English
OnceuponatimetherewerefourlittleRabbits,andtheirnameswere—Flopsy,Mopsy,Cotton-tail,andPeter.
TheylivedwiththeirMotherinasand-bank,underneaththerootofaverybigfirtree.
"Now,mydears,"saidoldMrs.Rabbitonemorning,"youmaygointothefieldsordownthelane,butdon'tgointoMr.McGregor'sgarden:yourFatherhadanaccidentthere;hewasputinapiebyMrs.McGregor."
"Nowrunalong,anddon'tgetintomischief.Iamgoingout."
ThenoldMrs.Rabbittookabasketandherumbrella,tothebaker's.Sheboughtaloafofbrownbreadandfivecurrantbuns.
Flopsy,Mopsy,andCottontail,whoweregoodlittlebunnies,wentdownthelanetogatherblackberries;
ButPeter,whowasverynaughty,ranstraightawaytoMr.McGregor'sgardenandsqueezedunderthegate!
FirstheatesomelettucesandsomeFrenchbeans;andthenheatesomeradishes;
Andthen,feelingrathersick,hewenttolookforsomeparsley.
Butroundtheendofacucumberframe,whomshouldhemeetbutMr.McGregor!
MR.McGREGORwasonhishandsandkneesplantingoutyoungcabbages,buthejumpedupandranafterPeter,wavingarakeandcallingout,"Stopthief!"
Peterwasmostdreadfullyfrightened;herushedalloverthegarden,forhehadforgottenthewaybacktothegate.
Helostoneofhisshoesamongthecabbages,andtheothershoeamongstthepotatoes.
Afterlosingthem,heranonfourlegsandwentfaster,sothatIthinkhemighthavegotawayaltogetherifhehadnotunfortunatelyrunintoagooseberrynet,andgotcaughtbythelargeButtonsonhisjacket.ItwasabluejacketwithbrassButtons,quitenew.
Petergavehimselfupforlost,andshedbigtears;Buthissobswereoverheardbysomefriendlysparrows,whoflewtohimingreatexcitement,andimploredhimtoexerthimself.
MR.McGREGORcameupwithasieve,whichheintendedtopopuponthetopofPeter;ButPeterwriggledoutjustintime,leavinghisjacketbehindhim.
Andrushedintothetoolshed,andjumpedintoacan.Itwouldhavebeenabeautifulthingtohidein,ifithadnothadsomuchwaterinit.
MR.McGREGORwasquitesurethatPeterwassomewhereinthetoolshed,perhapshiddenunderneathaflower-pot.Hebegantoturnthemovercarefully,lookingundereach.
PresentlyPetersneezed—"Kertyschoo!"Mr.McGregorwasAfterhiminnotime,
AndtriedtoputhisfootuponPeter,whojumpedoutofawindow,upsettingthreeplants.ThewindowwastoosmallforMr.McGregor,andhewastiredofrunningAfterPeter.Hewentbacktohiswork.
Petersatdowntorest;hewasoutofbreathandtremblingwithfright,andhehadnottheleastideawhichwaytogo.Alsohewasverydampwithsittinginthatcan.
Afteratimehebegantowanderabout,goinglippity—lippity—notveryfast,andlookingallaround.
Hefoundadoorinawall;Butitwaslocked,andtherewasnoroomforafatlittlerabbittosqueezeunderneath.
Anoldmousewasrunninginandoutoverthestonedoorstep,carryingpeasandbeanstoherfamilyinthewood.Peteraskedherthewaytothegate,Butshehadsuchalargepeainhermouththatshecouldnotanswer.Sheonlyshookherheadathim.Peterbegantocry.
Thenhetriedtofindhiswaystraightacrossthegarden,Buthebecamemoreandmorepuzzled.Presently,hecametoapondwhereMr.McGregorfilledhiswater-cans.Awhitecatwasstaringatsomegold-fish;shesatvery,verystill,ButnowandThenthetipofhertailtwitchedasifitwerealive.Peterthoughtitbesttogoawaywithoutspeakingtoher;hehadheardaboutcatsfromhiscousin,littleBenjaminBunny.
HEwentbacktowardsthetool-shed,Butsuddenly,quiteclosetohim,heheardthenoiseofahoe—scr-r-ritch,scratch,scratch,scritch.Peterscutteredunderneaththebushes.Butpresently,asnothinghappened,hecameout,andclimbeduponawheelbarrow,andpeepedover.TheFirstthinghesawwasMr.McGregorhoeingonions.HisbackwasturnedtowardsPeter,andbeyondhimwasthegate!
Petergotdownveryquietlyoffthewheelbarrow,andstartedrunningasfastashecouldgo,alongastraightwalkbehindsomeblack-currantbushes.
Mr.McGregorcaughtsightofhimatthecorner,ButPeterdidnotcare.Heslippedunderneaththegate,andwassafeatlastinthewoodoutsidethegarden.
MR.McGREGORhungupthelittlejacketandtheshoesforascare-crowtofrightentheblackbirds.
Peterneverstoppedrunningorlookedbehindhimtillhegothometothebigfir-tree.
Hewassotiredthathefloppeddownuponthenicesoftsandontheflooroftherabbit-hole,andshuthiseyes.Hismotherwasbusycooking;shewonderedwhathehaddonewithhisclothes.ItwasthesecondlittlejacketandpairofshoesthatPeterhadlostinafortnight!
IAMsorrytosaythatPeterwasnotverywellduringtheevening.
Hismotherputhimtobed,andmadesomecamomiletea;andshegaveadoseofittoPeter!
"Onetable-spoonfultobetakenatbed-time."
ButFlopsy,Mopsy,andCottontailhadbreadandmilkandblackberries,forsupper.
Flopsy,Mopsy,andCotton-tailenjoysupper
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