a collection of beatrix potter stories-第11节

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〃Who's…been　digging…up

MY…nuts？〃



THEY　caught　him　and

dragged　him　up　the　very

same　tree；　where　there　was

the　little　round　hole；　and　they

pushed　him　in。　The　hole

was　much　too　small　for

Timmy　Tiptoes'　figure。　They

squeezed　him　dreadfully；　it

was　a　wonder　they　did　not

break　his　ribs。　〃We　will

leave　him　here　till　he

confesses；〃　said　Silvertail　Squirrel；

and　he　shouted　into　the　hole



〃Who's…been…digging…up

MY…nuts？〃



TIMMY　TIPTOES　made

no　reply；　he　had　tumbled

down　inside　the　tree；　upon

half　a　peck　of　nuts　belonging

to　himself。　He　lay　quite

stunned　and　still。



GOODY　TIPTOES　picked

up　the　nut　bags　and　went

home。　She　made　a　cup　of

tea　for　Timmy；　but　he　didn't

come　and　didn't　come。



Goody　Tiptoes　passed　a

lonely　and　unhappy　night。

Next　morning　she　ventured

back　to　the　nut…bushes　to　look

for　him；　but　the　other　unkind

squirrels　drove　her　away。



She　wandered　all　over　the

wood；　calling



〃Timmy　Tiptoes！　Timmy

Tiptoes！　Oh；　where　is　Timmy

Tiptoes？〃



IN　the　meantime　Timmy

Tiptoes　came　to　his　senses。

He　found　himself　tucked　up

in　a　little　moss　bed；　very　much

in　the　dark；　feeling　sore；　it

seemed　to　be　under　ground。

Timmy　coughed　and　groaned；

because　his　ribs　hurted　him。

There　was　a　chirpy　noise；　and

a　small　striped　Chipmunk

appeared　with　a　night　light；

and　hoped　he　felt　better？



It　was　most　kind　to　Timmy

Tiptoes；　it　lent　him　its　nightcap；

and　the　house　was　full

of　provisions。



THE　Chipmunk　explained

that　it　had　rained　nuts

through　the　top　of　the　tree

〃Besides；　I　found　a　few

buried！〃　It　laughed　and

chuckled　when　it　heard

Timmy's　story。　While　Timmy

was　confined　to　bed；　it　'ticed

him　to　eat　quantities〃But

how　shall　I　ever　get　out

through　that　hole　unless　I

thin　myself？　My　wife　will　be

anxious！〃　〃Just　another　nut

or　two　nuts；　let　me　crack

them　for　you；〃　said　the　Chipmunk。

Timmy　Tiptoes　grew

fatter　and　fatter！



NOW　Goody　Tiptoes　had

set　to　work　again　by

herself。　She　did　not　put　any

more　nuts　into　the　woodpecker's

hole；　because　she　had

always　doubted　how　they

could　be　got　out　again。　She

hid　them　under　a　tree　root；

they　rattled　down；　down；

down。　Once　when　Goody

emptied　an　extra　big　bagful；

there　was　a　decided　squeak；

and　next　time　Goody　brought

another　bagful；　a　little　striped

Chipmunk　scrambled　out　in　a

hurry。



〃IT　is　getting　perfectly　full…

up　down…stairs；　the

sitting…room　is　full；　and　they　are

rolling　along　the　passage；　and

my　husband；　Chippy　Hackee；

has　run　away　and　left　me。

What　is　the　explanation　of

these　showers　of　nuts？〃



〃I　am　sure　I　beg　your

pardon；　I　did　not　not　know　that

anybody　lived　here；〃　said　Mrs。

Goody　Tiptoes；　〃but　where　is

Chippy　Hackee？　My　husband；

Timmy　Tiptoes；　has　run　away

too。〃　〃I　know　where　Chippy

is；　a　little　bird　told　me；〃　said

Mrs。　Chippy　Hackee。



SHE　led　the　way　to　the　woodpecker's

tree；　and　they

listened　at　the　hole。



Down　below　there　was　a

noise　of　nut　crackers；　and　a

fat　squirrel　voice　and　a　thin

squirrel　voice　were　singing

together



　　　　　〃My　little　old　man　and　I　fell　out；

　　　　　How　shall　we　bring　this　matter　about？

　　　　　Bring　it　about　as　well　as　you　can；

　　　　　And　get　you　gone；　you　little　old　man！〃





〃You　could　squeeze　in；

through　that　little

round　hole；〃　said　Goody

Tiptoes。　〃Yes；　I　could；〃　said

the　Chipmunk；　〃but　my

husband；　Chippy　Hackee；

bites！〃



Down　below　there　was　a

noise　of　cracking　nuts　and

nibbling；　and　then　the　fat

squirrel　voice　and　the　thin

squirrel　voice　sang



　　　　　〃For　the　diddlum　day

　　　　　Day　diddle　dum　di！

　　　　　Day　diddle　diddle　dum　day！〃





THEN　Goody　peeped　in　at

the　hole；　and　called

down〃Timmy　Tiptoes！　Oh

fie；　Timmy　Tiptoes！〃　And

Timmy　replied；　〃Is　that　you；

Goody　Tiptoes？　Why；　certainly！〃



He　came　up　and　kissed

Goody　through　the　hole；　but

he　was　so　fat　that　he　could

not　get　out。



Chippy　Hackee　was　not　too

fat；　but　he　did　not　want　to

come；　he　stayed　down　below

and　chuckled。



AND　so　it　went　on　for　a

fortnight；　till　a　big　wind

blew　off　the　top　of　the　tree；

and　opened　up　the　hole　and　let

in　the　rain。



Then　Timmy　Tiptoes　came

out；　and　went　home　with　an

umbrella。



BUT　Chippy　Hackee

continued　to　camp　out　for

another　week；　although　it　was

uncomfortable。



AT　last　a　large　bear　came

walking　through　the

wood。　Perhaps　he　also　was

looking　for　nuts；　he　seemed

to　be　sniffing　around。



CHIPPY　HACKEE　went

home　in　a　hurry！



AND　when　Chippy　Hackee

got　home；　he　found　he

had　caught　a　cold　in　his　head；

and　he　was　more　uncomfortable

still。



And　now　Timmy　and

Goody　Tiptoes　keep　their

nut…store　fastened　up　with　a

little　padlock。



AND　whenever　that　little

bird　sees　the　Chipmunks；

he　sings〃Who's…been…

digging…up　MY…nuts？　Who's

been　digging…up　MY…nuts？〃

But　nobody　ever　answers！





THE　END









THE　PIE

AND

THE　PATTY…PAN





Pussy…cat　sits　by　the　firehow　should　she　be　fair？

In　walks　the　little　dogsays　〃Pussy　are　you　there？

How　do　you　do　mistress　Pussy？　Mistress　Pussy；　how　do　you　do？〃

〃I　thank　you　kindly；　little　dog；　I　fare　as　well　as　you！〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Old　Rhyme。











ONCE　upon　a　time　there　was　a

Pussy…cat　called　Ribby；　who

invited　a　little　dog　called　Duchess

to　tea。



〃Come　in　good　time；　my　dear

Duchess；〃　said　Ribby's　letter；　〃and

we　will　have　something　so　very　nice。

I　am　baking　it　in　a　pie…disha　pie…



dish　with　a　pink　rim。　You　never

tasted　anything　so　good！　And　YOU

shall　eat　it　all！　_I_　will　eat　muffins；

my　dear　Duchess！〃　wrote　Ribby。



Duchess　read　the　letter　and　wrote

an　answer：〃I　will　come　with

much　pleasure　at　a　quarter　past　four。

But　it　is　very　strange。　_I_　was　just

going　to　invite　you　to　come　here；

to　supper；　my　dear　Ribby；　to　eat

something　MOST　DELICIOUS。〃



〃I　will　come　very　punctually；　my

dear　Ribby；〃　wrote　Duchess；　and

then　at　the　end　she　added〃I　hope

it　isn't　mouse？〃





And　then　she　thought　that　did

not　look　quite　polite；　so　she　scratched

out　〃isn't　mouse〃　and　changed

it　to　〃I　hope　it　will　be　fine；〃　and

she　gave　her　letter　to　the　postman。



But　she　thought　a　great　deal

about　Ribby's　pie；　and　she　read

Ribby's　letter　over　and　over　again。



〃I　am　dreadfully　afraid　it　WILL　be

mouse！〃　said　Duchess　to　herself

〃I　really　couldn't；　COULDN'T　eat

mouse　pie。　And　I　shall　have　to

eat　it；　because　it　is　a　party。　And

MY　pie　was　going　to　be　veal　and

ham。　A　pink　and　white　pie…dish！

and　so　is　mine；　just　like　Ribby's

dishes；　they　were　both　bought　at

Tabitha　Twitchit's。〃



Duchess　went　into　her　larder

and　took　the　pie　off　a　shelf　and

looked　at　it。



〃It　is　all　ready　to　put　into　the

oven。　Such　lovely　pie…crust；　and

I　put　in　a　little　tin　patty…pan　to

hold　up　the　crust；　and　I　made　a

hole　in　the　middle　with　a　fork　to

let　out　the　steamOh　I　do　wish　I

could　eat　my　own　pie；　instead　of　a

pie　made　of　mouse！〃





Duchess　considered　and　considered

and　read　Ribby'　s　letter　again



〃A　pink　and　white　pie…dish…and

YOU　shall　eat　it　all。　'You'　means

methen　Ribby　is　not　going　to

even　taste　the　pie　herself？　A　pink

and　white　pie…dish！　Ribby　is　sure

to　go　out　to　buy　the　muffins。　。　。　。　。

Oh　what　a　good　idea！　Why

shouldn't　I　rush　along　and　put　my

pie　into　Ribby's　oven　when　Ribby

isn't　there？〃



Duchess　was　quite　delighted

with　her　own　cleverness！





Ribby　in　the　meantime　had

received　Duchess's　answer；　and　as

soon　as　she　was　sure　that　the　little

dog　would　comeshe　popped　HER

pie　into　the　oven。　There　were　two

ovens；　one　above　the　other；　some

other　knobs　and　handles　were　only

ornamental　and　not　intended　to

open。　Ribby　put　the　pie　into　the

lower　oven；　the　door　was　very　stiff。



〃The　top　oven　bakes　too　quickly；〃

said　Ribby　to　herself。　〃It　is　a



pie　of　the　most　delicate　and　tender

mouse　minced　up　with　bacon。　And

I　have　taken　out　all　the　bones；

because　Duchess　did　nearly　choke

herself　with　a　fish…bone　last　time　I

gave　a　party。　She　eats　a　little　fast

rather　big　mouthfuls。　But　a

most　genteel　and　elegant　little　dog

infinitely　superior　company　to

Cousin　Tabitha　Twitchit。〃



Ribby　put　on　some　coal　and

swept　up　the　hearth。　Then　she

went　out　with　a　can　to　the　well；

for　water　to　fill　up　the　kettle。





Then　she　began　to　set　the　room

in　order；　for　it　was　the　sitting…room

as　well　as　the　kitchen。　She　shook

the　mats　out　at　the　front…door　and

put　them　straight；　the　hearth…rug

was　a　rabbit…skin。　She　dusted　the

clock　and　the　ornaments　on　the

mantelpiece；　and　she　polished　and

rubbed　the　tables　and　chairs。





Then　she　spread　a　very　clean

white　table…cloth；　and　set　out　her

best　china　tea…set；　which　she　took

out　of　a　wall…cupboard　near　the