a collection of beatrix potter stories-第13节
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had to run。 It was most conspicuous。
All the village could see that
Ribby was fetching the doctor。
〃I KNEW they would over…eat
themselves！〃 said Cousin Tabitha
Twitchit。
But while Ribby had been hunting
for the doctora curious thing
had happened to Duchess； who had
been left by herself； sitting before
the fire； sighing and groaning and
feeling very unhappy。
〃How COULD I have swallowed it！
such a large thing as a patty…pan！〃
She got up and went to the table；
and felt inside the pie…dish again
with a spoon。
〃No； there is no patty…pan； and
I put one in； and nobody has eaten
pie except me； so I must have
swallowed it！〃
She sat down again； and stared
mournfully at the grate。 The fire
crackled and danced； and something
sizz…z…zled！
Duchess started！ She opened the
door of the TOP oven；out came a
rich steamy flavour of veal and
ham； and there stood a fine brown
pie；and through a hole in the top
of the pie…crust there was a glimpse
of a little tin patty…pan！
Duchess drew a long breath
〃Then I must have been eating
MOUSE！ 。 。 。 NO wonder I feel ill。
。 。 。 But perhaps I should feel worse
if I had really swallowed a patty…
pan！〃 Duchess reflected〃What
a very awkward thing to have
to explain to Ribby！ I think
I will put my pie in the back…yard
and say nothing about it。 When
I go home； I will run round and
take it away。〃 She put it outside
the back…door； and sat down again
by the fire； and shut her eyes； when
Ribby arrived with the doctor； she
seemed fast asleep。
〃Gammon； ha； HA？〃 said the
doctor。
〃I am feeling very much better；〃
said Duchess； waking up with a
jump。
〃I am truly glad to hear it！〃
He has brought you a pill； my dear
Duchess！〃
〃I think I should feel QUITE well
if he only felt my pulse；〃 said
Duchess； backing away from the
magpie； who sidled up with something
in his beak。
〃It is only a bread pill； you had
much better take it； drink a little
milk； my dear Duchess！〃
〃Gammon？ Gammon？〃 said
the doctor； while Duchess coughed
and choked。
〃Don't say that again！〃 said
Ribby； losing her temper〃Here；
take this bread and jam； and get out
into the yard！〃
〃Gammon
and spinach！
ha ha HA！〃
shouted Dr。
Maggotty
triumphantly outside the back door。
〃I am feeling very much better；
my dear Ribby；〃 said Duchess。
〃Do you not think that I had better
go home before it gets dark？〃
〃Perhaps it might be wise； my
dear Duchess。 I will lend you a
nice warm shawl； and you shall
take my arm。〃
〃I would not trouble you for
worlds； I feel wonderfully better。
One pill of Dr。 Maggotty〃
〃Indeed it is most admirable； if
it has cured you of a patty…pan！ I
will call directly after breakfast to
ask how you have slept。〃
Ribby and Duchess said good…
bye affectionately； and Duchess
started home。 Half…way up the
lane she stopped and looked back；
Ribby had gone in and shut her
door。 Duchess slipped through the
fence； and ran round to the back
of Ribby's house； and peeped into
the yard。
Upon the roof of the pig…stye sat
Dr。 Maggotty and three jackdaws。
The jackdaws were eating pie…
crust； and the magpie was drinking
gravy out of a patty…pan。
〃Gammon； ha； HA！〃 he shouted
when he saw Duchess's little black
nose peeping round the corner。
Duchess ran home feeling uncommonly
silly！
When Ribby came out for a pailful
of water to wash up the tea…
things； she found a pink and white
pie…dish lying smashed in the middle
of the yard。 The patty…pan
was under the pump； where Dr
Maggotty had considerately left it。
Ribby stared with amazement
〃Did you ever see the like！ so there
really WAS a patty…pan？ 。 。 。 。 But
my patty…pans are all in the kitchen
cupboard。 Well I never did！ 。 。 。 。
Next time I want to give a party
I will invite Cousin Tabitha
Twitchit！〃
THE END
THE TALE OF
JEMIMA PUDDLE…DUCK
A FARMYARD TALE
FOR
RALPH AND BETSY
WHAT a funny sight it is
to see a brood of
ducklings with a hen！
Listen to the story of
Jemima Puddle…duck； who was
annoyed because the farmer's
wife would not let her hatch
her own eggs。
HER sister…in…law； Mrs。
Rebeccah Puddle…duck；
was perfectly willing to leave
the hatching to some one else
〃I have not the patience to
sit on a nest for twenty…eight
days； and no more have you；
Jemima。 You would let them
go cold； you know you would！〃
〃I wish to hatch my own
eggs； I will hatch them all
by myself；〃 quacked Jemima
Puddle…duck。
SHE tried to hide her eggs；
but they were always found
and carried off。
Jemima Puddle…duck
became quite desperate。 She
determined to make a nest
right away from the farm。
SHE set off on a fine spring
afternoon along the cart…
road that leads over the hill。
She was wearing a shawl
and a poke bonnet。
WHEN she reached the top
of the hill； she saw a
wood in the distance。
She thought that it looked
a safe quiet spot。
JEMIMA PUDDLE…DUCK
was not much in the habit
of flying。 She ran downhill a
few yards flapping her shawl；
and then she jumped off into
the air。
SHE flew beautifully when
she had got a good start。
She skimmed along over the
tree…tops until she saw an open
place in the middle of the wood；
where the trees and brushwood
had been cleared。
JEMIMA alighted rather
heavily； and began to
waddle about in search of a
convenient dry nesting…place。
She rather fancied a tree…stump
amongst some tall fox…gloves。
Butseated upon the stump；
she was startled to find an
elegantly dressed gentleman
reading a newspaper。
He had black prick ears and
sandy coloured whiskers。
〃Quack？〃 said Jemima
Puddle…duck； with her head
and her bonnet on one side
〃Quack？〃
THE gentleman raised his
eyes above his newspaper
and looked curiously at
Jemima
〃Madam； have you lost your
way？〃 said he。 He had a long
bushy tail which he was sitting
upon； as the stump was somewhat
damp。
Jemima thought him mighty
civil and handsome。 She
explained that she had not
lost her way； but that she was
trying to find a convenient
dry nesting…place。
〃AH！ is that so？ indeed！〃 said
the gentleman with sandy
whiskers； looking curiously at
Jemima。 He folded up the
newspaper； and put it in his
coat…tail pocket。
Jemima complained of the
superfluous hen。
〃Indeed！ how interesting！
I wish I could meet with that
fowl。 I would teach it to mind
its own business！〃
〃BUT as to a nestthere is
no difficulty： I have a
sackful of feathers in my wood…
shed。 No； my dear madam；
you will be in nobody's way。
You may sit there as long as
you like；〃 said the bushy long…
tailed gentleman。
He led the way to a very
retired； dismal…looking house
amongst the fox…gloves。
It was built of faggots and
turf； and there were two broken
pails； one on top of another；
by way of a chimney。
〃THIS is my summer
residence； you would not
find my earthmy winter
houseso convenient；〃 said
the hospitable gentleman。
There was a tumble…down
shed at the back of the house；
made of old soap…boxes。 The
gentleman opened the door；
and showed Jemima in。
THE shed was almost quite
full of feathersit was
almost suffocating； but it was
comfortable and very soft。
Jemima Puddle…duck was
rather surprised to find such a
vast quantity of feathers。 But
it was very comfortable； and
she made a nest without any
trouble at all。
WHEN she came out； the
sandy whiskered gentleman
was sitting on a log
reading the newspaperat
least he had it spread out； but
he was looking over the top
of it。
He was so polite； that he
seemed almost sorry to let
Jemima go home for the night。
He promised to take great care
of her nest until she came back
again next day。
He said he loved eggs and
ducklings； he should be proud
to see a fine nestful in his
wood…shed。
JEMIMA PUDDLE…DUCK
came every afternoon； she
laid nine eggs in the nest。
They were greeny white and
very large。 The foxy gentleman
admired them immensely。
He used to turn them over
and count them when Jemima
was not there。
At last Jemima told him
that she intended to begin to
sit next day〃and I will bring
a bag of corn with me； so that
I need never leave my nest
until the eggs are hatched。
They might catch cold；〃 said
the conscientious Jemima。
〃MADAM； I beg you not
to trouble yourself with
a bag； I will provide oats。
But before you commence your
tedious sitting； I intend to give
you a treat。 Let us have a
dinner…party all to ourselves！
〃May I as
