a collection of beatrix potter stories-第16章

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THE　END











THE　TALE　OF

PIGLING　BLAND





FOR

CECILY　AND　CHARLIE；

A　TALE　OF

THE　CHRISTMAS　PIG。





THE　TALE　OF　PIGLING　BLAND



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　sign…posts　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　licences　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　licences？〃

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　licence。　〃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　of　Alexander

in　the　neighbourhood；　he　did　fairly

well　when　he　had　settled　down。





Pigling　Bland　went　on　alone

dejectedly；　he　came　to　cross…roads

and　a　sign…post〃To　Market　Town；

5　miles；〃　〃Over　the　Hills；　4　miles；〃

〃To　Pettitoes　Farm；　3　miles。〃



Pigling　Bland　was　shocked；

there　was　little　hope　of　sleeping　in

Market　Town；　and　to…morrow　was

the　hiring　fair；　it　was　deplorable　to

think　how　much　time　had　been

wasted　by　the　frivolity　of　Alexander。



He　glanced　wistfully　along　the

road　towards　the　hills；　and　then　set

off　walking　obediently　the　other

way；　buttoning　up　his　coat　against

the　rain。　He　had　never　wanted　to

go；　and　the　idea　of　standing　all



by　himself　in　a　crowded　market；　to

be　stared　at；　pushed；　and　hired　by

some　big　strange　farmer　was　very

disagreeable



〃I　wish　I　could　have　a　little

garden　and　grow　potatoes；〃　said

Pigling　Bland。





He　put　his　cold　hand　in　his

pocket　and　felt　his　paper；　he　put　his

other　hand　in　his　other　pocket　and

felt　another　paperAlexander's！

Pigling　squealed；　then　ran　back

frantically；　hoping　to　overtake

Alexander　and　the　policeman。





He　took　a　wrong　turnseveral

wrong　turns；　and　was　quite　lost。



It　grew　dark；　the　wind　whistled；

the　trees　creaked　and　groaned。



Pigling　Bland　became　frightened

and　cried　〃Wee；　wee；　wee！　I　can't

find　my　way　home！〃



After　an　hour's　wandering　he

got　out　of　the　wood；　the　moon

shone　through　the　clouds；　and

Pigling　Bland　saw　a　country　that

was　new　to　him。



The　road　crossed　a　moor；　below

was　a　wide　valley　with　a　river

twinkling　in　the　moonlight；　and

beyond；　in　misty　distance；　lay