the great big treasury of beatrix potter-第14章

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s！




THE　TALE　OF　MR。　TOD

＇For　William　Francis　of　UlvaSomeday！＇




I　have　made　many　books　about　well…behaved　people。　Now；　for　a　change；　I　am　going　to　make　a　story　about　two　disagreeable　people；　called　Tommy　Brock　and　Mr。　Tod。

Nobody　could　call　Mr。　Tod　〃nice。〃　The　rabbits　could　not　bear　him；　they　could　smell　him　half　a　mile　off。　He　was　of　a　wandering　habit　and　he　had　foxy　whiskers；　they　never　knew　where　he　would　be　next。

One　day　he　was　living　in　a　stick…　house　in　the　coppice　＇grove＇；　causing　terror　to　the　family　of　old　Mr。　Benjamin　Bouncer。　Next　day　he　moved　into　a　pollard　willow　near　the　lake；　frightening　the　wild　ducks　and　the　water　rats。

In　winter　and　early　spring　he　might　generally　be　found　in　an　earth　amongst　the　rocks　at　the　top　of　Bull　Banks；　under　Oatmeal　Crag。

He　had　half　a　dozen　houses；　but　he　was　seldom　at　home。

The　houses　were　not　always　empty　when　Mr。　Tod　moved　OUT；　because　sometimes　Tommy　Brock　moved　IN；　（without　asking　leave）。

Tommy　Brock　was　a　short　bristly　fat　waddling　person　with　a　grin；　he　grinned　all　over　his　face。　He　was　not　nice　in　his　habits。　He　ate　wasp　nests　and　frogs　and　worms；　and　he　waddled　about　by　moonlight；　digging　things　up。

His　clothes　were　very　dirty；　and　as　he　slept　in　the　daytime；　he　al…

ways　went　to　bed　in　his　boots。　And　the　bed　which　he　went　to　bed　in　was　generally　Mr。　Tod's。

Now　Tommy　Brock　did　occasionally　eat　rabbit　pie；　but　it　was　only　very　little　young　ones　occasionally；　when　other　food　was　really　scarce。　He　was　friendly　with　old　Mr。　Bouncer；　they　agreed　in　disliking　the　wicked　otters　and　Mr。　Tod；　they　often　talked　over　that　painful　subject。

Old　Mr。　Bouncer　was　stricken　in　years。　He　sat　in　the　spring　sunshine　outside　the　burrow；　in　a　muffler；　smoking　a　pipe　of　rabbit　tobacco。

He　lived　with　his　son　Benjamin　Bunny　and　his　daughter…in…law　Flopsy；　who　had　a　young　family。　Old　Mr。　Bouncer　was　in　charge　of　the　family　that　afternoon；　because　Benjamin　and　Flopsy　had　gone　out。

The　little　rabbit　babies　were　just　old　enough　to　open　their　blue　eyes　and　kick。　They　lay　in　a　fluffy　bed　of　rabbit　wool　and　hay；　in　a　shallow　burrow；　separate　from　the　main　rabbit　hole。　To　tell　the　truthold　Mr。　Bouncer　had　forgotten　them。

He　sat　in　the　sun；　and　conversed　cordially　with　Tommy　Brock；　who　was　passing　through　the　wood　with　a　sack　and　a　little　spud　which　he　used　for　digging；　and　some　mole　traps。　He　complained　bitterly　about　the　scarcity　of　pheasants'

eggs；　and　accused　Mr。　Tod　of　poaching　them。　And　the　otters　had　cleared　off　all　the　frogs　while　he　was　asleep　in　winter〃I　have　not　had　a　good　square　meal　for　a　fort…　night；　I　am　living　on　pig…nuts。　I　shall　have　to　turn　vegetarian　and　eat　my　own　tail！〃　said　Tommy　Brock。

It　was　not　much　of　a　joke；　but　it　tickled　old　Mr。　Bouncer；　because　Tommy　Brock　was　so　fat　and　stumpy　and　grinning。

So　old　Mr。　Bouncer　laughed；　and　pressed　Tommy　Brock　to　come　inside；　to　taste　a　slice　of　seed　cake　and　〃a　glass　of　my　daughter　Flopsy's　cowslip　wine。〃　Tommy　Brock　squeezed　himself　into　the　rabbit　hole　with　alacrity。

Then　old　Mr。　Bouncer　smoked　another　pipe；　and　gave　Tommy　Brock　a　cabbage　leaf　cigar　which　was　so　very　strong　that　it　made　Tommy　Brock　grin　more　than　ever；　and　the　smoke　filled　the　burrow。　Old　Mr。　Bouncer　coughed　and　laughed；　and　Tommy　Brock　puffed　and　grinned。

And　Mr。　Bouncer　laughed　and　coughed；　and　shut　his　eyes　because　of　the　cabbage　smoke　。。。。。。。。。。

When　Flopsy　and　Benjamin　came　back　old　Mr。　Bouncer　woke　up。　Tommy　Brock　and　all　the　young　rabbit　babies　had　disappeared！

Mr。　Bouncer　would　not　confess　that　he　had　admitted　anybody　into　the　rabbit　hole。　But　the　smell　of　badger　was　undeniable；　and　there　were　round　heavy　footmarks　in　the　sand。　He　was　in　disgrace；　Flopsy　wrung　her　ears；　and　slapped　him。

Benjamin　Bunny　set　off　at　once　after　Tommy　Brock。

There　was　not　much　difficulty　in　tracking　him；　he　had　left　his　foot…　mark　and　gone　slowly　up　the　wind…

ing　footpath　through　the　wood。　Here　he　had　rooted　up　the　moss　and　wood　sorrel。　There　he　had　dug　quite　a　deep　hole　for　dog　darnel；　and　had　set　a　mole　trap。　A　little　stream　crossed　the　way。　Benjamin　skipped　lightly　over　dry…foot；　the　badger's　heavy　steps　showed　plainly　in　the　mud。

The　path　led　to　a　part　of　the　thicket　where　the　trees　had　been　cleared；　there　were　leafy　oak　stumps；　and　a　sea　of　blue　hyacinths　but　the　smell　that　made　Benjamin　stop　was　NOT　the　smell　of　flowers！

Mr。　Tod's　stick　house　was　before　him；　and；　for　once；　Mr。　Tod　was　at　home。　There　was　not　only　a　foxy　flavor　in　proof　of　itthere　was　smoke　coming　out　of　the　broken　pail　that　served　as　a　chimney。

Benjamin　Bunny　sat　up；　staring；　his　whiskers　twitched。　Inside　the　stick　house　somebody　dropped　a　plate；　and　said　something。　Benjamin　stamped　his　foot；　and　bolted。

He　never　stopped　till　he　came　to　the　other　side　of　the　wood。　Apparently　Tommy　Brock　had　turned　the　same　way。　Upon　the　top　of　the　wall　there　were　again　the　marks　of

badger；　and　some　ravellings　of　a　sack　had　caught　on　a　briar。

Benjamin　climbed　over　the　wall；　into　a　meadow。　He　found　another　mole　trap　newly　set；　he　was　still　upon　the　track　of　Tommy　Brock。　It　was　getting　late　in　the　afternoon。　Other　rabbits　were　coming　out　to　enjoy　the　evening　air。　One　of　them　in　a　blue　coat；　by　himself；　was　busily　hunting　for　dandelions。　〃Cousin　Peter！　Peter　Rabbit；　Peter　Rabbit！〃　shouted　Benjamin　Bunny。

The　blue　coated　rabbit　sat　up　with　pricked　ears〃Whatever　is　the　matter；　Cousin　Benjamin？　Is　it　a　cat？　or　John　Stoat　Ferret？〃

〃No；　no；　no！　He's　bagged　my　familyTommy　Brockin　a　sack　have　you　seen　him？〃

〃Tommy　Brock？　how　many；　Cousin　Benjamin？〃

〃Seven；　Cousin　Peter；　and　all　of　them　twins！　Did　he　come　this　way？　Please　tell　me　quick！〃

〃Yes；　yes；　not　ten　minutes　since　。。。。　he　said　they　were　CATERPILLARS；　I　did　think　they　were　kicking　rather　hard；　for　caterpillars。〃

〃Which　way？　which　way　has　he　gone；　Cousin　Peter？〃

〃He　had　a　sack　with　something　'live　in　it；　I　watched　him　set　a　mole　trap。　Let　me　use　my　mind；　Cousin　Benjamin；　tell　me　from　the　beginning；〃　Benjamin　did　so。

〃My　Uncle　Bouncer　has　displayed　a　lamentable　want　of　discretion　for　his　years；〃　said　Peter　reflectively；　〃but　there　are　two　hopeful　circumstances。　Your　family　is　alive　and　kicking；　and　Tommy　Brock　has　had　refreshments。　He　will　probably　go　to　sleep；　and　keep　them　for　breakfast。〃　〃Which　way？〃　〃Cousin　Benjamin；　compose　yourself。　I　know　very　well　which　way。　Because　Mr。

Tod　was　at　home　in　the　stick　house　he　has　gone　to　Mr。　Tod's　other　house；　at　the　top　of　Bull　Banks。　I　partly　know；　because　he　offered　to　leave　any　message　at　Sister　Cottontail's；　he　said　he　would　be　passing。〃　（Cottontail　had　married　a　black　rabbit；　and　gone　to　live　on　the　hill。）

Peter　hid　his　dandelions；　and　accompanied　the　afflicted　parent；　who　was　all　of　atwitter。　They　crossed　several　fields　and　began　to　climb　the　hill；　the　tracks　of　Tommy　Brock　were　plainly　to　be　seen。　He　seemed　to　have　put　down　the　sack　every　dozen　yards；　to　rest。

〃He　must　be　very　puffed；　we　are　close　behind　him；　by　the　scent。　What　a　nasty　person！〃　said　Peter。

The　sunshine　was　still　warm　and　slanting　on　the　hill　pastures。　Half　way　up；　Cottontail　was　sitting　in　her　doorway；　with　four　or　five　half…　grown　little　rabbits　playing　about　her；　one　black　and　the　others　brown。

Cottontail　had　seen　Tommy　Brock　passing　in　the　distance。　Asked　whether　her　husband　was　at　home　she　replied　that　Tommy　Brock　had　rested　twice　while　she　watched　him。

He　had　nodded；　and　pointed　to　the　sack；　and　seemed　doubled　up　with　laughing。〃Come　away；

Peter；　he　will　be　cooking　them；　come　quicker！〃　said　Benjamin　Bunny。

They　climbed　up　and　up；〃He　was　at　home；　I　saw　his　black　ears　peeping　out　of　the　hole。〃　〃They　live　too　near　the　rocks　to　quarrel　with　their　neighbors。　Come　on；　Cousin　Benjamin！〃

When　they　came　near　the　wood　at　the　top　of　Bull　Banks；　they　went　cautiously。　The　trees　grew　amongst　heaped　up　rocks；　and　there；　beneath　a　crag；　Mr。　Tod　had　made　one　of　his　homes。　It　was　at　the　top　of　a　steep　bank；　the　rocks　and　bushes　overhung　it。　The　rabbits　crept　up　carefully；　listening　and　peeping。

This　house　was　something　between　a　cave；　a　prison；　and　a　tumbledown　pigsty。　There　was　a　strong　door；　which　was　shut　and　locked。

The　setting　sun　made　the