a collection of beatrix potter stories-第2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！
than ever； his eyes were as big
as lolly…pops！
He was a step or two in
front of his cousin； when he
suddenly stopped。
THIS is what those little
rabbits saw round that
corner！
Little Benjamin took one
look； and then； in half a minute
less than no time； he hid himself
and Peter and the onions
underneath a large basket。 。 。 。
THE cat got up and stretched
herself； and came and
sniffed at the basket。
Perhaps she liked the smell
of onions！
Anyway； she sat down upon
the top of the basket。
SHE sat there for FIVE HOURS。
* * * * *
I cannot draw you a picture
of Peter and Benjamin underneath
the basket； because it
was quite dark； and because
the smell of onions was fearful；
it made Peter Rabbit and little
Benjamin cry。
The sun got round behind
the wood； and it was quite late
in the afternoon； but still the
cat sat upon the basket。
AT length there was a pitter…
patter； pitter…patter； and
some bits of mortar fell from
the wall above。
The cat looked up and saw
old Mr。 Benjamin Bunny
prancing along the top of the
wall of the upper terrace。
He was smoking a pipe of
rabbit…tobacco； and had a little
switch in his hand。
He was looking for his son。
OLD Mr。 Bunny had no
opinion whatever of cats。
He took a tremendous jump
off the top of the wall on to
the top of the cat； and cuffed
it off the basket； and kicked it
into the garden…house； scratching
off a handful of fur。
The cat was too much surprised
to scratch back。
WHEN old Mr。 Bunny had
driven the cat into the
green…house； he locked the
door。
Then he came back to the
basket and took out his son
Benjamin by the ears； and
whipped him with the little
switch。
Then he took out his nephew
Peter。
THEN he took out the handkerchief
of onions； and
marched out of the garden。
When Mr。 McGregor
returned about half an
hour later； he observed several
things which perplexed him。
It looked as though some
person had been walking all
over the garden in a pair of
clogsonly the foot…marks
were too ridiculously little！
Also he could not understand
how the cat could have
managed to shut herself up
INSIDE the green…house； locking
the door upon the OUTSIDE。
WHEN Peter got home；
his mother forgave him；
because she was so glad to see
that he had found his shoes
and coat。 Cotton…tail and
Peter folded up the pocket…
handkerchief； and old Mrs。
rabbit strung up the onions
and hung them from the
kitchen ceiling； with the
rabbit…tobacco。
THE END
THE TALE OF
THE FLOPSY BUNNIES
FOR ALL LITTLE FRIENDS
OF
MR。 McGREGOR & PETER & BENJAMIN
IT is said that the effect of
eating too much lettuce
is 〃soporific。〃
_I_ have never felt sleepy after
eating lettuces； but then _I_ am
not a rabbit。
They certainly had a very
soporific effect upon the Flopsy
Bunnies！
WHEN Benjamin Bunny
grew up； he married
his Cousin Flopsy。 They had
a large family； and they were
very improvident and cheerful。
I do not remember the separate
names of their children；
they were generally called the
〃Flopsy Bunnies。〃
AS there was not always
quite enough to eat；
Benjamin used to borrow
cabbages from Flopsy's
brother； Peter Rabbit； who
kept a nursery garden。
SOMETIMES Peter Rabbit
had no cabbages to spare。
WHEN this happened； the
Flopsy Bunnies went
across the field to a rubbish
heap； in the ditch outside
Mr。 McGregor's garden。
MR。 McGREGOR'S rubbish
heap was a mixture。
There were jam pots and paper
bags； and mountains of chopped
grass from the mowing machine
（which always tasted oily）； and
some rotten vegetable marrows
and an old boot or two。 One
dayoh joy！there were a
quantity of overgrown lettuces；
which had 〃shot〃 into flower。
THE Flopsy Bunnies simply
stuffed lettuces。 By
degrees； one after another；
they were overcome with
slumber； and lay down in the
mown grass。
Benjamin was not so much
overcome as his children。
Before going to sleep he was
sufficiently wide awake to put
a paper bag over his head to
keep off the flies。
THE little Flopsy Bunnies
slept delightfully in the
warm sun。 From the lawn
beyond the garden came the
distant clacketty sound of the
mowing machine。 The blue…
bottles buzzed about the wall；
and a little old mouse picked
over the rubbish among the
jam pots。
（I can tell you her name； she
was called Thomasina Tittlemouse；
a woodmouse with a
long tail。）
SHE rustled across the paper
bag； and awakened Benjamin
Bunny。
The mouse apologized
profusely； and said that she knew
Peter Rabbit。
WHILE she and Benjamin
were talking； close under
the wall； they heard a heavy
tread above their heads； and
suddenly Mr。 McGregor
emptied out a sackful of lawn
mowings right upon the top
of the sleeping Flopsy Bunnies！
Benjamin shrank down
under his paper bag。 The
mouse hid in a jam pot。
THE little rabbits smiled
sweetly in their sleep
under the shower of grass；
they did not awake because
the lettuces had been so
soporific。
They dreamt that their
mother Flopsy was tucking
them up in a hay bed。
Mr。 McGregor looked down
after emptying his sack。 He
saw some funny little brown
tips of ears sticking up through
the lawn mowings。 He stared
at them for some time。
PRESENTLY a fly settled
on one of them and it
moved。
Mr。 McGregor climbed
down on to the rubbish heap
〃One； two； three； four！ five！
six leetle rabbits！〃 said he as
he dropped them into his sack。
The Flopsy Bunnies dreamt
that their mother was turning
them over in bed。 They stirred
a little in their sleep； but still
they 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。
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。
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！
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 h
