a collection of beatrix potter stories-第4章
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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 upthere 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！
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 Whiskerschildren 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
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 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 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 to
the other side of the wood。 Apparently
Tommy Brock had turned
the same way。 Upon the top of the
wall； there were again the marks of
badger； and some ravellings of a
sack had caught on a briar。
Benjamin climbed over the wall；
into a meadow。 He found another
mole trap newly set； he was still
upon the track of Tommy Brock。
It was getting late in the afternoon。
Other rabbits were coming out to
enjoy the evening air。 One of them
in a blue coat by himself； was busily
hunting for dandelions。〃Cousin
Peter！ Peter Rabbit； Peter Rabbit！〃
shouted Benjamin Bunny。
The blue coated rabbit sat up
with pricked ears
〃Whatever is the matter； Cousin
Benjamin？ Is it a cat？ or John
Stoat Ferret？〃
〃No； no； no！ He's bagged my
familyTommy Brockin a sack
have you seen him？〃
〃Tommy Brock？ how many；
Cousin Benjamin？〃
〃Seven； Cousin Peter； and all of
them twins！ Did he come this
way？ Please tell me quick！〃
〃Yes； yes； not ten minutes since
。 。 。 。 he said they were caterpillars；
I did think they were kicking rather
hard； for caterpillars。〃
〃Which way？ which way has he
gone； Cousin Peter？〃
〃He had a sack with something
'live in it； I watched him set a
mole trap。 Let me use my mind；
Cousin Benjamin； tell me from the
beginning。〃 Benjamin did so。
〃My Uncle Bouncer has displayed
a lamentable want of discretion for
his years；〃 said Peter reflectively；
〃but there are two hopeful
circumstances。 Your family is alive and
kicking； and Tommy Brock has
had refreshment。 He will probably
go to sleep； and keep them
for breakfast。〃 〃Which way？〃
〃Cousin Benjamin； compose
yourself。 I know very well which way。
Because Mr。 Tod was at home in
the stick…house he has gone to
Mr。 Tod's other house； at the top
of Bull Banks。 I partly know；
because he offered to leave any
message at Sister Cottontail's； he
said he would be passing。〃 （Cottontail
had married a black rabbit； and
gone to live on the hill）。
Peter hid his dandelions； and
accompanied the afflicted parent； who
was all of a twitter。 They crossed
several fields and began to climb the
hill； the tracks of Tommy Brock
were plainly to be seen。 He seemed
to have put down the sack every
dozen yards； to rest。
〃He must be very puffed； we
are close behind him； by the scent
What a nasty person！〃 said Peter。
The sunshine was still warm and
slanting on the hill pastures。 Half
way up； Cottontail was sitting in
her doorway； with four or five half…
grown little rabbits playing about
her； one black and the others brown。
Cottontail had seen Tommy Brock
passing in the distance。 Asked
whether her husband was at home
she replied that Tommy Brock had
rested twice while she watched him。
He had nodded； and pointed to the
sack； and seemed doubled up with
laughing。〃Come away； Peter；
he will be cooking them； come
quicker！〃 said Benjamin Bunny。
They climbed up and up；〃He
was at home； I saw his black ears
peeping out of the hole。〃 〃They
live too near the rocks to quarrel
with their neigh
