a collection of beatrix potter stories-第12章

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high　up　a　tree；　that　had　belonged

to　a　wood…pecker；　the

nuts　rattled　downdown

down　inside。



〃How　shall　you　ever　get

them　out　again？　It　is　like　a

money…box！〃　said　Goody。



〃I　shall　be　much　thinner

before　spring…time；　my　love；〃

said　Timmy　Tiptoes；　peeping

into　the　hole。



THEY　did　collect　quantities

because　they　did　not

lose　them！　Squirrels　who　bury

their　nuts　in　the　ground　lose

more　than　half；　because　they

cannot　remember　the　place。



The　most　forgetful　squirrel

in　the　wood　was　called　Silvertail。

He　began　to　dig；　and

he　could　not　remember。　And

then　he　dug　again　and　found

some　nuts　that　did　not　belong

to　him；　and　there　was　a　fight。

And　other　squirrels　began　to

dig；the　whole　wood　was　in

commotion！



UNFORTUNATELY；　just

at　this　time　a　flock　of

little　birds　flew　by；　from

bush　to　bush；　searching　for

green　caterpillars　and　spiders。

There　were　several　sorts　of

little　birds；　twittering　different

songs。



The　first　one　sang

〃Who's　bin　digging…up　MY

nuts？　Who's…been…digging…

up　MY　nuts？〃



And　another　sang〃Little

bita　bread　and…NO…cheese！

Little　bit…a…bread　an'…NO…

cheese！〃



THE　squirrels　followed　and

listened。　The　first　little

bird　flew　into　the　bush　where

Timmy　and　Goody　Tiptoes

were　quietly　tying　up　their

bags；　and　it　sang〃Who's…

bin　digging…up　MY　nuts？

Who's　been　digging…up　MY…

nuts？〃



Timmy　Tiptoes　went　on

with　his　work　without

replying；　indeed；　the　little　bird

did　not　expect　an　answer。　It

was　only　singing　its　natural

song；　and　it　meant　nothing　at

all。



BUT　when　the　other　squirrels

heard　that　song；　they

rushed　upon　Timmy　Tiptoes

and　cuffed　and　scratched　him；

and　upset　his　bag　of　nuts。

The　innocent　little　bird　which

had　caused　all　the　mischief；

flew　away　in　a　fright！



Timmy　rolled　over　and　over；

and　then　turned　tail　and　fled

towards　his　nest；　followed　by

a　crowd　of　squirrels　shouting

〃Who's…been　digging…up

MY…nuts？〃



THEY　caught　him　and

dragged　him　up　the　very

same　tree；　where　there　was

the　little　round　hole；　and　they

pushed　him　in。　The　hole

was　much　too　small　for

Timmy　Tiptoes'　figure。　They

squeezed　him　dreadfully；　it

was　a　wonder　they　did　not

break　his　ribs。　〃We　will

leave　him　here　till　he

confesses；〃　said　Silvertail　Squirrel；

and　he　shouted　into　the　hole



〃Who's…been…digging…up

MY…nuts？〃



TIMMY　TIPTOES　made

no　reply；　he　had　tumbled

down　inside　the　tree；　upon

half　a　peck　of　nuts　belonging

to　himself。　He　lay　quite

stunned　and　still。



GOODY　TIPTOES　picked

up　the　nut　bags　and　went

home。　She　made　a　cup　of

tea　for　Timmy；　but　he　didn't

come　and　didn't　come。



Goody　Tiptoes　passed　a

lonely　and　unhappy　night。

Next　morning　she　ventured

back　to　the　nut…bushes　to　look

for　him；　but　the　other　unkind

squirrels　drove　her　away。



She　wandered　all　over　the

wood；　calling



〃Timmy　Tiptoes！　Timmy

Tiptoes！　Oh；　where　is　Timmy

Tiptoes？〃



IN　the　meantime　Timmy

Tiptoes　came　to　his　senses。

He　found　himself　tucked　up

in　a　little　moss　bed；　very　much

in　the　dark；　feeling　sore；　it

seemed　to　be　under　ground。

Timmy　coughed　and　groaned；

because　his　ribs　hurted　him。

There　was　a　chirpy　noise；　and

a　small　striped　Chipmunk

appeared　with　a　night　light；

and　hoped　he　felt　better？



It　was　most　kind　to　Timmy

Tiptoes；　it　lent　him　its　nightcap；

and　the　house　was　full

of　provisions。



THE　Chipmunk　explained

that　it　had　rained　nuts

through　the　top　of　the　tree

〃Besides；　I　found　a　few

buried！〃　It　laughed　and

chuckled　when　it　heard

Timmy's　story。　While　Timmy

was　confined　to　bed；　it　'ticed

him　to　eat　quantities〃But

how　shall　I　ever　get　out

through　that　hole　unless　I

thin　myself？　My　wife　will　be

anxious！〃　〃Just　another　nut

or　two　nuts；　let　me　crack

them　for　you；〃　said　the　Chipmunk。

Timmy　Tiptoes　grew

fatter　and　fatter！



NOW　Goody　Tiptoes　had

set　to　work　again　by

herself。　She　did　not　put　any

more　nuts　into　the　woodpecker's

hole；　because　she　had

always　doubted　how　they

could　be　got　out　again。　She

hid　them　under　a　tree　root；

they　rattled　down；　down；

down。　Once　when　Goody

emptied　an　extra　big　bagful；

there　was　a　decided　squeak；

and　next　time　Goody　brought

another　bagful；　a　little　striped

Chipmunk　scrambled　out　in　a

hurry。



〃IT　is　getting　perfectly　full…

up　down…stairs；　the

sitting…room　is　full；　and　they　are

rolling　along　the　passage；　and

my　husband；　Chippy　Hackee；

has　run　away　and　left　me。

What　is　the　explanation　of

these　showers　of　nuts？〃



〃I　am　sure　I　beg　your

pardon；　I　did　not　not　know　that

anybody　lived　here；〃　said　Mrs。

Goody　Tiptoes；　〃but　where　is

Chippy　Hackee？　My　husband；

Timmy　Tiptoes；　has　run　away

too。〃　〃I　know　where　Chippy

is；　a　little　bird　told　me；〃　said

Mrs。　Chippy　Hackee。



SHE　led　the　way　to　the　woodpecker's

tree；　and　they

listened　at　the　hole。



Down　below　there　was　a

noise　of　nut　crackers；　and　a

fat　squirrel　voice　and　a　thin

squirrel　voice　were　singing

together



　　　　　〃My　little　old　man　and　I　fell　out；

　　　　　How　shall　we　bring　this　matter　about？

　　　　　Bring　it　about　as　well　as　you　can；

　　　　　And　get　you　gone；　you　little　old　man！〃





〃You　could　squeeze　in；

through　that　little

round　hole；〃　said　Goody

Tiptoes。　〃Yes；　I　could；〃　said

the　Chipmunk；　〃but　my

husband；　Chippy　Hackee；

bites！〃



Down　below　there　was　a

noise　of　cracking　nuts　and

nibbling；　and　then　the　fat

squirrel　voice　and　the　thin

squirrel　voice　sang



　　　　　〃For　the　diddlum　day

　　　　　Day　diddle　dum　di！

　　　　　Day　diddle　diddle　dum　day！〃





THEN　Goody　peeped　in　at

the　hole；　and　called

down〃Timmy　Tiptoes！　Oh

fie；　Timmy　Tiptoes！〃　And

Timmy　replied；　〃Is　that　you；

Goody　Tiptoes？　Why；　certainly！〃



He　came　up　and　kissed

Goody　through　the　hole；　but

he　was　so　fat　that　he　could

not　get　out。



Chippy　Hackee　was　not　too

fat；　but　he　did　not　want　to

come；　he　stayed　down　below

and　chuckled。



AND　so　it　went　on　for　a

fortnight；　till　a　big　wind

blew　off　the　top　of　the　tree；

and　opened　up　the　hole　and　let

in　the　rain。



Then　Timmy　Tiptoes　came

out；　and　went　home　with　an

umbrella。



BUT　Chippy　Hackee

continued　to　camp　out　for

another　week；　although　it　was

uncomfortable。



AT　last　a　large　bear　came

walking　through　the

wood。　Perhaps　he　also　was

looking　for　nuts；　he　seemed

to　be　sniffing　around。



CHIPPY　HACKEE　went

home　in　a　hurry！



AND　when　Chippy　Hackee

got　home；　he　found　he

had　caught　a　cold　in　his　head；

and　he　was　more　uncomfortable

still。



And　now　Timmy　and

Goody　Tiptoes　keep　their

nut…store　fastened　up　with　a

little　padlock。



AND　whenever　that　little

bird　sees　the　Chipmunks；

he　sings〃Who's…been…

digging…up　MY…nuts？　Who's

been　digging…up　MY…nuts？〃

But　nobody　ever　answers！





THE　END









THE　PIE

AND

THE　PATTY…PAN





Pussy…cat　sits　by　the　firehow　should　she　be　fair？

In　walks　the　little　dogsays　〃Pussy　are　you　there？

How　do　you　do　mistress　Pussy？　Mistress　Pussy；　how　do　you　do？〃

〃I　thank　you　kindly；　little　dog；　I　fare　as　well　as　you！〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Old　Rhyme。











ONCE　upon　a　time　there　was　a

Pussy…cat　called　Ribby；　who

invited　a　little　dog　called　Duchess

to　tea。



〃Come　in　good　time；　my　dear

Duchess；〃　said　Ribby's　letter；　〃and

we　will　have　something　so　very　nice。

I　am　baking　it　in　a　pie…disha　pie…



dish　with　a　pink　rim。　You　never

tasted　anything　so　good！　And　YOU

shall　eat　it　all！　_I_　will　eat　muffins；

my　dear　Duchess！〃　wrote　Ribby。



Duchess　read　the　letter　and　wrote

an　answer：〃I　will　come　with

much　pleasure　at　a　quarter　past　four。

But　it　is　very　strange。　_I_　was　just

going　to　invite　you　to　come　here；

to　supper；　my　dear　Ribby；　to　eat

something　MOST　DELICIOUS。〃