a collection of beatrix potter stories-第3章

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the　wall；　they　heard　a　heavy

tread　above　their　heads；　and

suddenly　Mr。　McGregor

emptied　out　a　sackful　of　lawn

mowings　right　upon　the　top

of　the　sleeping　Flopsy　Bunnies！

Benjamin　shrank　down

under　his　paper　bag。　The

mouse　hid　in　a　jam　pot。



THE　little　rabbits　smiled

sweetly　in　their　sleep

under　the　shower　of　grass；

they　did　not　awake　because

the　lettuces　had　been　so

soporific。



They　dreamt　that　their

mother　Flopsy　was　tucking

them　up　in　a　hay　bed。



Mr。　McGregor　looked　down

after　emptying　his　sack。　He

saw　some　funny　little　brown

tips　of　ears　sticking　up　through

the　lawn　mowings。　He　stared

at　them　for　some　time。



PRESENTLY　a　fly　settled

on　one　of　them　and　it

moved。



Mr。　McGregor　climbed

down　on　to　the　rubbish　heap



〃One；　two；　three；　four！　five！

six　leetle　rabbits！〃　said　he　as

he　dropped　them　into　his　sack。

The　Flopsy　Bunnies　dreamt

that　their　mother　was　turning

them　over　in　bed。　They　stirred

a　little　in　their　sleep；　but　still

they　did　not　wake　up。



MR。　McGREGOR　tied　up

the　sack　and　left　it　on

the　wall。



He　went　to　put　away　the

mowing　machine。



WHILE　he　was　gone；　Mrs。

Flopsy　Bunny　（who

had　remained　at　home）　came

across　the　field。



She　looked　suspiciously　at

the　sack　and　wondered　where

everybody　was？



THEN　the　mouse　came　out

of　her　jam　pot；　and　Benjamin

took　the　paper　bag　off

his　head；　and　they　told　the

doleful　tale。



Benjamin　and　Flopsy　were

in　despair；　they　could　not

undo　the　string。



But　Mrs。　Tittlemouse　was

a　resourceful　person。　She

nibbled　a　hole　in　the　bottom

corner　of　the　sack。



THE　little　rabbits　were

pulled　out　and　pinched

to　wake　them。



Their　parents　stuffed　the

empty　sack　with　three　rotten

vegetable　marrows；　an　old

blacking…brush　and　two

decayed　turnips。



THEN　they　all　hid　under

a　bush　and　watched　for

Mr。　McGregor。



MR。　McGREGOR　came

back　and　picked　up　the

sack；　and　carried　it　off。



He　carried　it　hanging　down；

as　if　it　were　rather　heavy。



The　Flopsy　Bunnies

followed　at　a　safe　distance。



THEY　watched　him　go　into

his　house。



And　then　they　crept　up　to

the　window　to　listen。



MR。　McGREGOR　threw

down　the　sack　on　the

stone　floor　in　a　way　that

would　have　been　extremely

painful　to　the　Flopsy　Bunnies；

if　they　had　happened　to　have

been　inside　it。



They　could　hear　him　drag

his　chair　on　the　flags；　and

chuckle



〃One；　two；　three；　four；　five；

six　leetle　rabbits！〃　said　Mr。

McGregor。



〃EH？　What's　that？　What

have　they　been　spoiling

now？〃　enquired　Mrs。

McGregor。



〃One；　two；　three；　four；　five；

six　leetle　fat　rabbits！〃　repeated

Mr。　McGregor；　counting　on

his　fingers〃one；　two；　three〃



〃Don't　you　be　silly；　what

do　you　mean；　you　silly　old

man？〃



〃In　the　sack！　one；　two；　three；

four；　five；　six！〃　replied　Mr。

McGregor。



（The　youngest　Flopsy　Bunny

got　upon　the　window…sill。）



MRS。　McGREGOR　took

hold　of　the　sack　and　felt

it。　She　said　she　could　feel

six；　but　they　must　be　OLD

rabbits；　because　they　were　so

hard　and　all　different　shapes。



〃Not　fit　to　eat；　but　the

skins　will　do　fine　to　line　my

old　cloak。〃



〃Line　your　old　cloak？〃

shouted　Mr。　McGregor〃I

shall　sell　them　and　buy　myself

baccy！〃



〃Rabbit　tobacco！　I　shall

skin　them　and　cut　off　their

heads。〃



MRS。　McGREGOR　untied

the　sack　and　put　her

hand　inside。



When　she　felt　the　vegetables

she　became　very　very　angry。

She　said　that　Mr。　McGregor

had　〃done　it　a　purpose。〃



AND　Mr。　McGregor　was

very　angry　too。　One　of

the　rotten　marrows　came　flying

through　the　kitchen　window；

and　hit　the　youngest　Flopsy

Bunny。



It　was　rather　hurt。



THEN　Benjamin　and　Flopsy

thought　that　it　was　time

to　go　home。



SO　Mr。　McGregor　did　not

get　his　tobacco；　and　Mrs。

McGregor　did　not　get　her

rabbit　skins。



But　next　Christmas

Thomasina　Tittlemouse　got　a

present　of　enough　rabbit…wool

to　make　herself　a　cloak　and　a

hood；　and　a　handsome　muff

and　a　pair　of　warm　mittens。





THE　END











IN　REMEMBRANCE　OF

〃SAMMY；〃

THE　INTELLIGENT　PINK…EYED　REPRESENTATIVE

OF

A　PERSECUTED　（BUT　IRREPRESSIBLE）　RACE。

AN　AFFECTIONATE　LITTLE　FRIEND。

AND　MOST　ACCOMPLISHED

THIEF！



THE　ROLY…POLY　PUDDING







ONCE　upon　a　time　there　was　an　old

cat；　called　Mrs。　Tabitha　Twitchit；

who　was　an　anxious　parent。　She　used　to

lose　her　kittens　continually；　and　whenever

they　were　lost　they　were　always　in　mischief！



On　baking　day　she　determined　to　shut

them　up　in　a　cupboard。



She　caught　Moppet　and　Mittens；　but　she

could　not　find　Tom。





Mrs。　Tabitha　went　up　and　down　all　over

the　house；　mewing　for　Tom　Kitten。　She

looked　in　the　pantry　under　the　staircase；

and　she　searched　the　best　spare　bedroom

that　was　all　covered　up　with　dust　sheets。

She　went　right　upstairs　and　looked　into　the

attics；　but　she　could　not　find　him　anywhere。



It　was　an　old；　old　house；　full　of

cupboards　and　passages。　Some　of　the　walls

were　four　feet　thick；　and　there　used　to　be

queer　noises　inside　them；　as　if　there　might

be　a　little　secret　staircase。　Certainly　there

were　odd　little　jagged　doorways　in　the

wainscot；　and　things　disappeared　at　night

especially　cheese　and　bacon。



Mrs。　Tabitha　became　more　and　more

distracted；　and　mewed　dreadfully





While　their　mother　was　searching　the

house；　Moppet　and　Mittens　had　got　into

mischief。



The　cupboard　door　was　not　locked；　so

they　pushed　it　open　and　came　out。





They　went　straight　to　the　dough　which

was　set　to　rise　in　a　pan　before　the　fire。



They　patted　it　with　their　little　soft　paws

〃Shall　we　make　dear　little　muffins？〃　said

Mittens　to　Moppet





But　just　at　that　moment　somebody

knocked　at　the　front　door；　and　Moppet

jumped　into　the　flour　barrel　in　a　fright





Mittens　ran　away　to　the　dairy；　and　hid

in　an　empty　jar　on　the　stone　shelf　where

the　milk　pans　stand。





The　visitor　was　a　neighbor；　Mrs。　Ribby；

she　had　called　to　borrow　some　yeast。



Mrs。　Tabitha　came　downstairs　mewing

dreadfully〃Come　in；　Cousin　Ribby；　come

in；　and　sit　ye　down！　I'm　in　sad　trouble；

Cousin　Ribby；〃　said　Tabitha；　shedding

tears。　〃I've　lost　my　dear　son　Thomas；　I'm

afraid　the　rats　have　got　him。〃　She　wiped

her　eyes　with　an　apron。



〃He's　a　bad　kitten；　Cousin　Tabitha；　he

made　a　cat's　cradle　of　my　best　bonnet　last

time　I　came　to　tea。　Where　have　you　looked

for　him？〃



〃All　over　the　house！　The　rats　are　too

many　for　me。　What　a　thing　it　is　to　have　an

unruly　family！〃　said　Mrs。　Tabitha　Twitchit。





〃I'm　not　afraid　of　rats；　I　will　help　you

to　find　him；　and　whip　him　too！　What　is

all　that　soot　in　the　fender？〃



〃The　chimney　wants　sweepingOh；　dear

me；　Cousin　Ribbynow　Moppet　and　Mittens

are　gone！〃



〃They　have　both　got　out　of　the　cup…

board！〃





Ribby　and　Tabitha　set　to　work　to　search

the　house　thoroughly　again。　They　poked

under　the　beds　with　Ribby's　umbrella；　and

they　rummaged　in　cupboards。　They　even

fetched　a　candle；　and　looked　inside　a　clothes

chest　in　one　of　the　attics。　They　could　not

find　anything；　but　once　they　heard　a　door

bang　and　somebody　scuttered　downstairs。



〃Yes；　it　is　infested　with　rats；〃　said

Tabitha　tearfully；　〃I　caught　seven　young

ones　out　of　one　hole　in　the　back　kitchen；

and　we　had　them　for　dinner　last　Saturday。

And　once　I　saw　the　old　father　ratan

enormous　old　rat；　Cousin　Ribby。　I　was

just　going　to　jump　upon　him；　when　he

showed　his　yellow　teeth　at　me　and　whisked

down　the　hole。〃



〃The　rats　get　upon　my　nerves；　Cousin

Ribby；〃　said　Tabitha。





Ribby　and　Tabitha　searched　and　searched。

They　both　heard　a　curious　roly…poly　noise

under　the　attic　floor。　But　there　was　nothing

to　be　seen。





They　returned　to　the　kitchen。　〃Here's

one　of　your　kittens　at　least；〃　sa