a collection of beatrix potter stories-第12章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Tchut； tut； tut！ whichever is
this？〃 grunted Aunt Pettitoes。
Now all the pig family are pink； or
pink with black spots； but this pig
child was smutty black all over；
when it had been popped into a
tub； it proved to be Yock…yock。
I went into the garden； there I
found Cross…patch and Suck…suck
rooting up carrots。 I whipped them
myself and led them out by the ears。
Cross…patch tried to bite me。
〃Aunt Pettitoes； Aunt Pettitoes！
you are a worthy person； but your
family is not well brought up。
Every one of them has been in
mischief except Spot and Pigling
Bland。〃
〃Yus； yus！〃 sighed Aunt
Pettitoes。 〃And they drink
bucketfuls of milk； I shall have to
get another cow！ Good little Spot
shall stay at home to do the
housework； but the others must go。
Four little boy pigs and four little
girl pigs are too many altogether。〃
〃Yus； yus； yus；〃 said Aunt Pettitoes；
〃there will be more to eat without
them。〃
So Chin…chin and Suck…suck
went away in a wheel…barrow； and
Stumpy； Yock…yock and Cross…
patch rode away in a cart。
And the other two little boy pigs；
Pigling Bland and Alexander； went
to market。 We brushed their coats；
we curled their tails and washed
their little faces； and wished them
good…bye in the yard。
Aunt Pettitoes wiped her eyes
with a large pocket handkerchief；
then she wiped Pigling Bland's nose
and shed tears； then she wiped
Alexander's nose and shed tears；
then she passed the handkerchief
to Spot。 Aunt Pettitoes sighed
and grunted； and addressed those
little pigs as follows：
〃Now Pigling Bland； son Pigling
Bland； you must go to market。
Take your brother Alexander by the
hand。 Mind your Sunday clothes；
and remember to blow your nose〃
（Aunt Pettitoes passed round the
handkerchief again）〃beware of
traps； hen roosts； bacon and eggs；
always walk upon your hind legs。〃
Pigling Bland； who was a sedate
little pig； looked solemnly at his
mother； a tear trickled down his
cheek。
Aunt Pettitoes turned to the
other〃Now son Alexander take
the hand〃〃Wee； wee； wee！〃
giggled Alexander〃take the
hand of your brother Pigling
Bland； you must go to market。
Mind〃 〃Wee； wee； wee！〃 interrupted
Alexander again。 You
put me out；〃 said Aunt Pettitoes
〃Observe sign…posts and milestones；
do not gobble herring bones〃
〃And remember；〃 said I impressively；
〃if you once cross the county
boundary you cannot come back。
Alexander； you are not attending。
Here are two licences permitting
two pigs to go to market in
Lancashire。 Attend； Alexander。 I have
had no end of trouble in getting
these papers from the policeman。〃
Pigling Bland listened gravely；
Alexander was hopelessly volatile。
I pinned the papers； for safety；
inside their waistcoat pockets；
Aunt Pettitoes gave to each a
little bundle； and eight conversation
peppermints with appropriate
moral sentiments in screws of
paper。 Then they started。
Pigling Bland and Alexander
trotted along steadily for a mile；
at least Pigling Bland did。 Alexander
made the road half as long
again by skipping from side to side。
He danced about and pinched his
brother； singing
〃This pig went to market； this pig
stayed at home；
〃This pig had a bit of meat
let's see what they have given US
for dinner； Pigling？〃
Pigling Bland and Alexander
sat down and untied their bundles。
Alexander gobbled up his dinner
in no time； he had already eaten
all his own peppermints。 〃Give
me one of yours； please； Pigling。〃
〃But I wish to preserve them for
emergencies；〃 said Pigling Bland
doubtfully。 Alexander went into
squeals of laughter。 Then he
pricked Pigling with the pin that
had fastened his pig paper； and
when Pigling slapped him he
dropped the pin； and tried to take
Pigling's pin； and the papers got
mixed up。 Pigling Bland reproved
Alexander。
But presently they made it up
again； and trotted away together；
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！' 〃
〃What's that； young sirs？ Stole
a pig？ Where are your licences？〃
said the policeman。 They had
nearly run against him round a
corner。 Pigling Bland pulled out his
paper； Alexander； after fumbling；
handed over something scrumply
〃To 2 1/2 oz。 conversation sweeties
at three farthings〃〃What's this？
This ain't a licence。 〃Alexander's
nose lengthened visibly； he had lost
it。〃 I had one； indeed I had； Mr。
Policeman！〃
〃It's not likely they let you start
without。 I am passing the farm。
You may walk with me。〃 〃Can I
come back too？〃 inquired Pigling
Bland。 〃I see no reason； young sir；
your paper is all right。〃 Pigling
Bland did not like going on alone；
and it was beginning to rain。 But
it is unwise to argue with the police；
he gave his brother a peppermint；
and watched him out of sight。
To conclude the adventures of
Alexanderthe policeman sauntered
up to the house about tea
time； followed by a damp subdued
little pig。 I disposed of Alexander
in the neighbourhood； he did fairly
well when he had settled down。
Pigling Bland went on alone
dejectedly； he came to cross…roads
and a sign…post〃To Market Town；
5 miles；〃 〃Over the Hills； 4 miles；〃
〃To Pettitoes Farm； 3 miles。〃
Pigling Bland was shocked；
there was little hope of sleeping in
Market Town； and to…morrow was
the hiring fair； it was deplorable to
think how much time had been
wasted by the frivolity of Alexander。
He glanced wistfully along the
road towards the hills； and then set
off walking obediently the other
way； buttoning up his coat against
the rain。 He had never wanted to
go； and the idea of standing all
by himself in a crowded market； to
be stared at； pushed； and hired by
some big strange farmer was very
disagreeable
〃I wish I could have a little
garden and grow potatoes；〃 said
Pigling Bland。
He put his cold hand in his
pocket and felt his paper； he put his
other hand in his other pocket and
felt another paperAlexander's！
Pigling squealed； then ran back
frantically； hoping to overtake
Alexander and the policeman。
He took a wrong turnseveral
wrong turns； and was quite lost。
It grew dark； the wind whistled；
the trees creaked and groaned。
Pigling Bland became frightened
and cried 〃Wee； wee； wee！ I can't
find my way home！〃
After an hour's wandering he
got out of the wood； the moon
shone through the clouds； and
Pigling Bland saw a country that
was new to him。
The road crossed a moor； below
was a wide valley with a river
twinkling in the moonlight； and
beyond； in misty distance； lay
the hills。
He saw a small wooden hut；
made his way to it； and crept
inside〃I am afraid it IS a hen
house； but what can I do？〃 said
Pigling Bland； wet and cold and
quite tired out。
〃Bacon and eggs； bacon and
eggs！〃 clucked a hen on a perch。
〃Trap； trap； trap！ cackle； cackle；
cackle！〃 scolded the disturbed
cockerel。 〃To market； to market！
jiggetty jig！〃 clucked a broody
white hen roosting next to him。
Pigling Bland； much alarmed；
determined to leave at daybreak。
In the meantime； he and the hens
fell asleep。
In less than an hour they were
all awakened。 The owner； Mr。
Peter Thomas Piperson； came with
a lantern and a hamper to catch
six fowls to take to market in the
morning。
He grabbed the white hen
roosting next to the cock； then
his eye fell upon Pigling Bland；
squeezed up in a corner。 He made
a singular remark〃Hallo； here's
another！〃seized Pigling by the
scruff of the neck； and dropped him
into the hamper。 Then he dropped
in five more dirty； kicking； cackling
hens upon the top of Pigling Bland。
The hamper containing six fowls
and a young pig was no light
weight； it was taken down hill；
unsteadily； with jerks。 Pigling；
although nearly scratched to pieces；
contrived to hide the papers and
peppermints inside his clothes。
At last the hamper was bumped
down upon a kitchen floor； the lid
was opened； and Pigling was lifted
out。 He looked up； blinking； and
saw an offensively ugly elderly
man； grinning from ear to ear。
〃This one's come of himself；
whatever；〃 said Mr。 Piperson；
turning Pigling's pockets inside out。
He pushed the hamper into a
corner； threw a sack over it to
keep the hens quiet； put a pot on
the fire； and unlaced his boots。
Pigling Bland drew forward a
coppy stool； and sat on the edge of
it； shyly warming his hands。 Mr。
Piperson pulled off a boot and
threw it against the wainscot at
the further end of the kitchen。
There was a smothered noise
〃Shut up！〃 said Mr。 Piperson。
Pigling Bland warmed his hands；
and eyed him。
Mr。 Piperson pulled off the other
boot and flung it after the first；
there was again a curious noise
〃Be quiet； will ye？〃 said Mr。
Piperson。 Pigling Bland sat on the
very edge of the coppy stool。
Mr。 Piperson fetched meal from
a chest and made porridge。 It
seemed to Pigling that something
at the further end of the kitchen
was taking a suppressed interest in
the cooking； but he was too hungry
to be troubled by noises。
Mr。 Piperson poured out three
platefuls： for himself； for Pigling；
and a thirdafter glaring at Pigling
he put away with much scuffling；
and locked up。 Pigling Bland ate
his supper discreetly。
After supper Mr。 Piperson
consulted an almanac； and felt Pigling's
ribs； it was too late in the season
for curing bacon； and he grudged
his meal。 Besides； the hens had
seen this pig。
He looked at the small remains
of a flitch； and then looked
undecidedly at Pigling。 〃You may
sleep on the rug；〃 said Mr。 Peter
Thomas Piperson。
Pigling Bland slept like a top。
In the morning Mr。 Piperson made
more porridge； the weather was
warmer。 He looked to see how much
meal was left in the chest； and
seemed dissatisfied〃You'll likely
be moving on again？〃 said he to
Pigling Bland。
Before Pigling could reply； a
neighbour； who was giving Mr。
Piperson and the hens a lift；
whistled from the gate。 Mr。 Piperson
hurried out with the hamper；
enjoining Pigling to shut the door
behind him and not meddle with
nought； or 〃I'll come back and skin
ye！〃 said Mr。 Piperson。
It crossed Pigling's mind that if
HE had asked for a lift； too； he
might still have been in time for
market。
But he distrusted Peter Thomas。
After finishing breakfast at his
leisure； Pigling had a look round
the cotta
