the great big treasury of beatrix potter- 第6部分

〃Oh　I　do　feel　so　ill　ALL　OVER　me；　my　dear　Ribby。〃

〃Shall　I　run　for　the　doctor？〃


〃Oh　yes；　yes！　fetch　Dr。　Maggotty；　my　dear　Ribby：　he　is　a　Pie　himself；　he　will　certainly　understand。〃

Ribby　settled　Duchess　in　an　armchair　before　the　fire；　and　went　out　and　hurried　to　the　village　to　look　for　the　doctor。

She　found　him　at　the　smithy。

Ribby　explained　that　her　guest　had　swallowed　a　patty…pan。

Dr。　Maggotty　hopped　so　fast　that　Ribby　had　to　run。　It　was　most　conspicuous。　All　the　village　could　see　that　Ribby　was　fetching　the　doctor。

But　while　Ribby　had　been　hunting　for　the　doctora　curious　thing　had　happened　to　Duchess；　who　had　been　left　by　herself；　sitting　before　the　fire；　sighing　and　groaning　and　feeling　very　unhappy。

〃How　COULD　I　have　swallowed　it！　such　a　large　thing　as　a　patty…pan！〃

She　sat　down　again；　and　stared　mournfully　at　the　grate。　The　fire　crackled　and　danced；　and　something　sizz…z…zled！

Duchess　started！　She　opened　the　door　of　the　TOP　oven；out　came　a　rich　steamy　flavour　of　veal　and　ham；　and　there　stood　a　fine　brown　pie；　and　through　a　hole　in　the　top　of　the　pie…crust　there　was　a　glimpse　of　a　little　tin　patty…pan！

Duchess　drew　a　long　breath


〃Then　I　must　have　been　eating　MOUSE！　。　。　。　No　wonder　I　feel　ill。　。　。　。　But　perhaps　I　should　feel　worse　if　I　had　really　swallowed　a　patty…pan！〃　Duchess　reflected〃What　a　very　awkward　thing　to　have　to　explain　to　Ribby！　I　think　I　will　put　MY　pie　in　the　back…yard　and　say　nothing　about　it。　When　I　go　home；　I　will　run　round　and　take　it　away。〃　She　put　it　outside　the　back…door；　and　say　down　again　by　the　fire；　and　shut　her　eyes；　when　Ribby　arrived　with　the　doctor；　she　seemed　fast　asleep。

〃I　am　feeling　very　much　better；〃　said　Duchess；　waking　up　with　a　jump。

〃I　am　truly　glad　to　hear　it！　He　has　brought　you　a　pill；　my　dear　Duchess！〃

〃I　think　I　should　feel　QUITE　well　if　he　only　felt　my　pulse；〃　said　Duchess；　backing　away　from　the　magpie；　who　sidled　up　with　something　in　his　beak。

〃It　is　only　a　bread　pill；　you　had　much　better　take　it；　drink　a　little　milk；　my　dear　Duchess！〃

〃I　am　feeling　very　much　better；　my　dear　Ribby；〃　said　Duchess。　〃Do　you　not　think　that　I　had　better　go　home　before　it　gets　dark？〃


〃Perhaps　it　might　be　wise；　my　dear　Duchess。〃

Ribby　and　Duchess　said　good…bye　affectionately；　and　Duchess　started　home。　Half…way　up　the　lane　she　stopped　and　looked　back；　Ribby　had　gone　in　and　shut　her　door。　Duchess　slipped　through　the　fence；　and　ran　round　to　the　back　of　Ribby's　house；　and　peeped　into　the　yard。

Upon　the　roof　of　the　pig…stye　sat　Dr。　Maggotty　and　three　jackdaws。　The　jackdaws　were　eating　piecrust；　and　the　magpie　was　drinking　gravy　out　of　a　patty…pan。

Duchess　ran　home　feeling　uncommonly　silly！

When　Ribby　came　out　for　a　pailful　of　water　to　wash　up　the　tea…things；　she　found　a　pink　and　white　pie…dish　lying　smashed　in　the　middle　of　the　yard。

Ribby　stared　with　amazement　〃Did　you　ever　see　the　like！　so　there　really　WAS　a　patty…pan？　。　。　。　But　MY　patty…pans　are　all　in　the　kitchen　cupboard。　Well　I　never　did！　。　。　。　Next　time　I　want　to　give　a　partyI　will　invite　Cousin　Tabitha　Twitchit！〃




THE　TALE　OF　MR。　JEREMY　FISHER

＇For　Stephanie　from　Cousin　B。＇


Once　upon　a　time　there　was　a　frog　called　Mr。　Jeremy　Fisher；　he　lived　in　a　little　damp　house　amongst　the　buttercups　at　the　edge　of　a　pond。

The　water　was　all　slippy…sloppy　in　the　larder　and　in　the　back　passage。


But　Mr。　Jeremy　liked　getting　his　feet　wet；　nobody　ever　scolded　him；　and　he　never　caught　a　cold！

He　was　quite　pleased　when　he　looked　out　and　saw　large　drops　of　rain；　splashing　in　the　pond


〃I　will　get　some　worms　and　go　fishing　and　catch　a　dish　of　minnows　for　my　dinner；〃　said　Mr。　Jeremy　Fisher。　〃If　I　catch　more　than　five　fish；　I　will　invite　my　friends　Mr。　Alderman　Ptolemy　Tortoise　and　Sir　Isaac　Newton。　The　Alderman；　however；　eats　salad。〃

Mr。　Jeremy　put　on　a　mackintosh；　and　a　pair　of　shiny　galoshes；　he　took　his　rod　and　basket；　and　set　off　with　enormous　hops　to　the　place　where　he　kept　his　boat。

The　boat　was　round　and　green；　and　very　like　the　other　lily…leaves。　It　was　tied　to　a　water…plant　in　the　middle　of　the　pond。


Mr。　Jeremy　took　a　reed　pole；　and　pushed　the　boat　out　into　open　water。　〃I　know　a　good　place　for　minnows；〃　said　Mr。　Jeremy　Fisher。

Mr。　Jeremy　stuck　his　pole　into　the　mud　and　fastened　the　boat　to　it。

Then　he　settled　himself　cross…　legged　and　arranged　his　fishing　tackle。　He　had　the　dearest　little　red　float。　His　rod　was　a　tough　stalk　of　grass；　his　line　was　a　fine　long　white　horse…hair；　and　he　tied　a　little　wriggling　worm　at　the　end。

The　rain　trickled　down　his　back；　and　for　nearly　an　hour　he　stared　at　the　float。

〃This　is　getting　tiresome；　I　think　I　should　like　some　lunch；〃　said　Mr。　Jeremy　Fisher。


He　punted　back　again　amongst　the　water…plants；　and　took　some　lunch　out　of　his　basket。

〃I　will　eat　a　butterfly　sandwich；　and　wait　till　the　shower　is　over；〃　said　Mr。　Jeremy　Fisher。

A　great　big　water…beetle　came　up　underneath　the　lily　leaf　and　tweaked　the　toe　of　one　of　his　galoshes。

Mr。　Jeremy　crossed　his　legs　up　shorter；　out　of　reach；　and　went　on　eating　his　sandwich。

Once　or　twice　something　moved　about　with　a　rustle　and　a　splash　amongst　the　rushes　at　the　side　of　the　pond。

〃I　trust　that　is　not　a　rat；〃　said　Mr。　Jeremy　Fisher；　〃I　think　I　had　better　get　away　from　here。〃


Mr。　Jeremy　shoved　the　boat　out　again　a　little　way；　and　dropped　in　the　bait。　There　was　a　bite　almost　directly；　the　float　gave　a　tremendous　bobbit！

〃A　minnow！　a　minnow！　I　have　him　by　the　nose！〃　cried　Mr。　Jeremy　Fisher；　jerking　up　his　rod。

But　what　a　horrible　surprise！　Instead　of　a　smooth　fat　minnow；　Mr。　Jeremy　landed　little　Jack　Sharp；　the　stickleback；　covered　with　spines！

The　stickleback　floundered　about　the　boat；　pricking　and　snapping　until　he　was　quite　out　of　breath。　Then　he　jumped　back　into　the　water。


And　a　shoal　of　other　little　fishes　put　their　heads　out；　and　laughed　at　Mr。　Jeremy　Fisher。

And　while　Mr。　Jeremy　sat　disconsolately　on　the　edge　of　his　boatsucking　his　sore　fingers　and　peering　down　into　the　watera　MUCH　worse　thing　happened；　a　really　FRIGHTFUL　thing　it　would　have　been；　if　Mr。　Jeremy　had　not　been　wearing　a　mackintosh！

A　great　big　enormous　trout　came　upker…pflop…p…p…p！　with　a　splash　and　it　seized　Mr。　Jeremy　with　a　snap；　〃Ow！　Ow！　Ow！〃and　then　it　turned　and　dived　down　to　the　bottom　of　the　pond！


But　the　trout　was　so　displeased　with　the　taste　of　the　mackintosh；　that　in　less　than　half　a　minute　it　spat　him　out　again；　and　the　only　thing　it　swallowed　was　Mr。　Jeremy's　galoshes。

Mr。　Jeremy　bounced　up　to　the　surface　of　the　water；　like　a　cork　and　the　bubbles　out　of　a　soda　water　bottle；　and　he　swam　with　all　his　might　to　the　edge　of　the　pond。

He　scrambled　out　on　the　first　bank　he　came　to；　and　he　hopped　home　across　the　meadow　with　his　mackintosh　all　in　tatters。


〃What　a　mercy　that　was　not　a　pike！〃　said　Mr。　Jeremy　Fisher。　〃I　have　lost　my　rod　and　basket；　but　it　does　not　much　matter；　for　I　am　sure　I　should　never　have　dared　to　go　fishing　again！〃

He　put　some　sticking　plaster　on　his　fingers；　and　his　friends　both　came　to　dinner。　He　could　not　offer　them　fish；　but　he　had　something　else　in　his　larder。

Sir　Isaac　Newton　wore　his　black

and　gold　waistcoat。


And　Mr。　Alderman　Ptolemy　Tortoise　brought　a　salad　with　him　in　a　string　bag。

And　instead　of　a　nice　dish　of　minnows；　they　had　a　roasted　grasshopper　with　lady…bird　sauce；　which　frogs　consider　a　beautiful　treat；　but　_I_　think　it　must　have　been　nasty！



THE　STORY　OF　A　FIERCE　BAD　RABBIT




This　is　a　fierce　bad　Rabbit；　look　at　his　savage　whiskers　and　his　claws　and　his　turned…up　tail。

This　is　a　nice　gentle　Rabbit。　His　mother　has　given　him　a　carrot。

The　bad　Rabbit　would　like　some　carrot。


He　doesn't　say　〃Please。〃　He　takes　it！

And　he　scratches　the　good　Rabbit　very　badly。

The　good　Rabbit　creeps　away　and　hides　in　a　hole。　It　feels　sad。


This　is　a　man　with　a　gun。

He　sees　something　sitting　on　a　bench。　He　thinks　it　is　a　very　funny　bird！

He　comes　creeping　up　behind　the　trees。


And　then　he　shootsBANG！

This　is　what　happens

But　this　is　all　he　finds　on　the　bench　when　he　rushes　up　with　his　gun。


The　good　Rabbit　peeps　out　of　its　hole　。　。　。

。　。　。　and　it　sees　the　bad　Rabbit　tearing　pastwithout　any　tail　or　whiskers！



THE　STORY　OF　MISS　MOPPET



This　is　a　Pussy　called　Miss　Moppet；　she　thinks　she　has　heard　a　mouse！

This　is　the　Mouse　peeping　out　behind　the　cupboard　and　making　fun　of　Miss　Moppet。　He　is　not　afraid　of　a　kitten。

This　is　Miss　Moppet　jumping　just　too　late；　she　misses　the　Mouse　and　hits　her　own　head。


She　thinks　it　is　a　very　hard　cupboard！

The　Mouse　watches　Miss　Moppet　from　the　top　of　the　cupboard。

Miss　Moppet　ties　up　her　head　in　a　duster　and　sits　before　the　fire。


The　Mouse　thinks　she　is　looking　very　ill。　He　comes　sliding　down　the　bellpull。

Miss　Moppet　looks　worse　and　worse。　The　Mouse　comes　a　little　nearer。

Miss　Moppet　holds　her　poor　head　in　her　paws　and　looks　at　him　through　a　hole　in　the　duster。　The　Mouse　comes　VERY　close。


And　then　all　of　a　suddenMiss　Moppet　jumps　upon　the　Mouse！

And　because　the　Mouse　has　teased　Miss　MoppetMiss　Moppet　thinks　she　will　tease　the　Mouse；　which　is　not　at　all　nice　of　Miss　Moppet。

She　ties　him　up　in　the　duster　and　tosses　it　about　like　a　ball。


But　she　forgot　about　that　hole　in　the　duster；　and　when　she　untied　it　there　was　no　Mouse！

He　has　wriggled　out　and　run　away；　and　he　is　dancing　a　jig　on　top　of　the　cupboard！



THE　TALE　OF　TOM　KITTEN

＇Dedicated　to　All　Pickles；　Especially　to　Those　That　Get　upon　My　Garden　Wall＇




Once　upon　a　time　there　were　three　little　kittens；　and　their　names　were　Mittens；　Tom　Kitten；　and　Moppet。

They　had　dear　little　fur　coats　of　their　own；　and　they　tumbled　about　the　doorstep　and　played　in　the　dust。

But　one　day　their　motherMrs。　Tabitha　Twitchitexpected　friends　to　tea；　so　she　fetched　the　kittens　indoors；　to　wash　and　dress　them；　before　the　fine　company　arrived。

First　she　scrubbed　their　faces　（this　one　is　Moppet）。


Then　she　brushed　their　fur　（this　one　is　Mittens）。

Then　she　combed　their　tails　and　whiskers　（this　is　Tom　Kitten）。

Tom　was　very　naughty；　and　he　scratched。

Mrs。　Tabitha　dressed　Moppet　and　Mittens　in　clean　pinafores　and　tucker