the original peter rabbit books([1].波特文集)-第18节
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orchards。
〃That's Westmorland；〃 said Pig…wig。 She dropped Pigling's hand and
commenced to dance； 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！'
〃
〃Come； Pig…wig； we must get to the bridge before folks are stirring。〃
〃Why do you want to go to market； Pigling？〃 inquired Pig…wig presently。
〃I don't want； I want to grow potatoes。〃 〃Have a peppermint？〃 said Pig…
wig。 Pigling Bland refused quite crossly。 〃Does your poor toothy hurt？〃
inquired Pig…wig。 Pigling Bland grunted。
Pig…wig ate the peppermint herself and followed the opposite side of
the road。 〃Pig…wig！ keep under the wall； there's a man ploughing。〃 Pig…wig
crossed over； they hurried down hill towards the county boundary。
Suddenly Pigling stopped； he heard wheels。
Slowly jogging up the road below them came a tradesman's cart。 The
reins flapped on the horse's back； the grocer was reading a newspaper。
〃Take that peppermint out of your mouth； Pig…wig； we may have to
run。 Don't say one word。 Leave it to me。 And in sight of the bridge！〃 said
poor Pigling； nearly crying。 He began to walk frightfully lame； holding
Pig…wig's arm。
The grocer； intent upon his news… paper； might have passed them； if
his horse had not shied and snorted。 He pulled the cart crossways； and held
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down his whip。 〃Hallo！ Where are YOU going to？〃Pigling Bland stared
at him vacantly。
〃Are you deaf？ Are you going to market？〃 Pigling nodded slowly。
〃I thought as much。 It was yesterday。 Show me your licence？〃
Pigling stared at the off hind shoe of the grocer's horse which had
picked up a stone。
The grocer flicked his whip 〃Papers？ Pig licence？〃 Pigling fumbled
in all his pockets； and handed up the papers。 The grocer read them； but
still seemed dissatisfied。 〃This here pig is a young lady； is her name
Alexander？〃 Pig…wig opened her mouth and shut it again； Pigling coughed
asthmatically。
The grocer ran his finger down the advertisement column of his
newspaper〃Lost； stolen or strayed； 10s。 reward。〃 He looked suspiciously
at Pig…wig。 Then he stood up in the trap； and whistled for the ploughman。
〃You wait here while I drive on and speak to him；〃 said the grocer；
gathering up the reins。 He knew that pigs are slippery； but surely； such a
VERY lame pig could never run！
〃Not yet； Pig…wig； he will look back。〃 The grocer did so； he saw the
two pigs stock…still in the middle of the road。 Then he looked over at his
horse's heels； it was lame also； the stone took some time to knock out；
after he got to the ploughman。
〃Now； Pig…wig； NOW！〃 said Pigling Bland。
Never did any pigs run as these pigs ran！ They raced and squealed and
pelted down the long white hill towards the bridge。 Little fat Pig… wig's
petticoats fluttered； and her feet went pitter； patter； pitter； as she bounded
and jumped。
They ran； and they ran； and they ran down the hill； and across a short
cut on level green turf at the bottom； between pebble beds and rushes。
They came to the river； they came to the bridgethey crossed it hand
in hand… then over the hills and far away she danced with Pigling Bland！
THE END
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THE TALE OF TWO BAD MICE
FOR W。 M。 L。 W。 THE LITTLE GIRL WHO HAD THE DOLL
HOUSE
ONCE upon a time there was a very beautiful doll's house； it was red
brick with white windows； and it had real muslin curtains and a front door
and a chimney。
IT belonged to two Dolls called Lucinda and Jane； at least it belonged
to Lucinda； but she never ordered meals。
Jane was the Cook； but she never did any cooking； because the dinner
had been bought ready…made； in a box full of shavings。
THERE were two red lobsters； and a ham； a fish； a pudding； and some
pears and oranges。
They would not come off the plates； but they were extremely beautiful。
ONE morning Lucinda and Jane had gone out for a drive in the doll's
perambulator。 There was no one in the nursery； and it was very quiet。
Presently there was a little scuffling； scratching noise in a corner near the
fireplace； where there was a hole under the skirting…board。
Tom Thumb put out his head for a moment； and then popped it in
again。
Tom Thumb was a mouse。
A MINUTE afterwards Hunca Munca； his wife； put her head out； too；
and when she saw that there was no one in the nursery； she ventured out
on the oilcloth under the coal…box
THE doll's house stood at the other side of the fireplace。 Tom Thumb
and Hunca Munca went cautiously across the hearth…rug。 They pushed the
front doorit was not fast。
TOM THUMB and Hunca Munca went up…stairs and peeped into the
dining… room。 Then they squeaked with joy！
Such a lovely dinner was laid out upon the table！ There were tin
spoons； and lead knives and forks； and two dolly…chairs all SO
convenient！
TOM THUMB set to work at once to carve the ham。 It was a beautiful
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shiny yellow； streaked with red。
The knife crumpled up and hurt him； he put his finger in his mouth。
〃It is not boiled enough； it is hard。 You have a try； Hunca Munca。〃
HUNCA MUNCA up in her chair； and chopped at the ham with
another lead knife。
〃It's as hard as the hams at the cheesemonger's；〃 said Hunca Munca。
THE ham broke off the plate with a jerk； and rolled under the table。
〃Let it alone；〃 said Tom Thumb； 〃give me some fish； Hunca Munca！〃
HUNCA MUNCA tried every tin spoon in turn； the fish was glued to
the dish。
Then Tom Thumb lost his temper。 He put the ham in the middle of the
floor； and hit it with the tongs and with the shovelbang； bang； smash；
smash！
The ham flew all into pieces； for underneath the shiny paint it was
made of nothing but plaster！
THEN there was no end to the rage and disappointment of Tom
Thumb and Hunca Munca。 They broke up the pudding； the lobsters； the
pears； and the oranges。
As the fish would not come off the plate； they put it into the red…hot
crinkly paper fire in the kitchen； but it would not burn either。
TOM THUMB went up the kitchen chimney and looked out at the top…
…there was no soot。
WHILE Tom Thumb was up the chimney； Hunca Munca had another
disappointment。 She found some tiny canisters upon the dresser； labeled
〃Rice；〃 〃Coffee？〃 〃Sago〃； but when she turned them upside down there
was nothing inside except red and blue beads。
THEN those mice set to work to do all the mischief they could
especially Tom Thumb！ He took Jane's clothes out of the chest of drawers
in her bedroom； and he threw them out of the top… floor window。
But Hunca Munca had a frugal mind。 After pulling half the feathers
out of Lucinda's bolster； she remembered that she herself was in want of a
feather…bed。
WITH Tom Thumb's assistance she carried the bolster down…stairs and
across the hearth…rug。 It was difficult to squeeze the bolster into the
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mouse…hole； but they managed it somehow。
THEN Hunca Munca went back and fetched a chair； a bookcase； a
bird…cage； and several small odds and ends。 The bookcase and the bird…
cage refused to go into the mouse…hole。
HUNCA MUNCA left them behind the coal… box； and went to fetch a
cradle。
HUNCA MUNCA was just returning with another chair； when
suddenly there was a noise of talking outside upon the landing。 The mice
rushed back to their hole； and the dolls came into the nursery。
WHAT a sight met the eyes of Jane and Lucinda！
Lucinda sat upon the upset kitchen stove and stared； and Jane leaned
against the kitchen dresser and smiled； but neither of them made any
