the great big treasury of beatrix potter-第5章
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The knife crumpled up and hurt him； he put his finger in his mouth。
〃It is not boiled enough； it is hard。 You have a try； Hunca Munca。〃
Hunca Munca stood up in her chair； and chopped at the ham with another lead knife。
〃It's as hard as the hams at the cheesemonger's；〃 said Hunca Munca。
The ham broke off the plate with a jerk； and rolled under the table。
〃Let it alone；〃 said Tom Thumb； 〃give me some fish； Hunca Munca！〃
Hunca Munca tried every tin spoon in turn； the fish was glued to the dish。
Then Tom Thumb lost his temper。 He put the ham in the middle of the floor； and hit it with the tongs and with the shovelbang； bang； smash； smash！
The ham flew all into pieces； for underneath the shiny paint it was made of nothing but plaster！
Then there was no end to the rage and disappointment of Tom Thumb and Hunca Munca。 They broke up the pudding； the lobsters； the pears and the oranges。
As the fish would not come off the plate； they put it into the red…hot crinkly paper fire in the kitchen； but it would not burn either。
Tom Thumb went up the kitchen chimney and looked out at the top there was no soot。
While Tom Thumb was up the chimney； Hunca Munca had another disappointment。 She found some tiny canisters upon the dresser； labelled RiceCoffeeSagobut when she turned them upside down； there was nothing inside except red and blue beads。
Then those mice set to work to do all the mischief they couldespecially Tom Thumb！ He took Jane's clothes out of the chest of drawers in her bedroom； and he threw them out of the top floor window。
But Hunca Munca had a frugal mind。 After pulling half the feathers out of Lucinda's bolster； she remembered that she herself was in want of a feather bed。
With Tom Thumbs's assistance she carried the bolster downstairs； and across the hearth…rug。 It was difficult to squeeze the bolster into the mouse… hole； but they managed it somehow。
Then Hunca Munca went back and fetched a chair； a book…case； a bird… cage； and several small odds and ends。 The book…case and the bird… cage refused to go into the mousehole。
Hunca Munca left them behind the coal…box； and went to fetch a cradle。
Hunca Munca was just returning with another chair； when suddenly there was a noise of talking outside upon the landing。 The mice rushed back to their hole； and the dolls came into the nursery。
What a sight met the eyes of Jane and Lucinda！ Lucinda sat upon the upset kitchen stove and stared； and Jane leant against the kitchen dresser and smiledbut neither of them made any remark。
The book…case and the bird…cage were rescued from under the coal… boxbut Hunca Munca has got the cradle； and some of Lucinda's clothes。
She also has some useful pots and pans； and several other things。
The little girl that the doll's…house belonged to； said；〃I will get a doll dressed like a policeman！〃
But the nurse said；〃I will set a mouse…trap！〃
So that is the story of the two Bad Mice；but they were not so very very naughty after all； because Tom Thumb paid for everything he broke。
He found a crooked sixpence under the hearth…rug； and upon Christmas Eve； he and Hunca Munca stuffed it into one of the stockings of Lucinda and Jane。
And very early every morning before anybody is awakeHunca Munca comes with her dust…pan and her broom to sweep the Dollies' house！
THE TALE OF MRS。 TIGGY…WINKLE
＇For the Real Little Lucie of Newlands＇
Once upon a time there was a little girl called Lucie； who lived at a farm called Little…town。 She was a good little girlonly she was always losing her pocket…handkerchiefs！
One day little Lucie came into the farm…yard cryingoh； she did cry so！ 〃I've lost my pocket…handkin！ Three handkins and a pinny！ Have YOU seen them； Tabby Kitten？〃
The Kitten went on washing her white paws； so Lucie asked a speckled hen
〃Sally Henny…penny； have YOU found three pocket…handkins？〃
But the speckled hen ran into a barn； clucking
〃I go barefoot； barefoot； barefoot！〃
And then Lucie asked Cock Robin sitting on a twig。 Cock Robin looked sideways at Lucie with his bright black eye； and he flew over a stile and away。
Lucie climbed upon the stile and looked up at the hill behind Little… towna hill that goes upupinto the clouds as though it had no top！
And a great way up the hillside she thought she saw some white things spread upon the grass。
Lucie scrambled up the hill as fast as her short legs would carry her； she ran along a steep path…wayup and upuntil Little…town was right away down belowshe could have dropped a pebble down the chimney！
Presently she came to a spring； bubbling out from the hillside。
Some one had stood a tin can upon a stone to catch the waterbut the water was already running over； for the can was no bigger than an egg… cup！ And where the sand upon the path was wetthere were footmarks of a VERY small person。
Lucie ran on； and on。
The path ended under a big rock。 The grass was short and green； and there were clothes…props cut from bracken stems； with lines of plaited rushes； and a heap of tiny clothes pinsbut no pocket…handkerchiefs！
But there was something elsea door！ straight into the hill； and inside it some one was singing
〃Lily…white and clean； oh！ With little frills between； oh！ Smooth and hot…red rusty spot Never here be seen； oh！〃
Lucie knocked…once…twice； and interrupted the song。 A little frightened voice called out 〃Who's that？〃
Lucie opened the door： and what do you think there was inside the hill？a nice clean kitchen with a flagged floor and wooden beams just like any other farm kitchen。 Only the ceiling was so low that Lucie's head nearly touched it； and the pots and pans were small； and so was everything there。
There was a nice hot singey smell； and at the table； with an iron in her hand； stood a very stout short person staring anxiously at Lucie。
Her print gown was tucked up； and she was wearing a large apron over her striped petticoat。 Her little black nose went sniffle； sniffle； snuffle； and her eyes went twinkle； twinkle； and underneath her cap…where Lucie had yellow curls…that little person had PRICKLES！
〃Who are you？〃 said Lucie。 〃Have you seen my pocket…handkins？〃
The little person made a bob… curtsey〃Oh yes； if you please'm； my name is Mrs。 Tiggy…winkle； oh yes if you please'm； I'm an excellent clear… starcher！〃 And she took something out of the clothesbasket； and spread it on the ironing…blanket。
〃What's that thing？〃 said Lucie… 〃that's not my pocket…handkin？〃
〃Oh no； if you please'm； that's a little scarlet waist…coat belonging to Cock Robin！〃
And she ironed it and folded it； and put it on one side。
Then she took something else off a clothes…horse〃That isn't my pinny？〃 said Lucie。
〃Oh no； if you please'm； that's a damask table…cloth belonging to Jenny Wren； look how it's stained with currant wine！ It's very bad to wash！〃 said Mrs。 Tiggy…winkle。
Mrs。 Tiggy…winkle's nose went sniffle sniffle snuffle； and her eyes went twinkle twinkle； and she fetched another hot iron from the fire。
〃There's one of my pocket… handkins！〃 cried Lucie〃and there's my pinny！〃
Mrs。 Tiggy…winkle ironed it； and goffered it； and shook out the frills。
〃Oh that IS lovely！〃 said Lucie。
〃And what are those long yellow things with fingers like gloves？〃
〃Oh that's a pair of stockings belonging to Sally Henny…pennylook how she's worn the heels out with scratching in the yard！ She'll very soon go barefoot！〃 said Mrs。 Tiggy…winkle。
〃Why； there's another hankersniff but it isn't mine； it's red？〃
〃Oh no； if you please'm； that one belongs to old Mrs。 Rabbit； and it DID so smell of onions！ I've had to wash it separately； I can't get out that smell。〃
〃There's another one of mine；〃 said Lucie。
〃What are those funny little white things？〃
〃That's a pair of mittens belonging to Tabby Kitten； I only have to iron them； she washes them herself。〃
〃There's my last pocket…handkin！〃 said Lucie。
〃And what are you dipping into the basin of starch？〃
〃They're little dicky shirt…fronts belonging to Tom Titmousemost terrible particular！〃 said Mrs。 Tiggy… winkle。 〃Now I've finished my ironing； I'm going to air some clothes。〃
