the great big treasury of beatrix potter-第7部分

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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　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　clo