a collection of beatrix potter stories-第18章

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Pigling　Bland　made　no　objection；

he　sat　with　his　eyes　half　shut；　and

watched　her。





She　wagged　her　head　and　rocked

about；　clapping　time　and　singing

in　a　sweet　little　grunty　voice



　　　　　　　　　　〃A　funny　old　mother　pig　lived　in　a

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　stye；　and　three　little　piggies　had　she；

　　　　　　　　　　〃（Ti　idditty　idditty）　umph；　umph；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　umph！　and　the　little　pigs　said；　wee；　wee！〃







She　sang　successfully　through

three　or　four　verses；　only　at　every

verse　her　head　nodded　a　little　lower；

and　her　little　twinkly　eyes　closed

up。



　　　　　　　　　　〃Those　three　little　piggies　grew　peaky

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　and　lean；　and　lean　they　might　very

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　well　be；

　　　　　　　　　　〃For　somehow　they　couldn't　say　umph；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　umph；　umph！　and　they　wouldn't

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　say　wee；　wee；　wee！

　　　　　　　　　　〃For　somehow　they　couldn't　say





Pig…wig's　head　bobbed　lower　and

lower；　until　she　rolled　over；　a　little

round　ball；　fast　asleep　on　the　hearth…rug。



Pigling　Bland；　on　tip…toe；　covered

her　up　with　an　antimacassar





He　was　afraid　to　go　to　sleep

himself；　for　the　rest　of　the　night　he

sat　listening　to　the　chirping　of　the

crickets　and　to　the　snores　of　Mr。

Piperson　overhead。





Early　in　the　morning；　between

dark　and　daylight；　Pigling　tied　up

his　little　bundle　and　woke　up　Pig…

wig。　She　was　excited　and　half…

frightened。　But　it's　dark！　How

can　we　find　our　way？〃



〃The　cock　has　crowed；　we　must

start　before　the　hens　come　out；　they

might　shout　to　Mr。　Piperson。〃



Pig…wig　sat　down　again；　and

commenced　to　cry。



〃Come　away　Pig…wig；　we　can　see

when　we　get　used　to　it。　Come！

I　can　hear　them　clucking！〃



Pigling　had　never　said　shuh！　to

a　hen　in　his　life；　being　peaceable；

also　he　remembered　the　hamper。





He　opened　the　house　door　quietly

and　shut　it　after　them。　There　was

no　garden；　the　neighbourhood　of

Mr。　Piperson's　was　all　scratched

up　by　fowls。　They　slipped　away

hand　in　hand　across　an　untidy　field

to　the　road。





The　sun　rose　while　they　were

crossing　the　moor；　a　dazzle　of　light

over　the　tops　of　the　hills。　The

sunshine　crept　down　the　slopes

into　the　peaceful　green　valleys；

where　little　white　cottages　nestled

in　gardens　and　orchards。





〃That's　Westmorland；〃　said

Pig…wig。　She　dropped　Pigling's

hand　and　commenced　to　dance；

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！'　〃





〃Come；　Pig…wig；　we　must　get　to

the　bridge　before　folks　are　stirring。〃

〃Why　do　you　want　to　go　to　market；

Pigling？〃　inquired　Pig…wig　presently。

〃I　don't　want；　I　want　to

grow　potatoes。〃　〃Have　a　peppermint？〃

said　Pig…wig。　Pigling

Bland　refused　quite　crossly。　〃Does

your　poor　toothy　hurt？〃　inquired

Pig…wig。　Pigling　Bland　grunted。





Pig…wig　ate　the　peppermint

herself　and　followed　the　opposite　side

of　the　road。　〃Pig…wig！　keep　under

the　wall；　there's　a　man　ploughing。〃

Pig…wig　crossed　over；　they　hurried

down　hill　towards　the　county　boundary。





Suddenly　Pigling　stopped；　he

heard　wheels。



Slowly　jogging　up　the　road　below

them　came　a　tradesman's　cart。　The

reins　flapped　on　the　horse's　back；

the　grocer　was　reading　a　newspaper。





〃Take　that　peppermint　out　of

your　mouth；　Pig…wig；　we　may　have

to　run。　Don't　say　one　word。　Leave

it　to　me。　And　in　sight　of　the　bridge！〃

said　poor　Pigling；　nearly　crying。

He　began　to　walk　frightfully　lame；

holding　Pig…wig's　arm。





The　grocer；　intent　upon　his　news…

paper；　might　have　passed　them；　if

his　horse　had　not　shied　and　snorted。

He　pulled　the　cart　crossways；　and

held　down　his　whip。　〃Hallo！

Where　are　YOU　going　to？〃Pigling

Bland　stared　at　him　vacantly。





〃Are　you　deaf？　Are　you　going

to　market？〃　Pigling　nodded　slowly。



〃I　thought　as　much。　It　was

yesterday。　Show　me　your　licence？〃



Pigling　stared　at　the　off　hind

shoe　of　the　grocer's　horse　which

had　picked　up　a　stone。



The　grocer　flicked　his　whip

〃Papers？　Pig　licence？〃　Pigling

fumbled　in　all　his　pockets；　and

handed　up　the　papers。　The　grocer

read　them；　but　still　seemed　dissatisfied。

〃This　here　pig　is　a　young

lady；　is　her　name　Alexander？〃

Pig…wig　opened　her　mouth　and　shut

it　again；　Pigling　coughed　asthmatically。





The　grocer　ran　his　finger　down

the　advertisement　column　of　his

newspaper〃Lost；　stolen　or

strayed；　10s。　reward。〃　He　looked

suspiciously　at　Pig…wig。　Then　he

stood　up　in　the　trap；　and　whistled

for　the　ploughman。





〃You　wait　here　while　I　drive　on

and　speak　to　him；〃　said　the　grocer；

gathering　up　the　reins。　He　knew

that　pigs　are　slippery；　but　surely；

such　a　VERY　lame　pig　could　never

run！





〃Not　yet；　Pig…wig；　he　will　look

back。〃　The　grocer　did　so；　he　saw

the　two　pigs　stock…still　in　the

middle　of　the　road。　Then　he　looked

over　at　his　horse's　heels；　it　was

lame　also；　the　stone　took　some

time　to　knock　out；　after　he　got　to

the　ploughman。



〃Now；　Pig…wig；　NOW！〃　said

Pigling　Bland。



Never　did　any　pigs　run　as　these

pigs　ran！　They　raced　and　squealed

and　pelted　down　the　long　white　hill

towards　the　bridge。　Little　fat　Pig…

wig's　petticoats　fluttered；　and　her

feet　went　pitter；　patter；　pitter；　as　she

bounded　and　jumped。





They　ran；　and　they　ran；　and　they

ran　down　the　hill；　and　across　a　short

cut　on　level　green　turf　at　the　bottom；

between　pebble　beds　and　rushes。



They　came　to　the　river；　they

came　to　the　bridgethey　crossed

it　hand　in　hand…　

then　over　the　hills　and　far　away

she　danced　with　Pigling　Bland！





THE　END











THE　TALE　OF

TWO　BAD　MICE





FOR

W。　M。　L。　W。

THE　LITTLE　GIRL

WHO　HAD　THE　DOLL　HOUSE







ONCE　upon　a　time　there

was　a　very　beautiful

doll's　house；　it　was　red　brick

with　white　windows；　and　it　had

real　muslin　curtains　and　a

front　door　and　a　chimney。



IT　belonged　to　two　Dolls

called　Lucinda　and　Jane；

at　least　it　belonged　to　Lucinda；

but　she　never　ordered　meals。



Jane　was　the　Cook；　but　she

never　did　any　cooking；　because

the　dinner　had　been　bought

ready…made；　in　a　box　full　of

shavings。



THERE　were　two　red　lobsters；

and　a　ham；　a　fish；

a　pudding；　and　some　pears　and

oranges。



They　would　not　come　off　the

plates；　but　they　were　extremely

beautiful。



ONE　morning　Lucinda　and

Jane　had　gone　out　for

a　drive　in　the　doll's　perambulator。

There　was　no　one　in　the

nursery；　and　it　was　very　quiet。

Presently　there　was　a　little

scuffling；　scratching　noise　in　a

corner　near　the　fireplace；　where

there　was　a　hole　under　the

skirting…board。



Tom　Thumb　put　out　his

head　for　a　moment；　and　then

popped　it　in　again。



Tom　Thumb　was　a　mouse。



A　MINUTE　afterwards

Hunca　Munca；　his　wife；

put　her　head　out；　too；　and

when　she　saw　that　there　was

no　one　in　the　nursery；　she

ventured　out　on　the　oilcloth

under　the　coal…box



THE　doll's　house　stood　at

the　other　side　of　the

fireplace。　Tom　Thumb　and

Hunca　Munca　went　cautiously

across　the　hearth…rug。　They

pushed　the　front　doorit　was

not　fast。



TOM　THUMB　and　Hunca

Munca　went　up…stairs

and　peeped　into　the　dining…

room。　Then　they　squeaked

with　joy！



Such　a　lovely　dinner　was　laid

out　upon　the　table！　There　were

tin　spoons；　and　lead　knives

and　forks；　and　two　dolly…chairs

all　SO　convenient！



TOM　THUMB　set　to　work

at　once　to　carve　the　ham。

It　was　a　beautiful　shiny　yellow；

streaked　with　red。



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

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　ha