the great big treasury of beatrix potter-第17章

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As　soon　as　the　coast　was　clear；　Peter　Rabbit　and　Benjamin　Bunny　came　out　of　the　bushes。

〃Now　for　it！　Run　in；　Cousin　Benjamin！　Run　in　and　get　them！　while　I　watch　the　door。〃

But　Benjamin　was　frightened

〃Oh；　oh！　they　are　coming　back！〃

〃No　they　are　not。〃

〃Yes　they　are！〃

〃What　dreadful　bad　language！　I　think　they　have　fallen　down　the　stone　quarry。〃

Still　Benjamin　hesitated；　and　Peter　kept　pushing　him

〃Be　quick；　it's　all　right。　Shut　the　oven　door；　Cousin　Benjamin；　so　that　he　won't　miss　them。〃

Decidedly　there　were　lively　doings　in　Mr。　Tod's　kitchen！

At　home　in　the　rabbit　hole；　things　had　not　been　quite　comfortable。

After　quarreling　at　supper；　Flopsy　and　old　Mr。　Bouncer　had　passed　a　sleepless　night；　and　quarrelled　again　at　breakfast。　Old　Mr。　Bouncer　could　no　longer　deny　that　he　had　invited　company　into　the　rabbit　hole；　but　he　refused　to　reply　to　the　questions　and　reproaches　of　Flopsy。　The　day　passed　heavily。

Old　Mr。　Bouncer；　very　sulky；　was　huddled　up　in　a　corner；　barricaded　with　a　chair。　Flopsy　had　taken

away　his　pipe　and　hidden　the　tobacco。　She　had　been　having　a　complete　turn　out　and　spring　cleaning；　to　relieve　her　feelings。　She　had　just　finished。　Old　Mr。　Bouncer；　behind　his　chair；　was　wondering　anxiously　what　she　would　do　next。

In　Mr。　Tod's　kitchen；　amidst　the　wreckage；　Benjamin　Bunny　picked　his　way　to　the　oven　nervously；　through　a　thick　cloud　of　dust。　He　opened　the　oven　door；　felt　inside；　and　found　something　warm　and　wriggling。　He　lifted　it　out　carefully；　and　rejoined　Peter　Rabbit。

〃I've　got　them！　Can　we　get　away？　Shall　we　hide；　Cousin　Peter？〃

Peter　pricked　his　ears；　distant　sounds　of　fighting　still　echoed　in　the　wood。

Five　minutes　afterwards　two　breathless　rabbits　came　scuttering　away　down　Bull　Banks；　half　carrying；　half　dragging　a　sack　between　them；　bumpetty　bump　over　the　grass。　They　reached　home　safely；　and　burst　into　the　rabbit　hole。

Great　was　old　Mr。　Bouncer's　relief　and　Flopsy's　joy　when　Peter　and　Benjamin　arrived　in　triumph　with

the　young　family。　The　rabbit　babies　were　rather　tumbled　and　very　hungry；　they　were　fed　and　put　to　bed。　They　soon　recovered。

A　new　long　pipe　and　a　fresh　supply　of　rabbit　tobacco　was　presented　to　Mr。　Bouncer。　He　was　rather　upon　his　dignity；　but　he　accepted。

Old　Mr。　Bouncer　was　forgiven；　and　they　all　had　dinner。　Then　Peter　and　Benjamin　told　their　storybut　they　had　not　waited　long　enough　to　be　able　to　tell　the　end　of　the　battle　between　Tommy　Brock　and　Mr。　Tod。




THE　TALE　OF　PIGLING　BLAND

＇For　Cicily　and　Charlie；　a　Tale　of　the　Christmas　Pig＇




Once　upon　a　time　there　was　an　old　pig　called　Aunt　Pettitoes。　She　had　eight　of　a　family：　four　little　girl　pigs；　called　Cross…patch；　Suck…suck；　Yock…yock　and　Spot；　and　four　little　boy　pigs；　called　Alexander；　Pigling　Bland；　Chin…Chin　and　Stumpy。　Stumpy　had　had　an　accident　to　his　tail。

The　eight　little　pigs　had　very　fine　appetites〃Yus；　yus；　yus！　they　eat　and　indeed　they　DO　eat！〃　said　Aunt　Pettitoes；　looking　at　her　family　with　pride。　Suddenly　there　were　fearful　squeals；　Alexander　had　squeezed　inside　the　hoops　of　the　pig　trough　and　stuck。


Aunt　Pettitoes　and　I　dragged　him　out　by　the　hind　legs。

Chin…chin　was　already　in　disgrace；　it　was　washing　day；　and　he　had　eaten　a　piece　of　soap。　And　presently　in　a　basket　of　clean　clothes；　we　found　another　dirty　little　pig〃Tchut；　tut；　tut！　whichever　is　this？〃　grunted　Aunt　Pettitoes。　Now　all　the　pig　family　are　pink；　or　pink　with　black　spots；　but　this　pig　child　was　smutty　black　all　over；　when　it　had　been　popped　into　a　tub；　it　proved　to　be　Yock…yock。

I　went　into　the　garden；　there　I　found　Cross…patch　and　Suck…suck　rooting　up　carrots。　I　whipped　them　myself　and　led　them　out　by　the　ears。　Cross…patch　tried　to　bite　me。

〃Aunt　Pettitoes；　Aunt　Pettitoes！　you　are　a　worthy　person；　but　your　family　is　not　well　brought　up。　Every　one　of　them　has　been　in　mischief　except　Spot　and　Pigling　Bland。〃

〃Yus；　yus！〃　sighed　Aunt　Pettitoes。　〃And　they　drink　bucketfuls　of　milk；　I　shall　have　to　get　another　cow！　Good　little　Spot　shall　stay　at　home　to　do　the　housework；　but　the　others　must　go。　Four　little　boy　pigs　and　four　little　girl　pigs　are　too　many　altogether。〃　〃Yus；　yus；　yus；〃　said　Aunt　Pettitoes；　〃there　will　be　more　to　eat　without　them。〃

So　Chin…chin　and　Suck…suck　went

away　in　a　wheel…barrow；　and　Stumpy；　Yock…yock　and　Cross…　patch　rode　away　in　a　cart。

And　the　other　two　little　boy　pigs；　Pigling　Bland　and　Alexander　went　to　market。　We　brushed　their　coats；　we　curled　their　tails　and　washed　their　little　faces；　and　wished　them　good　bye　in　the　yard。

Aunt　Pettitoes　wiped　her　eyes　with　a　large　pocket　handkerchief；　then　she　wiped　Pigling　Bland's　nose　and　shed　tears；　then　she　wiped　Alexander's　nose　and　shed　tears；　then　she　passed　the　handkerchief　to　Spot。　Aunt　Pettitoes　sighed　and　grunted；　and　addressed　those　little　pigs　as　follows

〃Now　Pigling　Bland；　son　Pigling　Bland；　you　must　go　to　market。　Take　your　brother　Alexander　by　the　hand。　Mind　your　Sunday　clothes；　and　remember　to　blow　your　nose〃　（Aunt　Pettitoes　passed　round　the　handkerchief　again）〃beware　of　traps；　hen　roosts；　bacon　and　eggs；　always　walk　upon　your　hind　legs。〃　Pigling　Bland　who　was　a　sedate　little　pig；　looked　solemnly　at　his

mother；　a　tear　trickled　down　his　cheek。

Aunt　Pettitoes　turned　to　the　other〃Now　son　Alexander　take　the　hand〃〃Wee；　wee；　wee！〃　giggled　Alexander〃take　the　hand　of　your　brother　Pigling　Bland；　you　must　go　to　market。　Mind〃　〃Wee；　wee；　wee！〃　interrupted　Alexander　again。　〃You　put　me　out；〃　said　Aunt　Pettitoes〃Observe　signposts　and　milestones；　do　not　gobble　herring　bones〃　〃And　remember；〃　said　I　impressively；　〃if　you　once　cross　the　county　boundary　you　cannot　come　back。　Alexander；　you　are　not　attending。　Here　are　two　licenses　permitting　two　pigs　to　go　to　market　in　Lancashire。　Attend　Alexander。　I　have　had　no　end　of　trouble　in　getting　these　papers　from　the　policeman。〃　Pigling　Bland　listened　gravely；　Alexander　was　hopelessly　volatile。

I　pinned　the　papers；　for　safety；　inside　their　waistcoat　pockets；　Aunt　Pettitoes　gave　to　each　a　little　bundle；　and　eight　conversation　peppermints　with　appropriate

moral　sentiments　in　screws　of　paper。　Then　they　started。

Pigling　Bland　and　Alexander　trotted　along　steadily　for　a　mile；　at　least　Pigling　Bland　did。　Alexander　made　the　road　half　as　long　again　by　skipping　from　side　to　side。　He　danced　about　and　pinched　his　brother；　singing

　　　　　〃This　pig　went　to　market；　this　pig　stayed　　　　　　　　　　　at　home；　　　　　　〃This　pig　had　a　bit　of　meat

let's　see　what　they　have　given　US　for　dinner；　Pigling？〃

Pigling　Bland　and　Alexander　sat　down　and　untied　their　bundles。　Alexander　gobbled　up　his　dinner　in　no　time；　he　had　already　eaten　all　his　own　peppermints〃Give　me　one　of　yours；　please；　Pigling？〃　〃But　I　wish　to　preserve　them　for　emergencies；〃　said　Pigling　Bland　doubtfully。　Alexander　went　into　squeals　of　laughter。　Then　he　pricked　Pigling　with　the　pin　that　had　fastened　his　pig　paper；　and　when　Pigling　slapped　him　he　dropped　the　pin；　and　tried　to　take　Pigling's　pin；　and　the　papers　got　mixed　up。　Pigling　Bland　reproved　Alexander。

But　presently　they　made　it　up　again；　and　trotted　away　together；　singing

　　　　　〃Tom；　Tom　the　piper's　son；　stole　a　pig　　　　　　　　　　　and　away　he　ran！　　　　　　〃But　all　the　tune　that　he　could　play；　was　　　　　　　　　　　‘Over　the　hills　and　far　away！'〃


〃What's　that；　young　Sirs？　Stole　a　pig？　Where　are　your　licenses？〃　said　the　policeman。　They　had　nearly　run　against　him　round　a　corner。　Pigling　Bland　pulled　out　his　paper；　Alexander；　after　fumbling；　handed　over　something　scrumply

〃To　2　1/2　oz。　conversation　sweeties　at　three　farthings〃〃What's　this？　this　ain't　a　license？〃　Alexander's　nose　lengthened　visibly；　he　had　lost　it。　〃I　had　one；　indeed　I　had；　Mr。　Policeman！〃


〃It's　not　likely　they　let　you　start　without。　I　am　passing　the　farm。　You　may　walk　with　me。〃　〃Can　I　come　back　too？〃　inquired　Pigling　Bland。　〃I　see　no　reason；　young　Sir；　your　paper　is　all　right。〃　Pigling　Bland　did　not　like　going　on　alone；　and　it　was　beginning　to　rain。　But　it　is　unwise　to　argue　with　the　police；　he　gave　his　brother　a　peppermint；　and　watched　him　out　of　sight。

To　conclude　the　adventures　of　Alexanderthe　policeman　sauntered　up　to　the　house　about　tea　time；　followed　by　a　damp　subdued　little　pig。　I　disposed