the original peter rabbit books([1].波特文集)-第15节
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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
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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 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
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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
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had always been a bad sitter。
THE END
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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…c
