the original peter rabbit books([1].波特文集)-第5节
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whatever you may urge to the contrary。〃
〃Come away at once and help me to tie up some mutton bones in a
counterpane；〃 said Anna Maria。 〃I have got half a smoked ham hidden in
the chimney。〃
So it happened that by the time John Joiner had got the plank up
there was nobody under the floor except the rolling…pin and Tom Kitten in
a very dirty dumpling！
But there was a strong smell of rats； and John Joiner spent the rest of
the morning sniffing and whining； and wagging his tail； and going round
and round with his head in the hole like a gimlet。
Then he nailed the plank down again； and put his tools in his bag； and
came downstairs。
The cat family had quite recovered。 They invited him to stay to dinner。
The dumpling had been peeled off Tom Kitten； and made separately
into a bag pudding； with currants in it to hide the smuts。
They had been obliged to put Tom Kitten into a hot bath to get the
butter off。
John Joiner smelt the pudding； but he regretted that he had not time to
stay to dinner； because he had just finished making a wheel…barrow for
Miss Potter； and she had ordered two hen…coops。
And when I was going to the post late in the afternoonI looked up
the lane from the corner； and I saw Mr。 Samuel Whiskers and his wife on
the run； with big bundles on a little wheel…barrow； which looked very like
mine。
They were just turning in at the gate to the barn of Farmer Potatoes。
Samuel Whiskers was puffing and out of breath。 Anna Maria was still
arguing in shrill tones。
She seemed to know her way； and she seemed to have a quantity of
luggage。
I am sure _I_ never gave her leave to borrow my wheel…barrow！
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They went into the barn； arid hauled their parcels with a bit of string
to the top of the haymow。
After that； there were no more rats for a long time at Tabitha
Twitchit's。
As for Farmer Potatoes； he has been driven nearly distracted。 There
are rats； and rats； and rats in his barn！ They eat up the chicken food； and
steal the oats and bran； and make holes in the meal bags。
And they are all descended from Mr。 and Mrs。 Samuel Whiskers
children and grand…children and great great grand…children。
There is no end to them！
Moppet and Mittens have grown up into very good rat…catchers。
They go out rat…catching in the village； and they find plenty of
employment。 They charge so much a dozen； and earn their living very
comfortably。
They hang up the rats' tails in a row or the barn door； to show how
many they have caughtdozens and dozens of them。
But Tom Kitten has always been afraid of a rat； he never durst face
anything that is bigger than
A Mouse。
THE END
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The Original Peter Rabbit Books
THE TALE OF MR TOD
I HAVE made many books about well…behaved people。 Now； for a
change； I am going to make a story about two disagreeable people； called
Tommy Brock and Mr。 Tod。 Nobody could call Mr。 Tod 〃nice。〃 The rabbits
could not bear him； they could smell him half a mile off。 He was of a
wandering habit and he had foxey whiskers； they never knew where he
would be next。
One day he was living in a stick… house in the coppice； causing terror
to the family of old Mr。 Benjamin Bouncer。 Next day he moved into a
pollard willow near the lake； frightening the wild ducks and the water rats。
In winter and early spring he might generally be found in an earth
amongst the rocks at the top of Bull Banks； under Oatmeal Crag。
He had half a dozen houses； but he was seldom at home。
The houses were not always empty when Mr。 Tod moved OUT；
because sometimes Tommy Brock moved IN； （without asking leave）。
Tommy Brock was a short bristly fat waddling person with a grin； he
grinned all over his face。 He was not nice in his habits。 He ate wasp nests
and frogs and worms； and he waddled about by moonlight； digging things
up。
His clothes were very dirty； and as he slept in the day…time； he
always went to bed in his boots。 And the bed which he went to bed in； was
generally Mr。 Tod's。
Now Tommy Brock did occasionally eat rabbit…pie； but it was only
very little young ones occasionally； when other food was really scarce。 He
was friendly with old Mr。 Bouncer； they agreed in disliking
the wicked otters and Mr。 Tod； they often talked over that painful
subject。
Old Mr。 Bouncer was stricken in years。 He sat in the spring sunshine
outside the burrow； in a muffler； smoking a pipe of rabbit tobacco。
He lived with his son Benjamin Bunny and his daughter…in…law Flopsy；
who had a young family。 Old Mr。 Bouncer was in charge of the family that
afternoon； because Benjamin and Flopsy had gone out。
The little rabbit…babies were just old enough to open their blue eyes
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and kick。 They lay in a fluffy bed of rabbit wool and hay； in a shallow
burrow； separate from the main rabbit hole。 To tell the truthold Mr。
Bouncer had forgotten them。
He sat in the sun； and conversed cordially with Tommy Brock； who
was passing through the wood with a sack and a little spud which he used
for digging； and some mole traps。 He complained bitterly about the
scarcity of pheasants' eggs； and accused Mr。 Tod of poaching them。
And the otters had cleared off all the frogs while he was asleep in winter
〃I have not had a good square meal for a fortnight； I am living on pig…nuts。
I shall have to turn vegetarian and eat my own tail！〃 said Tommy Brock。
It was not much of a joke； but it tickled old Mr。 Bouncer； because
Tommy Brock was so fat and stumpy and grinning。
So old Mr。 Bouncer laughed； and pressed Tommy Brock to come
inside； to taste a slice of seed…cake and 〃a glass of my daughter Flopsy's
cowslip wine。〃 Tommy Brock squeezed himself into the rabbit hole with
alacrity。
Then old Mr。 Bouncer smoked another pipe； and gave Tommy Brock
a cabbage leaf cigar which was so very strong that it made Tommy Brock
grin more than ever； and the smoke filled the burrow。 Old Mr。 Bouncer
coughed and laughed； and Tommy Brock puffed and grinned。
And Mr。 Bouncer laughed and coughed； and shut his eyes because of
the cabbage smoke 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。
When Flopsy and Benjamin came backold Mr。 Bouncer woke up。
Tommy Brock and all the young rabbit…babies had disappeared！
Mr。 Bouncer would not confess that he had admitted anybody into the
rabbit hole。 But the smell of badger was undeniable； and there were round
heavy footmarks in the sand。 He was in disgrace； Flopsy wrung her ears；
and slapped him。
Benjamin Bunny set off at once after Tommy Brock。
There was not much difficulty in tracking him； he had left his foot…
mark and gone slowly up the winding footpath through the wood。 Here he
had rooted up the moss and wood sorrel。 There he had dug quite a deep
hole for dog darnel； and had set a mole trap。 A little stream crossed the
way。 Benjamin skipped lightly over dry…foot； the badger's heavy steps
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showed plainly in the mud。
The path led to a part of the thicket where the trees had been cleared；
there were leafy oak stumps； and a sea of blue hyacinthsbut the smell
that made Benjamin stop； was not the smell of flowers！
Mr。 Tod's stick house was before him and； for once； Mr。 Tod was at
home。 There was not only a foxey flavour in proof of itthere was smoke
coming out of the broken pail that served as a chimney。
Benjamin Bunny sat up； staring； his whiskers twitched。 Inside the stick
house somebody dropped a plate； and said something。 Benjamin stamped
his foot； and bolted。
He never stopped till he came
