| “ | What happens once they have enough guns converted so that bunnies and goats and chickens can fire them? They'll invade the Homelands? | „ |
| ~ Snow White to Weyland Smith |
"Warlord of the Flies: Part Four of Animal Farm" is the ninth story in Fables, with a cover date of March 2003. It was published on January 8, 2003.[1]
Publisher's summary
As Snow White and Reynard the Fox run for their lives, Rose becomes a revolutionary. Trekking through woods and battling it out with lions, tigers and bears, Snow discovers that country life is even more dangerous than the big city.[1]
Plot
Rose is holding a gun at Snow. Rose tells her she's under arrest for crimes against Fablekind. Goldilocks says Snow should be shot for oppressing them, not arrested. Rose says that that was her condition in joining them. She says her sister should live long enough at least for a trial. Goldilocks says there is no time for a trial and Snow can't be allowed to be free. Finally, Dun and Posey say that they agree there is no time but that they did make a deal with Rose. Snow will be chained and forced to work with Weyland in converting the weapons for the non-human Fables to use. Snow tries pleading with Rose. She can't believe that she would side with them. Rose says that their grievances are legit and have been ignored for too long. She says this revolution was bound to happen sooner or later and she wants to be on the winning side.
A few hours later, back in the city, the "posse" is getting ready to head up to the Farm. Boy Blue, Prince Charming, Bluebeard, and Bufkin are driving up. Bufkin wants to drive but, Bluebeard is ready to shoot him.
In the cave by the Farm, Snow wakes up from an overdue rest. She asks Weyland what happened and how he got in this situation. He says he simply went to bed one night and woke up chained and forced to work on the weapons. They have placed a magical spell on the chain. It prevents him from the urge to try to escape and forces him to do what he is told to do. Snow asks him what he's working on and is surprised to see that he's making a key to allow her to escape. The spell only makes it so that he cannot try to escape. The spell doesn't stop him from setting Snow free.
Now that Snow is free from her chain, she wonders how to liberate Weyland. He cannot do anything to help her. Snow thinks and wonders if there is something around the cave that will help free Weyland.
In the forest outside the Farm, Reynard is talking to some Fables that are still loyal. King Noble, tells Reynard to find out if Snow is still alive after Shere Khan went after her. Eventually he finds the remains of Shere Khan at the bottom of the mountain. He is pleased that Snow was able to take care of herself.
Reynard works his way up the mountain as Snow is still trying to pry the shackle off of Weyland. He is getting extremely nervous in her methods but still cannot help in any way. She decides to try to find something to pick the lock when Reynard suggests using the key that's just lying on the ground (that Weyland made for Snow). Snow doesn't think it'd work since he made it for her shackle. Reynard points out that the locks look exactly the same. Snow asks Weyland if it'd work. Sweating, he still cannot say anything to help. Snow suddenly gets it. He found a loop hole that lets him make a key to free himself. With the key in the lock, Weyland is now free.
Snow asks Weyland some questions before they leave. She wants to know how many weapons they have, what sort of communications they've set up, and wants to know why the giant sleepers sleep for so long. Weyland says they have guns for every Fable in the Farm. They haven't set up any real means of communications as they were concentrating on weapons. He mentions that the giants are under a spell to make them sleep so that they don't have to try to explain their existence to the outside world. What Snow wants to know about them, is what will it take to wake them up. She sends Reynard to the Farm to try to gather up anyone still loyal to them.
At the Farm, Dun is conducting a meeting. He says that as soon as they can get transportation set up, they will move into the city and take control of Fabletown. Then they will begin getting ready to re-claim the homelands. Snow shows up carrying a white flag. Goldilocks is ready to shoot her but Rose says they can't since she's holding a flag.
Snow orders everyone to drop their weapons and disperse because the revolution is over. They are all surprised since they have her surrounded. She reminds them that she is Snow White, she runs Fabletown, and is never outgunned. She orders the barn to be "killed" and it goes up in flames. Up above, is Clara, a dragon, with Weyland on her back. She tells him to burn the town and anyone that tries to escape if anything happens to her. The giant brothers also move in to surround the Farm.
Charming, Blue, Bluebeard, and Bufkin are almost at the Farm. It seems they got lost and had to ask for directions. They see a plume of smoke and the Three Brothers awake. They get out of the car as Prince Charming tells Snow they're there to rescue her. Snow tells them it's under control and her sister and the others are under arrest. She tells them to watch out because Goldilocks managed to escape.
Hiding out, Goldilocks aims her rifle and shoots Snow in the head.
Appearances
Characters
- "The Big Sleepers"
- Billy Goat Gruff ("Bill") (first appearance)
- Bluebeard
- Boy Blue
- "The Br'er group"
- Br'er Gator
- Br'er Rabbit (first identified as Br'er Rabbit)
- Bruin the Bear (first appearance)
- Bufkin
- Chanticleer the Cock (first appearance)
- Chicken Little
- The Dish and the Spoon
- Duck
- Goldilocks (first identified as Goldilocks)
- Grimbard the Badger (first appearance)
- "The jungle group"
- Shere Khan (corpse)
- Ladybug
- King Noble (first identified as King Noble)
- Kyward the Hare (first appearance)
- Mail mouse
- Mister Sunflower
- Mr. Mole (first appearance)
- Mr. Toad
- Owl and Pussy Cat
- Playing cards
- Puss in Boots
- Prince Charming
- Red Cap the Troll
- Reynard the Fox
- The Rhinoceros
- Rockford J. Raccoon
- Snow White
- "Stinky"
- The Three Bears
- Three Blind Mice
- Leland
- Prescott
- Thaddeus
- Three Little Pigs
- Thumbelina (mentioned)
- Tom Thumb (mentioned)
- The Tortoise and the Hare
- The Walrus
- Weyland Smith
- White Rabbit (first appearance)
Fictional species
Multispecies
Species
- Dragon
- Flying monkey
- Giant
- Redcap
- Wind (hybrid)
Locations
- Homelands (mentioned)
- Mundane world
- Albany (mentioned on sign)
- New York City
- The Farm
- The great woods
- The main village
- The barn
- The blacksmith's workshop
- The farm square (as "the village center")
- Main house (as "the farmhouse)
- Pumpkin House
- The stables
- Tom Thumb's miniature castle
- The well
- Valley of the Big Sleepers
- Cave
Other
See also