the original peter rabbit books([1].波特文集)-第3节
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did not wake up。
MR。 McGREGOR tied up the sack and left it on the wall。
He went to put away the mowing machine。
WHILE he was gone； Mrs。 Flopsy Bunny （who had remained at home）
came across the field。
She looked suspiciously at the sack and wondered where everybody
was？
THEN the mouse came out of her jam pot； and Benjamin took the
paper bag off his head； and they told the doleful tale。
Benjamin and Flopsy were in despair； they could not undo the string。
But Mrs。 Tittlemouse was a resourceful person。 She nibbled a hole in
the bottom corner of the sack。
THE little rabbits were pulled out and pinched to wake them。
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Their parents stuffed the empty sack with three rotten vegetable
marrows； an old blacking…brush and two decayed turnips。
THEN they all hid under a bush and watched for Mr。 McGregor。
MR。 McGREGOR came 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。
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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！
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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
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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？〃
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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 but
