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第18章

a collection of beatrix potter stories-第18章

小说: a collection of beatrix potter stories 字数: 每页4000字

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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

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