a collection of beatrix potter stories-第3节
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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；〃 said Ribby；
dragging Moppet out of the flour barrel。
They shook the flour off her and set her
down on the kitchen floor。 She seemed to
be in a terrible fright。
〃Oh！ Mother； Mother；〃 said Moppet；
〃there's been an old woman rat in the
kitchen； and she's stolen some of the
dough！〃
The two cats ran to look at the dough
pan。 Sure enough there were marks of
little scratching fingers； and a lump of
dough was gone！
〃Which way did she go； Moppet？〃
But Moppet had been too much frightened
to peep out of the barrel again。
Ribby and Tabitha took her with them
to keep her safely in sight； while they went
on with their search。
They went into the dairy。
The first thing they found was Mittens；
hiding in an empty jar
They tipped up the jar； and she scrambled
out。
〃Oh； Mother； Mother！〃 said Mittens
〃Oh！ Mother； Mother； there has been an
old man rat in the dairya dreadful 'normous
big rat； Mother； and he's stolen a pat
of butter and the rolling…pin。〃
Ribby and Tabitha looked at one another。
〃A rolling…pin and butter！ Oh； my poor
son Thomas！〃 exclaimed Tabitha； wringing
her paws。
〃A rolling…pin？〃 said Ribby。 〃Did we
not hear a roly…poly noise in the attic when
we were looking into that chest？〃
Ribby and Tabitha rushed upstairs again。
Sure enough the roly…poly noise was still
going on quite distinctly under the attic
floor
〃This is serious； Cousin Tabitha；〃 said
Ribby。 〃We must send for John Joiner at
once； with a saw。〃
Now this is what had been happening to
Tom Kitten； and it shows how very unwise
it is to go up a chimney in a very old house；
where a person does not know his way； and
where there are enormous rats。
Tom Kitten did not want to be shut up
in a cupboard。 When he saw that his
mother was going to bake； he determined
to hide。
He looked about for a nice convenient
place； and he fixed upon the chimney。
The fire had only just been lighted； and
it was not hot； but there was a white choky
smoke from the green sticks。 Tom Kitten
got upon the fender and looked up。 It was
a big old…fashioned fireplace。
The chimney itself was wide enough inside
for a man to stand up and walk about。
So there was plenty of room for a little
Tom Cat
He jumped right up into the fireplace；
balancing himself upon the iron bar where
the kettle hangs。
Tom Kitten took another big jump off
the bar； and landed on a ledge high up
inside the chimney； knocking down some
soot into the fender。
Tom Kitten coughed and choked with the
smoke； he could hear the sticks beginning
to crackle and burn in the fireplace down
below。 He made up his mind to climb right
to the top； and get out on the slates； and
try to catch sparrows。
〃I cannot go back。 If I slipped I might
fall in the fire and singe my beautiful t
