| Old Brown | |
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 | |
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Real Name |
Old Brown |
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First Appearance |
The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin (1903) |
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Original Publisher |
Frederick Warne & Co. |
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Created by |
Beatrix Potter |
Origin[]
Old Brown is an elderly owl who lives in a Hollow Oak Tree on Owl Island. He is reclusive, unfriendly, and does not take kindly to jokes or riddles. He reigns over the island and expects anyone who visits it to present him with an offering.
Old Brown finds Squirrel Nutkin, Twinkleberry, and other squirrels on his doorstep with an offering of three fat mice. As they ask him for permission to gather nuts around Owl Island, Nutkin decides to excitedly chime in and tells Old Brown a riddle, but the owl pays no attention to him and instead shuts his eyes and falls asleep.
The next day, Old Brown is sound asleep when the squirrels show up on his doorstep again with a fat mole as an offering. Nutkin, who doesn't have much respect, tries to wake up him up by poking him with a nettle while singing another riddle. Old Brown wakes up, takes the mole, goes back inside the Hollow Oak Tree, and shuts the door right in Nutkin's face.
On the third day, Twinkleberry, Nutkin, and six other squirrels show up at the Hollow Oak Tree again--each of them, except Nutkin, presents Old Brown with a minnow as an offering. Once again, Nutkin tells Old Brown a riddle but the owl takes no interest.
The next day, the squirrels present Old Brown with six fat beetles wrapped in dock leafs and secured with pine needles pins. Old Brown continues ignoring Squirrel Nutkin's foolishness.
The following day, the squirrels take an offering of honey for Old Brown and Nutkin begins skipping and singing another riddle and Old Brown rolls his eyes in annoyance.
On the sixth day, the squirrels present Old Brown with an egg in a rush basket and, Like always, Nutkin begins dancing around and singing riddles, becoming louder and more obnoxious. Suddenly, Nutkin leaps onto Old Brown's head and the owl lets out a loud squeaking sound during the scuffle. Old Brown captures Nutkin, puts him in his pocket, and takes him inside the Hollow Oak Tree.
Once inside, Old Brown picks Nutkin up by his tail and intends to skin him but Nutkin manages to get away, losing his tail in the process.
Public Domain Appearances[]
All published appearances of Old Brown from before January 1, 1930 are public domain in the US.
Some notable appearances are listed below:
Public Domain Literary Appearances[]
- The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin, by Beatrix Potter (1903)