a collection of beatrix potter stories-第14节
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tedious sitting； I intend to give
you a treat。 Let us have a
dinner…party all to ourselves！
〃May I ask you to bring up
some herbs from the farm…
garden to make a savoury
omelette？ Sage and thyme；
and mint and two onions； and
some parsley。 I will provide
lard for the stuff…lard for the
omelette；〃 said the hospitable
gentleman with sandy whiskers。
JEMIMA PUDDLE…DUCK
was a simpleton： not even
the mention of sage and onions
made her suspicious。
She went round the farm…
garden； nibbling off snippets
of all the different sorts of
herbs that are used for stuffing
roast duck。
AND she waddled into the
kitchen； and got two
onions out of a basket。
The collie…dog Kep met her
coming out； 〃What are you
doing with those onions？
Where do you go every afternoon
by yourself； Jemima
Puddle…duck？〃
Jemima was rather in awe
of the collie； she told him the
whole story。
The collie listened； with his
wise head on one side； he
grinned when she described
the polite gentleman with
sandy whiskers。
HE asked several questions
about the wood； and
about the exact position of the
house and shed。
Then he went out； and
trotted down the village。 He
went to look for two fox…hound
puppies who were out at walk
with the butcher。
JEMIMA PUDDLE…DUCK
went up the cart…road for
the last time； on a sunny afternoon。
She was rather burdened
with bunches of herbs
and two onions in a bag。
She flew over the wood； and
alighted opposite the house of
the bushy long…tailed gentleman。
HE was sitting on a log；
he sniffed the air； and
kept glancing uneasily round
the wood。 When Jemima
alighted he quite jumped。
〃Come into the house as
soon as you have looked at
your eggs。 Give me the herbs
for the omelette。 Be sharp！〃
He was rather abrupt。
Jemima Puddle…duck had
never heard him speak like
that。
She felt surprised； and
uncomfortable。
WHILE she was inside she
heard pattering feet
round the back of the shed。
Some one with a black nose
sniffed at the bottom of the
door； and then locked it。
Jemima became much
alarmed。
A MOMENT afterwards
there were most awful
noisesbarking； baying；
growls and howls； squealing
and groans。
And nothing more was ever
seen of that foxy…whiskered
gentleman。
PRESENTLY Kep opened
the door of the shed； and
let out Jemima Puddle…duck。
Unfortunately the puppies
rushed in and gobbled up all
the eggs before he could stop
them。
He had a bite on his ear
and both the puppies were
limping。
JEMIMA PUDDLE…DUCK
was escorted home in tears
on account of those eggs。
SHE laid some more in June；
and she was permitted to
keep them herself： but only
four of them hatched。
Jemima Puddle…duck said
that it was because of her
nerves； but she had always
been a bad sitter。
THE END
THE TALE OF
PIGLING BLAND
FOR
CECILY AND CHARLIE；
A TALE OF
THE CHRISTMAS PIG。
THE TALE OF PIGLING BLAND
ONCE upon a time there was an
old pig called Aunt Pettitoes。
She had eight of a family： four
little girl pigs； called Cross…patch；
Suck…suck； Yock…yock and Spot；
and four little boy pigs； called
Alexander； Pigling Bland； Chin…
chin and Stumpy。 Stumpy had
had an accident to his tail。
The eight little pigs had very fine
appetites。 〃Yus； yus； yus！ they
eat and indeed they DO eat！〃
said Aunt Pettitoes； looking at her
family with pride。 Suddenly there
were fearful squeals； Alexander
had squeezed inside the hoops of
the pig trough and stuck。
Aunt Pettitoes and I dragged
him out by the hind legs。
Chin…chin was already in
disgrace； it was washing day； and he
had eaten a piece of soap。 And
presently in a basket of clean clothes；
we found another dirty little pig。
〃Tchut； tut； tut！ whichever is
this？〃 grunted Aunt Pettitoes。
Now all the pig family are pink； or
pink with black spots； but this pig
child was smutty black all over；
when it had been popped into a
tub； it proved to be Yock…yock。
I went into the garden； there I
found Cross…patch and Suck…suck
rooting up carrots。 I whipped them
myself and led them out by the ears。
Cross…patch tried to bite me。
〃Aunt Pettitoes； Aunt Pettitoes！
you are a worthy person； but your
family is not well brought up。
Every one of them has been in
mischief except Spot and Pigling
Bland。〃
〃Yus； yus！〃 sighed Aunt
Pettitoes。 〃And they drink
bucketfuls of milk； I shall have to
get another cow！ Good little Spot
shall stay at home to do the
housework； but the others must go。
Four little boy pigs and four little
girl pigs are too many altogether。〃
〃Yus； yus； yus；〃 said Aunt Pettitoes；
〃there will be more to eat without
them。〃
So Chin…chin and Suck…suck
went away in a wheel…barrow； and
Stumpy； Yock…yock and Cross…
patch rode away in a cart。
And the other two little boy pigs；
Pigling Bland and Alexander； went
to market。 We brushed their coats；
we curled their tails and washed
their little faces； and wished them
good…bye in the yard。
Aunt Pettitoes wiped her eyes
with a large pocket handkerchief；
then she wiped Pigling Bland's nose
and shed tears； then she wiped
Alexander's nose and shed tears；
then she passed the handkerchief
to Spot。 Aunt Pettitoes sighed
and grunted； and addressed those
little pigs as follows：
〃Now Pigling Bland； son Pigling
Bland； you must go to market。
Take your brother Alexander by the
hand。 Mind your Sunday clothes；
and remember to blow your nose〃
（Aunt Pettitoes passed round the
handkerchief again）〃beware of
traps； hen roosts； bacon and eggs；
always walk upon your hind legs。〃
Pigling Bland； who was a sedate
little pig； looked solemnly at his
mother； a tear trickled down his
cheek。
Aunt Pettitoes turned to the
other〃Now son Alexander take
the hand〃〃Wee； wee； wee！〃
giggled Alexander〃take the
hand of your brother Pigling
Bland； you must go to market。
Mind〃 〃Wee； wee； wee！〃 interrupted
Alexander again。 You
put me out；〃 said Aunt Pettitoes
〃Observe sign…posts and milestones；
do not gobble herring bones〃
〃And remember；〃 said I impressively；
〃if you once cross the county
boundary you cannot come back。
Alexander； you are not attending。
Here are two licences permitting
two pigs to go to market in
Lancashire。 Attend； Alexander。 I have
had no end of trouble in getting
these papers from the policeman。〃
Pigling Bland listened gravely；
Alexander was hopelessly volatile。
I pinned the papers； for safety；
inside their waistcoat pockets；
Aunt Pettitoes gave to each a
little bundle； and eight conversation
peppermints with appropriate
moral sentiments in screws of
paper。 Then they started。
Pigling Bland and Alexander
trotted along steadily for a mile；
at least Pigling Bland did。 Alexander
made the road half as long
again by skipping from side to side。
He danced about and pinched his
brother； singing
〃This pig went to market； this pig
stayed at home；
〃This pig had a bit of meat
let's see what they have given US
for dinner； Pigling？〃
Pigling Bland and Alexander
sat down and untied their bundles。
Alexander gobbled up his dinner
in no time； he had already eaten
all his own peppermints。 〃Give
me one of yours； please； Pigling。〃
〃But I wish to preserve them for
emergencies；〃 said Pigling Bland
doubtfully。 Alexander went into
squeals of laughter。 Then he
pricked Pigling with the pin that
had fastened his pig paper； and
when Pigling slapped him he
dropped the pin； and tried to take
Pigling's pin； and the papers got
mixed up。 Pigling Bland reproved
Alexander。
But presently they made it up
again； and trotted away together；
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！' 〃
〃What's that； young sirs？ Stole
a pig？ Where are your licences？〃
said the policeman。 They had
nearly run against him round a
corner。 Pigling Bland pulled out his
paper； Alexander； after fumbling；
handed over something scrumply
〃To 2 1/2 oz。 conversation sweeties
at three farthings〃〃What's this？
This ain't a licence。 〃Alexander's
nose lengthened visibly； he had lost
it。〃 I had one； indeed I had； Mr。
Policeman！〃
〃It's not likely they let you start
without。 I am passing the farm。
You may walk with me。〃 〃Can I
come back too？〃 inquired Pigling
Bland。 〃I see no reason； young sir；
your paper is all right。〃 Pigling
Bland did not like going on alone
