the great big treasury of beatrix potter-第1节

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The　Great　Big　Treasury　of　Beatrix　Potter

by　Beatrix　Potter




CONTENTS


THE　TALE　OF　PETER　RABBIT
THE　TAILOR　OF　GLOUCESTER
THE　TALE　OF　SQUIRREL　NUTKIN
THE　TALE　OF　BENJAMIN　BUNNY
THE　TALE　OF　TWO　BAD　MICE
THE　TALE　OF　MRS。　TIGGY…WINKLE
THE　PIE　AND　THE　PATTY…PAN
THE　TALE　OF　MR。　JEREMY　FISHER
THE　STORY　OF　A　FIERCE　BAD　RABBIT
THE　STORY　OF　MISS　MOPPET
THE　TALE　OF　TOM　KITTEN
THE　TALE　OF　JEMIMA　PUDDLE…DUCK
THE　ROLY…POLY　PUDDING
THE　TALE　OF　THE　FLOPSY　BUNNIES
THE　TALE　OF　MRS。　TITTLEMOUSE
THE　TALE　OF　TIMMY　TIPTOES
THE　TALE　OF　MR。　TOD
THE　TALE　OF　PIGLING　BLAND
GINGER　AND　PICKLES




THE　TALE　OF
PETER　RABBIT


Once　upon　a　time　there　were　four　little　Rabbits；　and　their　names　were　　　　　　Flopsy；　　　　　　　　　　　Mopsy；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Cotton…tail；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　and　Peter。

They　lived　with　their　Mother　in　a　sand…bank；　underneath　the　root　of　a　very　big　fir…tree。

〃Now；　my　dears；〃　said　old　Mrs。　Rabbit　one　morning；　〃you　may　go　into　the　fields　or　down　the　lane；　but　don't　go　into　Mr。　McGregor's　garden：　your　Father　had　an　accident　there；　he　was　put　in　a　pie　by　Mrs。　McGregor。〃

〃Now　run　along；　and　don't　get　into　mischief。　I　am　going　out。〃


Then　old　Mrs。　Rabbit　took　a　basket　and　her　umbrella；　and　went　through　the　wood　to　the　baker's。　She　bought　a　loaf　of　brown　bread　and　five　currant　buns。

Flopsy；　Mopsy；　and　Cotton…tail；　who　were　good　little　bunnies；　went　down　the　lane　to　gather　blackberries；

But　Peter；　who　was　very　naughty；　ran　straight　away　to　Mr。　McGregor's　garden；　and　squeezed　under　the　gate！


First　he　ate　some　lettuces　and　some　French　beans；　and　then　he　ate　some　radishes；

And　then；　feeling　rather　sick；　he　went　to　look　for　some　parsley。

But　round　the　end　of　a　cucumber　frame；　whom　should　he　meet　but　Mr。　McGregor！


Mr。　McGregor　was　on　his　hands　and　knees　planting　out　young　cabbages；　but　he　jumped　up　and　ran　after　Peter；　waving　a　rake　and　calling　out；　〃Stop　thief。〃

Peter　was　most　dreadfully　frightened；　he　rushed　all　over　the　garden；　for　he　had　forgotten　the　way　back　to　the　gate。

He　lost　one　of　his　shoes　among　the　cabbages；　and　the　other　shoe　amongst　the　potatoes。

After　losing　them；　he　ran　on　four　legs　and　went　faster；　so　that　I　think　he　might　have　got　away　altogether　if　he　had　not　unfortunately　run　into　a　gooseberry　net；　and　got　caught　by　the　large　buttons　on　his　jacket。　It　was　a　blue　jacket　with　brass　buttons；　quite　new。


Peter　gave　himself　up　for　lost；　and　shed　big　tears；　but　his　sobs　were　overheard　by　some　friendly　sparrows；　who　flew　to　him　in　great　excitement；　and　implored　him　to　exert　himself。

Mr。　McGregor　came　up　with　a　sieve；　which　he　intended　to　pop　upon　the　top　of　Peter；　but　Peter　wriggled　out　just　in　time；　leaving　his　jacket　behind　him。

And　rushed　into　the　toolshed；　and　jumped　into　a　can。　It　would　have　been　a　beautiful　thing　to　hide　in；　if　it　had　not　had　so　much　water　in　it。


Mr。　McGregor　was　quite　sure　that　Peter　was　somewhere　in　the　toolshed；　perhaps　hidden　underneath　a　flower…　pot。　He　began　to　turn　them　over　carefully；　looking　under　each。

Presently　Peter　sneezed　〃Kertyschoo！〃　Mr。　McGregor　was　after　him　in　no　time；

And　tried　to　put　his　foot　upon　Peter；　who　jumped　out　of　a　window；　upsetting　three　plants。　The　window　was　too　small　for　Mr。　McGregor；　and　he　was　tired　of　running　after　Peter。　He　went　back　to　his　work。

Peter　sat　down　to　rest；　he　was　out　of　breath　and　trembling　with　fright；　and　he　had　not　the　least　idea　which　way　to　go。　Also　he　was　very　damp　with　sitting　in　that　can。

After　a　time　he　began　to　wander　about；　going　lippitylippitynot　very　fast；　and　looking　all　around。


He　found　a　door　in　a　wall；　but　it　was　locked；　and　there　was　no　room　for　a　fat　little　rabbit　to　squeeze　underneath。

An　old　mouse　was　running　in　and　out　over　the　stone　doorstep；　carrying　peas　and　beans　to　her　family　in　the　wood。　Peter　asked　her　the　way　to　the　gate；　but　she　had　such　a　large　pea　in　her　mouth　that　she　could　not　answer。　She　only　shook　her　head　at　him。　Peter　began　to　cry。

Then　he　tried　to　find　his　way　straight　across　the　garden；　but　he　became　more　and　more　puzzled。　Presently；　he　came　to　a　pond　where　Mr。　McGregor　filled　his　water…cans。　A　white　cat　was　staring　at　some　goldfish；　she　sat　very；　very　still；　but　now　and　then　the　tip　of　her　tail　twitched　as　if　it　were　alive。　Peter　thought　it　best　to　go　away　without　speaking　to　her；　he　has　heard　about　cats　from　his　cousin；　little　Benjamin　Bunny。


He　went　back　towards　the　toolshed；　but　suddenly；　quite　close　to　him；　he　heard　the　noise　of　a　hoescr…　r…ritch；　scratch；　scratch；　scritch。　Peter　scuttered　underneath　the　bushes。　But　presently；　as　nothing　happened；　he　came　out；　and　climbed　upon　a　wheelbarrow；　and　peeped　over。　The　first　thing　he　saw　was　Mr。　McGregor　hoeing　onions。　His　back　was　turned　towards　Peter；　and　beyond　him　was　the　gate！

Peter　got　down　very　quietly　off　the　wheelbarrow；　and　started　running　as　fast　as　he　could　go；　along　a　straight　walk　behind　some　black…currant　bushes。

Mr。　McGregor　caught　sight　of　him　at　the　corner；　but　Peter　did　not　care。　He　slipped　underneath　the　gate；　and　was　safe　at　last　in　the　wood　outside　the　garden。

Mr。　McGregor　hung　up　the　little　jacket　and　the　shoes　for　a　scare…crow　to　frighten　the　blackbirds。


Peter　never　stopped　running　or　looked　behind　him　till　he　got　home　to　the　big　fir…tree。

He　was　so　tired　that　he　flopped　down　upon　the　nice　soft　sand　on　the　floor　of　the　rabbit…hole；　and　shut　his　eyes。　His　mother　was　busy　cooking；　she　wondered　what　he　had　done　with　his　clothes。　It　was　the　second　little　jacket　and　pair　of　shoes　that　Peter　had　lost　in　a　fortnight！

I　am　sorry　to　say　that　Peter　was　not　very　well　during　the　evening。

His　mother　put　him　to　bed；　and　made　some　camomile　tea；　and　she　gave　a　dose　of　it　to　Peter！

〃One　table…spoonful　to　be　taken　at　bed…time。〃

But　Flopsy；　Mopsy；　and　Cotton…tail　had　bread　and　milk　and　blackberries　for　supper。



THE　TAILOR　OF　GLOUCESTER

〃I'll　be　at　charges　for　a　looking…glass；　And　entertain　a　score　or　two　of　tailors。〃　＇Richard　III＇

My　Dear　Freda：

Because　you　are　fond　of　failytales；　and　have　been　ill；　I　have　made　you　a　story　all　for　yourselfa　new　one　that　nobody　has　read　before。

And　the　queerest　thing　about　it　isthat　I　heard　it　in　Gloucestershire；　and　that　it　is　trueat　least　about　the　tailor；　the　waistcoat；　and　the　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃No　more　twist！〃　_Christmas_


In　the　time　of　swords　and　peri　wigs　and　full…skirted　coats　with　flowered　lappetswhen　gentlemen　wore　ruffles；　and　gold…laced　waistcoats　of　paduasoy　and　taffetathere　lived　a　tailor　in　Gloucester。

He　sat　in　the　window　of　a　little　shop　in　Westgate　Street；　cross…legged　on　a　table　from　morning　till　dark。

All　day　long　while　the　light　lasted　he　sewed　and　snippetted；　piecing　out　his　satin；　and　pompadour；　and　lutestring；　stuffs　had　strange　names；　and　were　very　expensive　in　the　days　of　the　Tailor　of　Gloucester。

But　although　he　sewed　fine　silk　for　his　neighbours；　he　himself　was　very；　very　poor。　He　cut　his　coats　without　waste；　according　to　his　embroidered　cloth；　they　were　very　small　ends　and　snippets　that　lay　about　upon　the　table〃Too　narrow　breadths　for　noughtexcept　waistcoats　for　mice；〃　said　the　tailor。

One　bitter　cold　day　near　Christmastime　the　tailor　began　to　make　a　coat　（a　coat　of　cherry…　coloured　corded　silk　embroidered　with　pansies　and　roses）　and　a　cream…　coloured　satin　waistcoat　for　the　Mayor　of　Gloucester。


The　tailor　worked　and　worked；　and　he　talked　to　himself：　〃No　breadth　at　all；　and　cut　on　the　cross；　it　is　no　breadth　at　all；　tippets　for　mice　and　ribbons　for　mobs！　for　mice！〃　said　the　Tailor　of　Gloucester。

When　the　snow…flakes　came　down　against　the　small　leaded　window…　panes　and　shut　out　the　light；　the　tailor　had　done　his　day's　work；　all　the　silk　and　satin　lay　cut　out　upon　the　table。

There　were　twelve　pieces　for　the　coat　and　four　pieces　for　the　waistcoat；　and　there　were　pocket…flaps　and　cuffs　and　buttons；　all　in　order。　For　the　lining　of　the　coat　there　was　fine　yellow　taffeta；　and　for　the　button…　holes　of　the　waistcoat　there　was　cherry…coloured　twist。　And　everything　was　ready　to　sew　together　in　the　morning；　all　measured　and　sufficientexcept　that　there　was　wanting　just　one　single　skein　of　cherry…coloured　twisted　silk。

The　tailor　came　out　of　his　shop　at　dark。　No　one　lived　there　at　nights　but　little　brown　mice；　and　THEY　ran　in　and　out　without　any　keys！


For　behind　the　wooden　wainscots　of　all　the　old　houses　in　Gloucester；　there　are　little　mouse　staircases　and　secret　trap…doors；　and　the　mice　run　from　house　to　house　through　those　long；　narrow　passages。


But　the　tailor　came　out　of　his　shop　and　shuffled　home　through　the　snow。　And　although　it　was　not　a　big　house；　the　tailor　was　so　poor　he　only　rented　the　kitchen。

He　lived　alone　with　his　cat；　it　was　called　Simpkin。

〃Miaw？〃　said　the　cat　when　the　tailor　opened　the　door；　〃miaw？〃

The　tailor　replied：　〃Simpkin；　we　shall　make　our　fortune；　but　I　am　worn　to　a　ravelling。　Take　this　groat　（which　is　our　last　fourpence）；　and；　Simpkin；　take　a　china　pipkin；　but　a　penn'orth　of　bread；　a　penn'orth　of　milk；　and　a　penn'orth　of　sausages。　And　oh；　Simpkin；　with　the　last　penny　of　our　fourpence　but　me　one　penn'orth　of　cherry…coloured　silk。　But　do　not　lose　the　last　penny　of　the　fourpence；　Simpkin；　or　I　am　un