24
Veruca in the Nut Room
Mr Wonka rushed on down the corridor. THE NUT ROOM, it said on the
next door they came to.
‘All right,’ said Mr Wonka, ‘stop here for a moment and catch your
breath, and take a peek through the glass panel of this door. But don’t go
in! Whatever you do, don’t go into THE NUT ROOM! If you go in, you’ll
disturb the squirrels!’
Everyone crowded around the door.
‘Oh look, Grandpa, look!’ cried Charlie.
‘Squirrels!’ shouted Veruca Salt.
‘Crikey!’ said Mike Teavee.
It was an amazing sight. One hundred squirrels were seated upon high
stools around a large table. On the table, there were mounds and
mounds of walnuts, and the squirrels were all working away like mad,
shelling the walnuts at a tremendous speed.
‘These squirrels are specially trained for getting the nuts out of
walnuts,’ Mr Wonka explained.
‘Why use squirrels?’ Mike Teavee asked. ‘Why not use Oompa-
Loompas?’
‘Because,’ said Mr Wonka, ‘Oompa-Loompas can’t get walnuts out of
walnut shells in one piece. They always break them in two. Nobody
except squirrels can get walnuts whole out of walnut shells every time. It
is extremely difficult. But in my factory, I insist upon only whole
walnuts. Therefore I have to have squirrels to do the job. Aren’t they
wonderful, the way they get those nuts out! And see how they first tap
each walnut with their knuckles to be sure it’s not a bad one! If it’s bad,
it makes a hollow sound, and they don’t bother to open it. They just
throw it down the rubbish chute. There! Look! Watch that squirrel
nearest to us! I think he’s got a bad one now!’