in anapestic tetrameter, Seuss's usual verse type, and illustrated in Seuss's trademark pen and ink style...
, and Dr. Seuss's Sleep Book
Dr. Seuss's Sleep Book
Dr. Seuss's Sleep Book is a 1962 children's book by Dr. Seuss.This book begins with a small bug, named e, yawning. This yawn spreads and then the book follows various creatures, including the Foona Lagoona Baboona, the Collaspable Frink, the Chippendale Mupp, The Oft, and the Krandles, throughout...
.
The entire book was translated by the Israeli author and lyricist Leah Na'or into Hebrew as "בא עם גרבים" (Ba Im Garba'im, literally "He Came With Socks"). Some emendations were made to the original text for better rhyming; for example, Knox's name, in this version, is "ברגז" (Bargaz), to rhyme with "ארגז" (argaz, meaning box), and the chicks in the beginning of the book became ducks. Occasionally the translator wrote a new tongue-twister to fit the existing artwork; the entire poem about the cheese trees, for instance, was replaced with an entirely new poem about an elephant who tripped and fell on his nose. This version of the book was published in 1980 by Keter Publications in Jerusalem.