a collection of beatrix potter stories-第15章

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Next　time　I　want　to　give　a　party

I　will　invite　Cousin　Tabitha

Twitchit！〃







THE　END











THE　TALE　OF

JEMIMA　PUDDLE…DUCK

A　FARMYARD　TALE

FOR

RALPH　AND　BETSY







WHAT　a　funny　sight　it　is

to　see　a　brood　of

ducklings　with　a　hen！

Listen　to　the　story　of

Jemima　Puddle…duck；　who　was

annoyed　because　the　farmer's

wife　would　not　let　her　hatch

her　own　eggs。



HER　sister…in…law；　Mrs。

Rebeccah　Puddle…duck；

was　perfectly　willing　to　leave

the　hatching　to　some　one　else

〃I　have　not　the　patience　to

sit　on　a　nest　for　twenty…eight

days；　and　no　more　have　you；

Jemima。　You　would　let　them

go　cold；　you　know　you　would！〃



〃I　wish　to　hatch　my　own

eggs；　I　will　hatch　them　all

by　myself；〃　quacked　Jemima

Puddle…duck。



SHE　tried　to　hide　her　eggs；

but　they　were　always　found

and　carried　off。



Jemima　Puddle…duck

became　quite　desperate。　She

determined　to　make　a　nest

right　away　from　the　farm。



SHE　set　off　on　a　fine　spring

afternoon　along　the　cart…

road　that　leads　over　the　hill。



She　was　wearing　a　shawl

and　a　poke　bonnet。



WHEN　she　reached　the　top

of　the　hill；　she　saw　a

wood　in　the　distance。



She　thought　that　it　looked

a　safe　quiet　spot。



JEMIMA　PUDDLE…DUCK

was　not　much　in　the　habit

of　flying。　She　ran　downhill　a

few　yards　flapping　her　shawl；

and　then　she　jumped　off　into

the　air。



SHE　flew　beautifully　when

she　had　got　a　good　start。



She　skimmed　along　over　the

tree…tops　until　she　saw　an　open

place　in　the　middle　of　the　wood；

where　the　trees　and　brushwood

had　been　cleared。



JEMIMA　alighted　rather

heavily；　and　began　to

waddle　about　in　search　of　a

convenient　dry　nesting…place。

She　rather　fancied　a　tree…stump

amongst　some　tall　fox…gloves。



Butseated　upon　the　stump；

she　was　startled　to　find　an

elegantly　dressed　gentleman

reading　a　newspaper。



He　had　black　prick　ears　and

sandy　coloured　whiskers。



〃Quack？〃　said　Jemima

Puddle…duck；　with　her　head

and　her　bonnet　on　one　side

〃Quack？〃



THE　gentleman　raised　his

eyes　above　his　newspaper

and　looked　curiously　at

Jemima



〃Madam；　have　you　lost　your

way？〃　said　he。　He　had　a　long

bushy　tail　which　he　was　sitting

upon；　as　the　stump　was　somewhat

damp。



Jemima　thought　him　mighty

civil　and　handsome。　She

explained　that　she　had　not

lost　her　way；　but　that　she　was

trying　to　find　a　convenient

dry　nesting…place。



〃AH！　is　that　so？　indeed！〃　said

the　gentleman　with　sandy

whiskers；　looking　curiously　at

Jemima。　He　folded　up　the

newspaper；　and　put　it　in　his

coat…tail　pocket。



Jemima　complained　of　the

superfluous　hen。



〃Indeed！　how　interesting！

I　wish　I　could　meet　with　that

fowl。　I　would　teach　it　to　mind

its　own　business！〃



〃BUT　as　to　a　nestthere　is

no　difficulty：　I　have　a

sackful　of　feathers　in　my　wood…

shed。　No；　my　dear　madam；

you　will　be　in　nobody's　way。

You　may　sit　there　as　long　as

you　like；〃　said　the　bushy　long…

tailed　gentleman。



He　led　the　way　to　a　very

retired；　dismal…looking　house

amongst　the　fox…gloves。



It　was　built　of　faggots　and

turf；　and　there　were　two　broken

pails；　one　on　top　of　another；

by　way　of　a　chimney。



〃THIS　is　my　summer

residence；　you　would　not

find　my　earthmy　winter

houseso　convenient；〃　said

the　hospitable　gentleman。



There　was　a　tumble…down

shed　at　the　back　of　the　house；

made　of　old　soap…boxes。　The

gentleman　opened　the　door；

and　showed　Jemima　in。



THE　shed　was　almost　quite

full　of　feathersit　was

almost　suffocating；　but　it　was

comfortable　and　very　soft。



Jemima　Puddle…duck　was

rather　surprised　to　find　such　a

vast　quantity　of　feathers。　But

it　was　very　comfortable；　and

she　made　a　nest　without　any

trouble　at　all。



WHEN　she　came　out；　the

sandy　whiskered　gentleman

was　sitting　on　a　log

reading　the　newspaperat

least　he　had　it　spread　out；　but

he　was　looking　over　the　top

of　it。



He　was　so　polite；　that　he

seemed　almost　sorry　to　let

Jemima　go　home　for　the　night。

He　promised　to　take　great　care

of　her　nest　until　she　came　back

again　next　day。



He　said　he　loved　eggs　and

ducklings；　he　should　be　proud

to　see　a　fine　nestful　in　his

wood…shed。



JEMIMA　PUDDLE…DUCK

came　every　afternoon；　she

laid　nine　eggs　in　the　nest。

They　were　greeny　white　and

very　large。　The　foxy　gentleman

admired　them　immensely。

He　used　to　turn　them　over

and　count　them　when　Jemima

was　not　there。



At　last　Jemima　told　him

that　she　intended　to　begin　to

sit　next　day〃and　I　will　bring

a　bag　of　corn　with　me；　so　that

I　need　never　leave　my　nest

until　the　eggs　are　hatched。

They　might　catch　cold；〃　said

the　conscientious　Jemima。



〃MADAM；　I　beg　you　not

to　trouble　yourself　with

a　bag；　I　will　provide　oats。

But　before　you　commence　your

tedious　sitting；　I　intend　to　give

you　a　treat。　Let　us　have　a

dinner…party　all　to　ourselves！



〃May　I　ask　you　to　bring　up

some　herbs　from　the　farm…

garden　to　make　a　savoury

omelette？　Sage　and　thyme；

and　mint　and　two　onions；　and

some　parsley。　I　will　provide

lard　for　the　stuff…lard　for　the

omelette；〃　said　the　hospitable

gentleman　with　sandy　whiskers。



JEMIMA　PUDDLE…DUCK

was　a　simpleton：　not　even

the　mention　of　sage　and　onions

made　her　suspicious。



She　went　round　the　farm…

garden；　nibbling　off　snippets

of　all　the　different　sorts　of

herbs　that　are　used　for　stuffing

roast　duck。



AND　she　waddled　into　the

kitchen；　and　got　two

onions　out　of　a　basket。



The　collie…dog　Kep　met　her

coming　out；　〃What　are　you

doing　with　those　onions？

Where　do　you　go　every　afternoon

by　yourself；　Jemima

Puddle…duck？〃



Jemima　was　rather　in　awe

of　the　collie；　she　told　him　the

whole　story。



The　collie　listened；　with　his

wise　head　on　one　side；　he

grinned　when　she　described

the　polite　gentleman　with

sandy　whiskers。



HE　asked　several　questions

about　the　wood；　and

about　the　exact　position　of　the

house　and　shed。



Then　he　went　out；　and

trotted　down　the　village。　He

went　to　look　for　two　fox…hound

puppies　who　were　out　at　walk

with　the　butcher。



JEMIMA　PUDDLE…DUCK

went　up　the　cart…road　for

the　last　time；　on　a　sunny　afternoon。

She　was　rather　burdened

with　bunches　of　herbs

and　two　onions　in　a　bag。



She　flew　over　the　wood；　and

alighted　opposite　the　house　of

the　bushy　long…tailed　gentleman。



HE　was　sitting　on　a　log；

he　sniffed　the　air；　and

kept　glancing　uneasily　round

the　wood。　When　Jemima

alighted　he　quite　jumped。



〃Come　into　the　house　as

soon　as　you　have　looked　at

your　eggs。　Give　me　the　herbs

for　the　omelette。　Be　sharp！〃



He　was　rather　abrupt。

Jemima　Puddle…duck　had

never　heard　him　speak　like

that。



She　felt　surprised；　and

uncomfortable。



WHILE　she　was　inside　she

heard　pattering　feet

round　the　back　of　the　shed。

Some　one　with　a　black　nose

sniffed　at　the　bottom　of　the

door；　and　then　locked　it。



Jemima　became　much

alarmed。



A　MOMENT　afterwards

there　were　most　awful

noisesbarking；　baying；

growls　and　howls；　squealing

and　groans。



And　nothing　more　was　ever

seen　of　that　foxy…whiskered

gentleman。



PRESENTLY　Kep　opened

the　door　of　the　shed；　and

let　out　Jemima　Puddle…duck。



Unfortunately　the　puppies

rushed　in　and　gobbled　up　all

the　eggs　before　he　could　stop

them。



He　had　a　bite　on　his　ear

and　both　the　puppies　were

limping。



JEMIMA　PUDDLE…DUCK

was　escorted　home　in　tears

on　account　of　those　eggs。



SHE　laid　some　more　in　June；

and　she　was　permitted　to

keep　them　herself：　but　only

four　of　them　hatched。



Jemima　Puddle…duck　said

that　it　was　because　of　her

nerves；　but　she　had　always

been　a　bad　sitter。





THE　END











THE　TALE　OF

PIGLING　BLAND





FOR

CECILY　AND　CHARLIE