a collection of beatrix potter stories-第19章

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〃It's　as　hard　as　the　hams

at　the　cheesemonger's；〃　said

Hunca　Munca。



THE　ham　broke　off　the

plate　with　a　jerk；　and

rolled　under　the　table。



〃Let　it　alone；〃　said　Tom

Thumb；　〃give　me　some　fish；

Hunca　Munca！〃



HUNCA　MUNCA　tried

every　tin　spoon　in　turn；

the　fish　was　glued　to　the　dish。



Then　Tom　Thumb　lost　his

temper。　He　put　the　ham　in

the　middle　of　the　floor；　and　hit

it　with　the　tongs　and　with

the　shovelbang；　bang；　smash；

smash！



The　ham　flew　all　into　pieces；

for　underneath　the　shiny　paint

it　was　made　of　nothing　but

plaster！



THEN　there　was　no　end　to

the　rage　and　disappointment

of　Tom　Thumb　and　Hunca

Munca。　They　broke　up

the　pudding；　the　lobsters；

the　pears；　and　the　oranges。



As　the　fish　would　not　come

off　the　plate；　they　put　it　into

the　red…hot　crinkly　paper　fire

in　the　kitchen；　but　it　would

not　burn　either。



TOM　THUMB　went　up　the

kitchen　chimney　and

looked　out　at　the　topthere

was　no　soot。



WHILE　Tom　Thumb　was

up　the　chimney；　Hunca

Munca　had　another

disappointment。　She　found　some

tiny　canisters　upon　the　dresser；

labeled　〃Rice；〃　〃Coffee？〃

〃Sago〃；　but　when　she　turned

them　upside　down　there　was

nothing　inside　except　red　and

blue　beads。



THEN　those　mice　set　to

work　to　do　all　the　mischief

they　couldespecially

Tom　Thumb！　He　took　Jane's

clothes　out　of　the　chest　of

drawers　in　her　bedroom；　and

he　threw　them　out　of　the　top…

floor　window。



But　Hunca　Munca　had　a

frugal　mind。　After　pulling

half　the　feathers　out　of

Lucinda's　bolster；　she　remembered

that　she　herself　was　in　want　of

a　feather…bed。



WITH　Tom　Thumb's

assistance　she　carried　the

bolster　down…stairs　and　across

the　hearth…rug。　It　was　difficult

to　squeeze　the　bolster　into　the

mouse…hole；　but　they　managed

it　somehow。



THEN　Hunca　Munca　went

back　and　fetched　a　chair；

a　bookcase；　a　bird…cage；　and

several　small　odds　and　ends。

The　bookcase　and　the　bird…cage

refused　to　go　into　the　mouse…hole。



HUNCA　MUNCA　left

them　behind　the　coal…

box；　and　went　to　fetch　a　cradle。



HUNCA　MUNCA　was

just　returning　with

another　chair；　when　suddenly

there　was　a　noise　of　talking

outside　upon　the　landing。　The

mice　rushed　back　to　their　hole；

and　the　dolls　came　into　the

nursery。



WHAT　a　sight　met　the

eyes　of　Jane　and

Lucinda！



Lucinda　sat　upon　the　upset

kitchen　stove　and　stared；　and

Jane　leaned　against　the　kitchen

dresser　and　smiled；　but　neither

of　them　made　any　remark。



THE　bookcase　and　the　bird…

cage　were　rescued　from

under　the　coal…box；　but　Hunca

Munca　has　got　the　cradle　and

some　of　Lucinda's　clothes。



SHE　also　has　some　useful

pots　and　pans；　and　several

other　things。



THE　little　girl　that　the　doll's

house　belonged　to　said：

〃I　will　get　a　doll　dressed　like　a

policeman！〃



BUT　the　nurse　said：　〃I　will

set　a　mouse…trap！〃



SO　that　is　the　story　of　the

two　Bad　Mice。　But　they

were　not　so　very；　very　naughty

after　all；　because　Tom　Thumb

paid　for　everything　he　broke。



He　found　a　crooked　sixpence

under　the　hearth…rug；　and　upon

Christmas　Eve　he　and　Hunca

Munca　stuffed　it　into　one　of

the　stockings　of　Lucinda　and

Jane。



AND　very　early　every　morning

before　anybody　is

awakeHunca　Munca　comes

with　her　dust…pan　and　her

broom　to　sweep　the　Dollies'

house！









THE　END