Study Guide

The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story Chapter 21

Chapter 21

We're back (from outer space) to Autumn 1942.
A new Underground group named Żegota is formed.
These people are dedicated to "rescue, not sabotage or fighting, and, as such, it was the only organization of its kind in occupied Europe during the war" (21.3).
As part of Żegota, Jan and Antonina help save many Jews. Their zoo floweth over with tenants.
Continuing the trend of hiding people in plain sight, the zoo soon becomes home to a Nazi fur farm.
In charge of it is Witold Wróblewski, a Pole nicknamed the "Fox Man."
Wróblewski raises foxes and other animals for fur. He is assisted by his cat, Balbina, who will never be anyone's fur coat.
The Fox Man actually uses Balbina as a wet nurse to feed young foxes.
Meanwhile, Antonina starts to care for a large muskrat named Szczurcio. She puts it in a cage on the porch, gives it a little swimming pool in a glass, and watches it bathe every day.
One day, the muskrat escapes, and our heroes find it in the chimney.
And another night, after soup is somehow spilled on the Fox Man's head, he lets birds eat noodles from his hair. Yum yum.

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