Onceuponatimetherewasavillageshop.Thenameoverthewindowwas“GingerandPickles.” ItwasalittlesmallshopjusttherightsizeforDolls—LucindaandJaneDoll-cookalwaysboughttheirgroceriesatGingerandPickles. Thecounterinsidewasaconvenientheightforrabbits.GingerandPicklessoldredspottypockethandkerchiefsatapennythreefarthings. Theyalsosoldsugar,andsnuffandgaloshes. Infact,althoughitwassuchasmallshopitsoldnearlyeverything—exceptafewthingsthatyouwantinahurry—likebootlaces,hair-pinsandmuttonchops. GingerandPickleswerethepeoplewhokepttheshop.Gingerwasayellowtomcat,andPickleswasaterrier. TherabbitswerealwaysalittlebitafraidofPickles. Theshopwasalsopatronizedbymice—onlythemicewereratherafraidofGinger. GingerusuallyrequestedPicklestoservethem,becausehesaiditmadehismouthwater. “Icannotbear,”saidhe,“toseethemgoingoutatthedoorcarryingtheirlittleparcels.” “Ihavethesamefeelingaboutrats,”repliedPickles,“butitwouldneverdotoeatourcustomers;theywouldleaveusandgotoTabithaTwitchit’s.” “Onthecontrary,theywouldgonowhere,”repliedGingergloomily. (TabithaTwitchitkepttheonlyothershopinthevillage.Shedidnotgivecredit.) Butthereisnomoneyinwhatiscalledthe“till.” GingerandPicklesgaveunlimitedcredit. Nowthemeaningof“credit”isthis—whenacustomerbuysabarofsoap,insteadofthecustomerpullingoutapurseandpayingforit—shesaysshewillpayanothertime. AndPicklesmakesalowbowandsays,“Withpleasure,madam,”anditiswrittendowninabook. Thecustomerscomeagainandagain,andbuyquantities,inspiteofbeingafraidofGingerandPickles. Thecustomerscameincrowdseverydayandboughtquantities,especiallythetoffeecustomers.Buttherewasalwaysnomoney;theyneverpaidforasmuchasapenny-worthofpeppermints. Butthesaleswereenormous,tentimesaslargeasTabithaTwitchit’s. Astherewasalwaysnomoney,GingerandPickleswereobligedtoeattheirowngoods. PicklesatebiscuitsandGingerateadriedhaddock. Theyatethembycandle-lightaftertheshopwasclosed. “Itisveryuncomfortable,IamafraidIshallbesummoned. IhavetriedinvaintogetalicenseuponcreditatthePostOffice;”saidPickles.“Theplaceisfullofpolicemen.ImetoneasIwascominghome. “LetussendinthebillagaintoSamuelWhiskers,Ginger,heowes22/9forbacon.” “Idonotbelievethatheintendstopayatall,”repliedGinger. WhenitcametoJan.1sttherewasstillnomoney,andPickleswasunabletobuyadoglicense. “Itisveryunpleasant,Iamafraidofthepolice,”saidPickles. “Itisyourownfaultforbeingaterrier;Idonotrequirealicense,andneitherdoesKep,theColliedog.” “AndIfeelsurethatAnnaMariapocketsthings— “Whereareallthecreamcrackers?” “Youhaveeatenthemyourself.”repliedGinger. GingerandPicklesretiredintothebackparlor. Theydidaccounts.Theyaddedupsumsandsums,andsums. “SamuelWhiskershasrunupabillaslongashistail;hehashadanounceandthree-quartersofsnuffsinceOctober. “Whatissevenpoundsofbutterat1/3,andastickofsealingwaxandfourmatches?” “Sendinallthebillsagaintoeverybody‘withcompliments,’”repliedGinger. Picklesnearlyhadafit,hebarkedandhebarkedandmadelittlerushes. “Bitehim,Pickles!Bitehim!”splutteredGingerbehindasugarbarrel,“He’sonlyaGermandoll!” Thepolicemanwentonwritinginhisnotebook;twiceheputhispencilinhismouth,andoncehedippeditinthetreacle. Picklesbarkedtillhewashoarse.Butstillthepolicemantooknonotice.Hehadbeadeyes,andhishelmetwassewedonwithstitches. Afteratimetheyheardanoiseintheshop,asifsomethinghadbeenpushedinatthedoor.Theycameoutofthebackparlor. Therewasanenvelopelyingonthecounter,andapolicemanwritinginanotebook! Atlengthonhislastlittlerush—Picklesfoundthattheshopwasempty.Thepolicemanhaddisappeared. “Doyouthinkthathehasgonetofetchareallivepoliceman?Iamafraiditisasummons,”saidPickles. “No,”repliedGinger,whohadopenedtheenvelope,“itistheratesandtaxes,3pounds19113/4.”[poundsareBritishmoney,the19isschillings,andthenpence] “Thisisthelaststraw,”saidPickles,“letusclosetheshop.” Theyputuptheshutters,andleft.Buttheyhavenotremovedfromtheneighborhood.Infactsomepeoplewishtheyhadgonefurther. Gingerislivinginthewarren[gamepreserveforrabbits].Idonotknowwhatoccupationhepursues;helooksstoutandcomfortable. Picklesisatpresentagame-keeper. AfteratimeMr.JohnDormouseandhisdaughterbegantosellpeppermintsandcandles. Buttheydidnotkeep“self-fittingsixes”;andittakesfivemicetocarryoneseveninchcandle. Theclosingoftheshopcausedgreatinconvenience.TabithaTwitchitimmediatelyraisedthepriceofeverythingahalfpenny;andshecontinuedtorefusetogivecredit. Ofcoursetherearethetradesmen’scarts—thebutcher,thefishmanandTimothyBaker. Butapersoncannotliveon“seedwigs”andspongecakeandbutterbuns—notevenwhenthespongecakeisasgoodasTimothy’s! AndMissDormouserefusedtotakebacktheendswhentheywerebroughtbacktoherwithcomplaints. AndwhenMr.JohnDormousewascomplainedto,hestayedinbed,andwouldsaynothingbut“verysnug;”whichisnotthewaytocarryonaretailbusiness. Besides—thecandleswhichtheysellbehaveverystrangelyinwarmweather. SoeverybodywaspleasedwhenSallyHennyPennysentoutaprintedpostertosaythatshewasgoingtoreopentheshop—“Henny’sOpeningSale!GrandcooperativeJumble!Penny’spennyprices!Comebuy,cometry,comebuy!” Theposterreallywasmost‘ticing. Therewasarushupontheopeningday.Theshopwascrammedwithcustomers,andtherewerecrowdsofmiceuponthebiscuitcanisters. SallyHennyPennygetsratherflusteredwhenshetriestocountoutchange,andsheinsistsonbeingpaidcash;butsheisquiteharmless. Andshehaslaidinaremarkableassortmentofbargains. Thereissomethingtopleaseeverybody. 
