the great big treasury of beatrix potter-第7部分

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Tom　was　very　naughty；　and　he　scratched。

Mrs。　Tabitha　dressed　Moppet　and　Mittens　in　clean　pinafores　and　tuckers；　and　then　she　took　all　sorts　of　elegant　uncomfortable　clothes　out　of　a　chest　of　drawers；　in　order　to　dress　up　her　son　Thomas。


Tom　Kitten　was　very　fat；　and　he　had　grown；　several　buttons　burst　off。　His　mother　sewed　them　on　again。

When　the　three　kittens　were　ready；　Mrs。　Tabitha　unwisely　turned　them　out　into　the　garden；　to　be　out　of　the　way　while　she　made　hot　buttered　toast。

〃Now　keep　your　frocks　clean；　children！　You　must　walk　on　your　hind　legs。　Keep　away　from　the　dirty　ash…　pit；　and　from　Sally　Henny　Penny；　and　from　the　pigsty　and　the　Puddle…　ducks。〃

Moppet　and　Mittens　walked　down　the　garden　path　unsteadily。　Presently　they　trod　upon　their　pinafores　and　fell　on　their　noses。

When　they　stood　up　there　were　several　green　smears！


〃Let　us　climb　up　the　rockery　and　sit　on　the　garden　wall；〃　said　Moppet。

They　turned　their　pinafores　back　to　front　and　went　up　with　a　skip　and　a　jump；　Moppet's　white　tucker　fell　down　into　the　road。

Tom　Kitten　was　quite　unable　to　jump　when　walking　upon　his　hind　legs　in　trousers。　He　came　up　the　rockery　by　degrees；　breaking　the　ferns　and　shedding　buttons　right　and　left。

He　was　all　in　pieces　when　he　reached　the　top　of　the　wall。

Moppet　and　Mittens　tried　to　pull　him　together；　his　hat　fell　off；　and　the　rest　of　his　buttons　burst。


While　they　were　in　difficulties；　there　was　a　pit　pat；　paddle　pat！　and　the　three　Puddle…ducks　came　along　the　hard　high　road；　marching　one　behind　the　other　and　doing　the　goose　step　pit　pat；　paddle　pat！　pit　pat；　waddle　pat！

They　stopped　and　stood　in　a　row　and　stared　up　at　the　kittens。　They　had　very　small　eyes　and　looked　surprised。　Then　the　two　duck…birds；　Rebeccah　and　Jemima　Puddle…duck；　picked　up　the　hat　and　tucker　and　put　them　on。


Mittens　laughed　so　that　she　fell　off　the　wall。　Moppet　and　Tom　descended　after　her；　the　pinafores　and　all　the　rest　of　Tom's　clothes　came　off　on　the　way　down。

〃Come！　Mr。　Drake　Puddle…duck；〃　said　Moppet。　〃Come　and　help　us　to　dress　him！　Come　and　button　up　Tom！〃

Mr。　Drake　Puddle…duck　advanced　in　a　slow　sideways　manner　and　picked　up　the　various　articles。

But　he　put　them　on　HIMSELF！　They　fitted　him　even　worse　than　Tom　Kitten。

〃It's　a　very　fine　morning！〃　said　Mr。　Drake　Puddle…duck。


And　he　and　Jemima　and　Rebeccah　Puddle…duck　set　off　up　the　road；　keeping　steppit　pat；　paddle　pat！　pit　pat；　waddle　pat！

Then　Tabitha　Twitchit　came　down　the　garden　and　found　her　kittens　on　the　wall　with　no　clothes　on。

She　pulled　them　off　the　wall；　smacked　them；　and　took　them　back　to　the　house。

〃My　friends　will　arrive　in　a　minute；　and　you　are　not　fit　to　be　seen；　I　am　affronted；〃　said　Mrs。　Tabitha　Twitchit。


She　sent　them　upstairs；　and　I　am　sorry　to　say　she　told　her　friends　that　they　were　in　bed　with　the　measles　which　was　not　true。

Quite　the　contrary；　they　were　not　in　bed：　NOT　in　the　least。

Somehow　there　were　very　extra　ordinary　noises　overhead；　which　disturbed　the　dignity　and　repose　of　the　tea　party。

And　I　think　that　some　day　I　shall　have　to　make　another；　larger　book；　to　tell　you　more　about　Tom　Kitten！


As　for　the　Puddle…ducksthey　went　into　a　pond。

The　clothes　all　came　off　directly；　because　there　were　no　buttons。

And　Mr。　Drake　Puddle…duck；　and　Jemima　and　Rebeccah；　have　been　looking　for　them　ever　since。



THE　TALE　OF　JEMIMA　PUDDLE…DUCK

＇A　Farmyard　Tale　for　Ralph　and　Betsy＇



What　a　funny　sight　it　is　to　see　a　brood　of　ducklings　with　a　hen！

Listen　to　the　story　of　Jemima　Puddle…duck；　who　was　annoyed　because　the　farmer's　wife　would　not　let　her　hatch　her　own　eggs。

Her　sister…in…law；　Mrs。　Rebeccah　Puddle…duck；　was　perfectly　willing　to　leave　the　hatching　to　someone　else　〃I　have　not　the　patience　to　sit　on　a　nest　for　twenty…eight　days；　and　no　more　have　you；　Jemima。　You　would　let　them　go　cold；　you　know　you　would！　〃

〃I　wish　to　hatch　my　own　eggs；　I　will　hatch　them　all　by　myself；〃　quacked　Jemima　Puddle…duck。

She　tried　to　hide　her　eggs；　but　they　were　always　found　and　carried　off。

Jemima　Puddle…duck　became　quite　desperate。　She　determined　to　make　a　nest　right　away　from　the　farm。


She　set　off　on　a　fine　spring　afternoon　along　the　cart　road　that　leads　over　the　hill。

She　was　wearing　a　shawl　and　a　poke　bonnet。

When　she　reached　the　top　of　the　hill；　she　saw　a　wood　in　the　distance。

She　thought　that　it　looked　a　safe　quiet　spot。

Jemima　Puddle…duck　was　not　much　in　the　habit　of　flying。　She　ran　downhill　a　few　yards　flapping　her　shawl；　and　then　she　jumped　off　into　the　air。


She　flew　beautifully　when　she　had　got　a　good　start。


She　skimmed　along　over　the　treetops　until　she　saw　an　open　place　in　the　middle　of　the　wood；　where　the　trees　and　brushwood　had　been　cleared。

Jemima　alighted　rather　heavily　and　began　to　waddle　about　in　search　of　a　convenient　dry　nesting　place。　She　rather　fancied　a　tree　stump　amongst　some　tall　foxgloves。

Butseated　upon　the　stump；　she　was　startled　to　find　an　elegantly　dressed　gentleman　reading　a　newspaper。　He　had　black　prick　ears　and　sandy　colored　whiskers。

〃Quack？〃　said　Jemima　Puddle…　duck；　with　her　head　and　her　bonnet　on　the　one　side〃Quack？〃

The　gentleman　raised　his　eyes　above　his　newspaper　and　looked　curiously　at　Jemima

〃Madam；　have　you　lost　your　way？〃　said　he。　He　had　a　long　bushy　tail　which　he　was　sitting　upon；　as　the　stump　was　somewhat　damp。

Jemima　thought　him　mighty　civil　and　handsome。　She　explained　that　she　had　not　lost　her　way；　but　that　she　was　trying　to　find　a　convenient　dry　nesting　place。


〃Ah！　is　that　so？　Indeed！〃　said　the　gentleman　with　sandy　whiskers；　looking　curiously　at　Jemima。　He　folded　up　the　newspaper　and　put　it　in　his　coattail　pocket。

Jemima　complained　of　the　superfluous　hen。

〃Indeed！　How　interesting！　I　wish　I　could　meet　with　that　fowl。　I　would　teach　it　to　mind　its　own　business！

〃But　as　to　a　nestthere　is　no　difficulty：　I　have　a　sackful　of　feathers　in　my　woodshed。　No；　my　dear　madam；　you　will　be　in　nobody's　way。　You　may　sit　there　as　long　as　you　like；〃　said　the　bushy　long…tailed　gentleman。

He　led　the　way　to　a　very　retired；　dismal…looking　house　amongst　the　foxgloves。

It　was　built　of　faggots　and　turf；　and　there　were　two　broken　pails；　one　on　top　of　another；　by　way　of　a　chimney。

〃This　is　my　summer　residence；　you　would　not　find　my　earthmy　winter　houseso　convenient；〃　said　the　hospitable　gentleman。

There　was　a　tumbledown　shed　at　the　back　of　the　house；　made　of　old　soap　boxes。　The　gentleman　opened　the　door　and　showed　Jemima　in。


The　shed　was　almost　quite　full　of　feathersit　was　almost　suffocating；　but　it　was　comfortable　and　very　soft。

Jemima　Puddle…duck　was　rather　surprised　to　find　such　a　vast　quantity　of　feathers。　But　it　was　very　comfortable；　and　she　made　a　nest　without　any　trouble　at　all。

When　she　came　out；　the　sandy…　whiskered　gentleman　was　sitting　on　a　log　reading　the　newspaperat　least　he　had　it　spread　out；　but　he　was　looking　over　the　top　of　it。

He　was　so　polite　that　he　seemed　almost　sorry　to　let　Jemima　go　home　for　the　night。　He　promised　to　take　great　care　of　her　nest　until　she　came　back　again　the　next　day。

He　said　he　loved　eggs　and　ducklings；　he　should　be　proud　to　see　a　fine　nestful　in　his　woodshed。

Jemima　Puddle…duck　came　every　afternoon；　she　laid　nine　eggs　in　the　nest。　They　were　greeny　white　and　very　large。　The　foxy　gentleman　admired　them　immensely。　He　used　to　turn　them　over　and　count　them　when　Jemima　was　not　there。

At　last　Jemima　told　him　that　she　intended　to　begin　to　sit　next　day〃and　I　will　bring　a　bag　of　corn　with　me；　so　that　I　need　never　leave　my　nest　until　the　eggs　are　hatched。　They　might　catch　cold；〃　said　the　conscientious　Jemima。


〃Madam；　I　beg　you　not　to　trouble　yourself　with　a　bag；　I　will　provide　oats。　But　before　you　commence　your　tedious　sitting；　I　intend　to　give　you　a　treat。　Let　us　have　a　dinner　party　all　to　ourselves！

〃May　I　ask　you　to　bring　up　some　herbs　from　the　farm　garden　to　make　a　savory　omelet？　Sage　and　thyme；　and　mint　and　two　onions；　and　some　parsley。　I　will　provide　lard　for　the　stufflard　for　the　omelet；〃　said　the　hospitable　gentleman　with　sandy　whiskers。

Jemima　Puddle…duck　was　a　simpleton：　not　even　the　mention　of　sage　and　onions　made　her　suspicious。

She　went　round　the　farm　garden；　nibbling　off　snippets　of　all　the　different　sorts　of　herbs　that　are　used　for　stuffing　roast　duck。

And　she　waddled　into　the　kitchen　and　got　two　onions　out　of　a　basket。

The　collie　dog　Kep　met　her　coming　out；　〃What　are　you　doing　with　those　onions？　Where　do　you　go　every　afternoon　by　yourself；　Jemima　Puddle…duck？〃

Jemima　was　rather　in　awe　of　the　collie；　she　told　him　the　whole　story。

The　collie　listened；　with　his　wise　head　on　one　side；　he　grinned　when　she　described　the　polite　gentleman　with　sandy　whiskers。


He　asked　several　questions　about　the　wood　and　about　the　exact　position　of　the　house　and　shed。

Then　he　went　out；　and　trotted　down　the　village。　He　went　to　look　for　two　foxhound　puppies　who　were　out　at　walk　with　the　butcher。

Jemima　Puddle…duck　went　up　the　cart　road　for　the　last　time；　on　a　sunny　afternoon。　She　was　rather　burdened　with　bunches　of　herbs　and　two　onions　in　a　bag。

She　flew　over　the　wood；　and　alighted　opposite　the　house　of　the　bushy　long…tailed　gentleman。

He　was　sitting　on　a　log；　he　sniffed　the　air　and　kept　glancing　uneasily　round　the　wood。　When　Jemima　alighted　he　quite　jumped。

〃Come　into　the　house　as　soon　as　you　have　looked　at　your　eggs。　Give　me　the　herbs　for　the　omelet。　Be　sharp！〃

He　was　rather　abrupt。　Jemima　Puddle…duck　had　never　heard　him　speak　like　that。

She　felt　surprised　and　uncomfortable。

While　she　was　inside　she　heard　pattering　feet　round　the　back　of　the　shed。　Someone　with　a　black　nose　sniffed　at　the　bottom　of　the　door；　and　them　locked　it。

Jemima　became　much　alarmed。

A　moment　afterward　there　were　most　awful　noisesbarking；　baying；　growls　and　howls；　squealing　and　groans。

And　nothing　more　was　ever　seen　of　that　foxy…whiskered　gentleman。

Presently　Kep　opened　the　door　of　the　shed　and　let　out　Jemima　Puddle…　duck。

Unfortunately　the　puppies　rushed　in　and　gobbled　up　all　the　eggs　before　he　could　stop　them。

He　had　a　bite　on　his　ear；　and　both　the　puppies　were　limping。


Jemima　Puddle…duck　was　escorted　home　in　tears　on　account　of　t