the great big treasury of beatrix potter-第12节

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Timmy　Tiptoes　went　on　with　his　work　without　replying；　indeed；　the　little　bird　did　not　expect　an　answer。　It　was　only　singing　its　natural　song；　and　it　meant　nothing　at　all。


But　when　the　other　squirrels　heard　that　song；　they　rushed　upon　Timmy　Tiptoes　and　cuffed　and　scratched　him；　and　upset　his　bag　of　nuts。　The　innocent　little　bird　which　had　caused　all　the　mischief；　flew　away　in　a　fright！

Timmy　rolled　over　and　over；　and　then　turned　tail　and　fled　to…　wards　his　nest；　followed　by　a　crowd　of　squirrels　shouting　〃Who's…been　digging…up　MY…nuts？〃

They　caught　him　and　dragged　him　up　the　very　same　tree；　where　there　was　the　little　round　hole；　and　they　pushed　him　in。　The　hole　was　much　too　small　for　Timmy　Tiptoes'　figure。　They　squeezed　him　dreadfully；　it　was　a　wonder　they　did　not　break　his　ribs。　〃We　will　leave　him　here　till　he　confesses；〃　said　Silvertail　Squirrel　and　he　shouted　into　the　hole〃Who's…　been…digging…up　MY…nuts？〃


Timmy　Tiptoes　made　no　reply；　he　had　tumbled　down　inside　the　tree；　upon　half　a　peck　of　nuts　belonging　to　himself。　He　lay　quite　stunned　and　still。

Goody　Tiptoes　picked　up　the　nut　bags　and　went　home。　She　made　a　cup　of　tea　for　Timmy；　but　he　didn't　come　and　didn't　come。

Goody　Tiptoes　passed　a　lonely　and　unhappy　night。　Next　morning　she　ventured　back　to　the　nut　bushes　to　look　for　him；　but　the　other　unkind　squirrels　drove　her　away。

She　wandered　all　over　the　wood；　calling

〃Timmy　Tiptoes！　Timmy　Tip…　toes！　Oh；　where　is　Timmy　Tiptoes？〃


In　the　meantime　Timmy　Tiptoes　came　to　his　senses。　He　found　himself　tucked　up　in　a　little　moss　bed；　very　much　in　the　dark；　feeling　sore；　it　seemed　to　be　under　ground。　Timmy　coughed　and　groaned；　because　his　ribs　hurted　him。　There　was　a　chirpy　noise；　and　a　small　striped　Chipmunk　appeared　with　a　night　light；　and　hoped　he　felt　better？

It　was　most　kind　to　Timmy　Tiptoes；　it　lent　him　its　nightcap；　and　the　house　was　full　of　provisions。

The　Chipmunk　explained　that　it　had　rained　nuts　through　the　top　of　the　tree〃Besides；　I　found　a　few　buried！〃　It　laughed　and　chuckled　when　it　heard　Timmy's　story。　While　Timmy　was　confined　to　bed；　it　'ticed　him　to　eat　quantities　〃But　how　shall　I　ever　get　out　through　that　hole　unless　I　thin　myself？　My　wife　will　be　anxious！〃　〃Just　another　nutor　two　nuts；　let　me　crack　them　for　you；〃　said　the　Chipmunk。　Timmy　Tiptoes　grew　fatter　and　fatter！


Now　Goody　Tiptoes　had　set　to　work　again　by　herself。　She　did　not　put　any　more　nuts　into　the　woodpecker's　hole；　because　she　had　always　doubted　how　they　could　be　got　out　again。　She　hid　them　under　a　tree　root；　they　rattled　down；　down；　down。　Once　when　Goody　emptied　an　extra　big　bagful；　there　was　a　decided　squeak；　and　next　time　Goody　brought　another　bagful；　a　little　striped　Chipmunk　scrambled　out　in　a　hurry。

〃It　is　getting　perfectly　full…up　downstairs；　the　sitting　room　is　full；　and　they　are　rolling　along　the　passage；　and　my　husband；　Chippy　Hackee；　has　run　away　and　left　me。　What　is　the　explanation　of　these　showers　of　nuts？〃

〃I　am　sure　I　beg　your　pardon；　I　did　not　know　that　anybody　lived　here；〃　said　Mrs。　Goody　Tiptoes；　〃but　where　is　Chippy　Hackee？　My　husband；　Timmy　Tiptoes；　has　run　away　too。〃　〃I　know　where　Chippy　is；　a　little　bird　told　me；〃　said　Mrs。　Chippy　Hackee。


She　led　the　way　to　the　woodpecker's　tree；　and　they　listened　at　the　hole。

Down　below　there　was　a　noise　of　nutcrackers；　and　a　fat　squirrel　voice　and　a　thin　squirrel　voice　were　singing　together

　　　　　〃My　little　old　man　and　I　fell　out；　　　　　　How　shall　we　bring　this　matter　about？　　　　　　Bring　it　about　as　well　as　you　can；　　　　　　And　get　you　gone；　you　little　old　man！〃


〃You　could　squeeze　in；　through　that　little　round　hole；〃　said　Goody　Tiptoes。　〃Yes；　I　could；〃　said　the　Chipmunk；　〃but　my　husband；　Chippy　Hackee；　bites！〃

Down　below　there　was　a　noise　of　cracking　nuts　and　nibbling；　and　then　the　fat　squirrel　voice　and　the　thin　squirrel　voice　sang

　　　　　〃For　the　diddlum　day　　　　　　Day　diddle　durn　di！　　　　　　Day　diddle　diddle　dum　day！〃


Then　Goody　peeped　in　at　the　hole；　and　called　down〃Timmy　Tiptoes！　Oh　fie；　Timmy　Tiptoes！〃　And　Timmy　replied；　〃Is　that　you；　Goody　Tiptoes？　Why；　certainly！〃

He　came　up　and　kissed　Goody　through　the　hole；　but　he　was　so　fat　that　he　could　not　get　out。

Chippy　Hackee　was　not　too　fat；　but　he　did　not　want　to　come；　he　stayed　down　below　and　chuckled。

And　so　it　went　on　for　a　fort…　night；　till　a　big　wind　blew　off　the　top　of　the　tree；　and　opened　up　the　hole　and　let　in　the　rain。

Then　Timmy　Tiptoes　came　out；　and　went　home　with　an　umbrella。


But　Chippy　Hackee　continued　to　camp　out　for　another　week；　although　it　was　uncomfortable。

At　last　a　large　bear　came　walking　through　the　wood。　Perhaps　he　also　was　looking　for　nuts；　he　seemed　to　be　sniffing　around。


Chippy　Hackee　went　home　in　a　hurry！

And　when　Chippy　Hackee　got　home；　he　found　he　had　caught　a　cold　in　his　head；　and　he　was　more　uncomfortable　still。


And　now　Timmy　and　Goody　Tiptoes　keep　their　nut　store　fastened　up　with　a　little　padlock。

And　whenever　that　little　bird　sees　the　Chipmunks；　he　sings〃Who's…been…digging…　up　MY…nuts？　Who's　been　dig…　ging…up　MY…nuts？〃　But　nobody　ever　answers！




THE　TALE　OF　MR。　TOD

＇For　William　Francis　of　UlvaSomeday！＇




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　foxy　whiskers；　they　never　knew　where　he　would　be　next。

One　day　he　was　living　in　a　stick…　house　in　the　coppice　＇grove＇；　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　daytime；　he　al…

ways　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　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　fort…　night；　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　back　old　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　wind…

ing　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　d