a collection of beatrix potter stories-第21部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



〃I　thought　as　much。　It　was

yesterday。　Show　me　your　licence？〃



Pigling　stared　at　the　off　hind

shoe　of　the　grocer's　horse　which

had　picked　up　a　stone。



The　grocer　flicked　his　whip

〃Papers？　Pig　licence？〃　Pigling

fumbled　in　all　his　pockets；　and

handed　up　the　papers。　The　grocer

read　them；　but　still　seemed　dissatisfied。

〃This　here　pig　is　a　young

lady；　is　her　name　Alexander？〃

Pig…wig　opened　her　mouth　and　shut

it　again；　Pigling　coughed　asthmatically。





The　grocer　ran　his　finger　down

the　advertisement　column　of　his

newspaper〃Lost；　stolen　or

strayed；　10s。　reward。〃　He　looked

suspiciously　at　Pig…wig。　Then　he

stood　up　in　the　trap；　and　whistled

for　the　ploughman。





〃You　wait　here　while　I　drive　on

and　speak　to　him；〃　said　the　grocer；

gathering　up　the　reins。　He　knew

that　pigs　are　slippery；　but　surely；

such　a　VERY　lame　pig　could　never

run！





〃Not　yet；　Pig…wig；　he　will　look

back。〃　The　grocer　did　so；　he　saw

the　two　pigs　stock…still　in　the

middle　of　the　road。　Then　he　looked

over　at　his　horse's　heels；　it　was

lame　also；　the　stone　took　some

time　to　knock　out；　after　he　got　to

the　ploughman。



〃Now；　Pig…wig；　NOW！〃　said

Pigling　Bland。



Never　did　any　pigs　run　as　these

pigs　ran！　They　raced　and　squealed

and　pelted　down　the　long　white　hill

towards　the　bridge。　Little　fat　Pig…

wig's　petticoats　fluttered；　and　her

feet　went　pitter；　patter；　pitter；　as　she

bounded　and　jumped。





They　ran；　and　they　ran；　and　they

ran　down　the　hill；　and　across　a　short

cut　on　level　green　turf　at　the　bottom；

between　pebble　beds　and　rushes。



They　came　to　the　river；　they

came　to　the　bridgethey　crossed

it　hand　in　hand…　

then　over　the　hills　and　far　away

she　danced　with　Pigling　Bland！





THE　END











THE　TALE　OF

TWO　BAD　MICE





FOR

W。　M。　L。　W。

THE　LITTLE　GIRL

WHO　HAD　THE　DOLL　HOUSE







ONCE　upon　a　time　there

was　a　very　beautiful

doll's　house；　it　was　red　brick

with　white　windows；　and　it　had

real　muslin　curtains　and　a

front　door　and　a　chimney。



IT　belonged　to　two　Dolls

called　Lucinda　and　Jane；

at　least　it　belonged　to　Lucinda；

but　she　never　ordered　meals。



Jane　was　the　Cook；　but　she

never　did　any　cooking；　because

the　dinner　had　been　bought

ready…made；　in　a　box　full　of

shavings。



THERE　were　two　red　lobsters；

and　a　ham；　a　fish；

a　pudding；　and　some　pears　and

oranges。



They　would　not　come　off　the

plates；　but　they　were　extremely

beautiful。



ONE　morning　Lucinda　and

Jane　had　gone　out　for

a　drive　in　the　doll's　perambulator。

There　was　no　one　in　the

nursery；　and　it　was　very　quiet。

Presently　there　was　a　little

scuffling；　scratching　noise　in　a

corner　near　the　fireplace；　where

there　was　a　hole　under　the

skirting…board。



Tom　Thumb　put　out　his

head　for　a　moment；　and　then

popped　it　in　again。



Tom　Thumb　was　a　mouse。



A　MINUTE　afterwards

Hunca　Munca；　his　wife；

put　her　head　out；　too；　and

when　she　saw　that　there　was

no　one　in　the　nursery；　she

ventured　out　on　the　oilcloth

under　the　coal…box



THE　doll's　house　stood　at

the　other　side　of　the

fireplace。　Tom　Thumb　and

Hunca　Munca　went　cautiously

across　the　hearth…rug。　They

pushed　the　front　doorit　was

not　fast。



TOM　THUMB　and　Hunca

Munca　went　up…stairs

and　peeped　into　the　dining…

room。　Then　they　squeaked

with　joy！



Such　a　lovely　dinner　was　laid

out　upon　the　table！　There　were

tin　spoons；　and　lead　knives

and　forks；　and　two　dolly…chairs

all　SO　convenient！



TOM　THUMB　set　to　work

at　once　to　carve　the　ham。

It　was　a　beautiful　shiny　yellow；

streaked　with　red。



The　knife　crumpled　up　and

hurt　him；　he　put　his　finger　in

his　mouth。



〃It　is　not　boiled　enough；　it

is　hard。　You　have　a　try；

Hunca　Munca。〃



HUNCA　MUNCA

up　in　her　chair；　and

chopped　at　the　ham　with

another　lead　knife。



〃It's　as　hard　as　the　hams

at　the　cheesemonger's；〃　said

Hunca　Munca。



THE　ham　broke　off　the

plate　with　a　jerk；　and

rolled　under　the　table。



〃Let　it　alone；〃　said　Tom

Thumb；　〃give　me　some　fish；

Hunca　Munca！〃



HUNCA　MUNCA　tried

every　tin　spoon　in　turn；

the　fish　was　glued　to　the　dish。



Then　Tom　Thumb　lost　his

temper。　He　put　the　ham　in

the　middle　of　the　floor；　and　hit

it　with　the　tongs　and　with

the　shovelbang；　bang；　smash；

smash！



The　ham　flew　all　into　pieces；

for　underneath　the　shiny　paint

it　was　made　of　nothing　but

plaster！



THEN　there　was　no　end　to

the　rage　and　disappointment

of　Tom　Thumb　and　Hunca

Munca。　They　broke　up

the　pudding；　the　lobsters；

the　pears；　and　the　oranges。



As　the　fish　would　not　come

off　the　plate；　they　put　it　into

the　red…hot　crinkly　paper　fire

in　the　kitchen；　but　it　would

not　burn　either。



TOM　THUMB　went　up　the

kitchen　chimney　and

looked　out　at　the　topthere

was　no　soot。



WHILE　Tom　Thumb　was

up　the　chimney；　Hunca

Munca　had　another

disappointment。　She　found　some

tiny　canisters　upon　the　dresser；

labeled　〃Rice；〃　〃Coffee？〃

〃Sago〃；　but　when　she　turned

them　upside　down　there　was

nothing　inside　except　red　and

blue　beads。



THEN　those　mice　set　to

work　to　do　all　the　mischief

they　couldespecially

Tom　Thumb！　He　took　Jane's

clothes　out　of　the　chest　of

drawers　in　her　bedroom；　and

he　threw　them　out　of　the　top…

floor　window。



But　Hunca　Munca　had　a

frugal　mind。　After　pulling

half　the　feathers　out　of

Lucinda's　bolster；　she　remembered

that　she　herself　was　in　want　of

a　feather…bed。



WITH　Tom　Thumb's

assistance　she　carried　the

bolster　down…stairs　and　across

the　hearth…rug。　It　was　difficult

to　squeeze　the　bolster　into　the

mouse…hole；　but　they　managed

it　somehow。



THEN　Hunca　Munca　went

back　and　fetched　a　chair；

a　bookcase；　a　bird…cage；　and

several　small　odds　and　ends。

The　bookcase　and　the　bird…cage

refused　to　go　into　the　mouse…hole。



HUNCA　MUNCA　left

them　behind　the　coal…

box；　and　went　to　fetch　a　cradle。



HUNCA　MUNCA　was

just　returning　with

another　chair；　when　suddenly

there　was　a　noise　of　talking

outside　upon　the　landing。　The

mice　rushed　back　to　their　hole；

and　the　dolls　came　into　the

nursery。



WHAT　a　sight　met　the

eyes　of　Jane　and

Lucinda！



Lucinda　sat　upon　the　upset

kitchen　stove　and　stared；　and

Jane　leaned　against　the　kitchen

dresser　and　smiled；　but　neither

of　them　made　any　remark。



THE　bookcase　and　the　bird…

cage　were　rescued　from

under　the　coal…box；　but　Hunca

Munca　has　got　the　cradle　and

some　of　Lucinda's　clothes。



SHE　also　has　some　useful

pots　and　pans；　and　several

other　things。



THE　little　girl　that　the　doll's

house　belonged　to　said：

〃I　will　get　a　doll　dressed　like　a

policeman！〃



BUT　the　nurse　said：　〃I　will

set　a　mouse…trap！〃



SO　that　is　the　story　of　the

two　Bad　Mice。　But　they

were　not　so　very；　very　naughty

after