English
Pussycatsitsbythefire—howshouldshebefair?
Inwalksthelittledog—says“Catareyouthere?
HowdoyoudoMistressKitty?MistressCat,how
doyoudo?”
“Ithankyoukindly,littledog,Ifareaswellasyou!”
OnceuponatimetherewasaPussycatcalledRibby,whoinvitedalittledogcalledDuchesstotea.
“Comeingoodtime,mydearDuchess,”saidRibby’sletter,“andwewillhavesomethingsoverynice.
Iambakingitinapie-dish—apie-dishwithapinkrim.Younevertastedanythingsogood!AndYOUshalleatitall!Iwilleatmuffins,mydearDuchess!”wroteRibby.
“Iwillcomeverypunctually,mydearRibby,”wroteDuchess;andthenattheendsheadded—“Ihopeitisn’tmouse?”
Andthenshethoughtthatdidnotlookquitepolite;soshescratchedout“isn’tmouse”andchangeditto“Ihopeitwillbefine,”andshegaveherlettertothepostman.
ButshethoughtagreatdealaboutRibby’spie,andshereadRibby’sletteroverandoveragain.
“IamdreadfullyafraiditWILLbemouse!”
saidDuchesstoherself—“Ireallycouldn’t,COULDN’Teatmousepie.
AndIshallhavetoeatit,becauseitisaparty.
AndMYpiewasgoingtobevealandham.Apinkandwhitepie-dish!
Andsoismine;justlikeRibby’sdishes;theywerebothboughtatTabithaTwitchit’s.”
Duchesswentintoherlarderandtookthepieoffashelfandlookedatit.
“Ohwhatagoodidea!Whyshouldn’tIrushalongandputmypieintoRibby’sovenwhenRibbyisn’tthere?”
RibbyinthemeantimehadreceivedDuchess’sanswer,andassoonasshewassurethatthelittledogwouldcome—shepoppedHERpieintotheoven.
Thereweretwoovens,oneabovetheother;someotherknobsandhandleswereonlyornamentalandnotintendedtoopen.
Ribbyputthepieintotheloweroven;thedoorwasverystiff.
“Thetopovenbakestooquickly,”saidRibbytoherself.
Ribbyputonsomecoalandsweptupthehearth.Thenshewentoutwithacantothewell,forwatertofillupthekettle.
Thenshebegantosettheroominorder,foritwasthesitting-roomaswellasthekitchen.
WhenRibbyhadlaidthetableshewentoutdownthefieldtothefarm,tofetchmilkandbutter.
Whenshecameback,shepeepedintothebottomoven;thepielookedverycomfortable.
Ribbyputonhershawlandbonnetandwentoutagainwithabasket,tothevillageshoptobuyapacketoftea,apoundoflumpsugar,andapotofmarmalade.
Andjustatthesametime,DuchesscameoutofHERhouse,attheotherendofthevillage.
RibbymetDuchesshalf-waydownthestreet,alsocarryingabasket,coveredwithacloth.Theyonlybowedtooneanother;theydidnotspeak,becausetheyweregoingtohaveaparty.
AssoonasDuchesshadgotroundthecorneroutofsight—shesimplyran!StraightawaytoRibby’shouse!
Ribbywentintotheshopandboughtwhatsherequired,andcameout,afterapleasantgossipwithCousinTabithaTwitchit.
RibbywentontoTimothyBaker’sandboughtthemuffins.Thenshewenthome.
Thereseemedtobeasortofscufflingnoiseinthebackpassage,asshewascominginatthefrontdoor.Buttherewasnobodythere.
Duchessinthemeantime,hadslippedoutatthebackdoor.
“ItisaveryoddthingthatRibby’spiewasNOTintheovenwhenIputminein!
AndIcan’tfinditanywhere;Ihavelookedalloverthehouse.
IputMYpieintoanicehotovenatthetop.
Icouldnotturnanyoftheotherhandles;Ithinkthattheyareallshams,”saidDuchess,“butIwishIcouldhaveremovedthepiemadeofmouse!
Icannotthinkwhatshehasdonewithit?
IheardRibbycomingandIhadtorunoutbythebackdoor!”
Duchesswenthomeandbrushedherbeautifulblackcoat;andthenshepickedabunchofflowersinhergardenasapresentforRibby;andpassedthetimeuntiltheclockstruckfour.
Ribby—havingassuredherselfbycarefulsearchthattherewasreallynoonehidinginthecupboardorinthelarder—wentupstairstochangeherdress.
Shecamedownstairsagain,andmadethetea,andputtheteapotonthehob.ShepeepedagainintotheBOTTOMoven,thepiehadbecomealovelybrown,anditwassteaminghot.
Shesatdownbeforethefiretowaitforthelittledog.“IamgladIusedtheBOTTOMoven,”saidRibby,“thetoponewouldcertainlyhavebeenverymuchtoohot.”
Verypunctuallyatfouro’clock,Duchessstartedtogototheparty.
Ataquarterpastfourtotheminute,therecameamostgenteellittletap-tappity.“IsMrs.Ribstonathome?”inquiredDuchessintheporch.
“Comein!Andhowdoyoudo,mydearDuchess?”criedRibby.“IhopeIseeyouwell?”
“Quitewell,Ithankyou,andhowdoYOUdo,mydearRibby?”saidDuchess.“I’vebroughtyousomeflowers;whatadelicioussmellofpie!”
“Oh,whatlovelyflowers!Yes,itismouseandbacon!”
“Ithinkitwantsanotherfiveminutes,”saidRibby.“Justashadelonger;Iwillpouroutthetea,whilewewait.Doyoutakesugar,mydearDuchess?”
“Ohyes,please!MydearRibby;andmayIhavealumpuponmynose?”
“Withpleasure,mydearDuchess.”
Duchesssatupwiththesugaronhernoseandsniffed—
“Howgoodthatpiesmells!Idolovevealandham—Imeantosaymouseandbacon—”
Shedroppedthesugarinconfusion,andhadtogohuntingunderthetea-table,sodidnotseewhichovenRibbyopenedinordertogetoutthepie.
Ribbysetthepieuponthetable;therewasaverysavorysmell.
Duchesscameoutfromunderthetableclothmunchingsugar,andsatuponachair.
“Iwillfirstcutthepieforyou;Iamgoingtohavemuffinandmarmalade,”saidRibby.
“Ithink”—(thoughtDuchesstoherself)—“ITHINKitwouldbewiserifIhelpedmyselftopie;thoughRibbydidnotseemtonoticeanythingwhenshewascuttingit.
Whatverysmallfinepiecesithascookedinto!
IdidnotrememberthatIhadminceditupsofine;Isupposethisisaquickeroventhanmyown.”
Thepie-dishwasemptyingrapidly!Duchesshadhadfourhelpsalready,andwasfumblingwiththespoon.
“Alittlemorebacon,mydearDuchess?”saidRibby.
“Thankyou,mydearRibby;Iwasonlyfeelingforthepatty-pan.”
“Thepatty-pan?mydearDuchess?”
“Thepatty-panthatheldupthepie-crust,”saidDuchess,blushingunderherblackcoat.
“Oh,Ididn’tputonein,mydearDuchess,”saidRibby;“Idon’tthinkthatitisnecessaryinpiesmadeofmouse.”
Duchessfumbledwiththespoon—“Ican’tfindit!”shesaidanxiously.
“Thereisn’tapatty-pan,”saidRibby,lookingperplexed.
“Yes,indeed,mydearRibby;wherecanithavegoneto?”saidDuchess.
Duchesslookedverymuchalarmed,andcontinuedtoscooptheinsideofthepie-dish.
“Ihaveonlyfourpatty-pans,andtheyareallinthecupboard.”
Duchesssetupahowl.
“Ishalldie!Ishalldie!Ihaveswallowedapatty-pan!Oh,mydearRibby,Idofeelsoill!”
“Itisimpossible,mydearDuchess;therewasnotapatty-pan.”
“YesthereWAS,mydearRibby,IamsureIhaveswallowedit!”
“Letmepropyouupwithapillow,mydearDuchess;wheredoyouthinkyoufeelit?”
“OhIdofeelsoillALLOVERme,mydearRibby.”
“ShallIrunforthedoctor?”
“Ohyes,yes!FetchDr.Maggotty,mydearRibby:heisaPiehimself,hewillcertainlyunderstand.”
RibbysettledDuchessinanarmchairbeforethefire,andwentoutandhurriedtothevillagetolookforthedoctor.
Shefoundhimatthesmithy.
Ribbyexplainedthatherguesthadswallowedapatty-pan.
Dr.MaggottyhoppedsofastthatRibbyhadtorun.Itwasmostconspicuous.AllthevillagecouldseethatRibbywasfetchingthedoctor.
ButwhileRibbyhadbeenhuntingforthedoctor—acuriousthinghadhappenedtoDuchess,whohadbeenleftbyherself,sittingbeforethefire,sighingandgroaningandfeelingveryunhappy.
“HowCOULDIhaveswallowedit!Suchalargethingasapatty-pan!”
Shesatdownagain,andstaredmournfullyatthegrate.Thefirecrackledanddanced,andsomethingsizz-z-zled!
Duchessstarted!SheopenedthedooroftheTOPoven;—outcamearichsteamyflavorofvealandham,andtherestoodafinebrownpie,—andthroughaholeinthetopofthepie-crusttherewasaglimpseofalittletinpatty-pan!
Duchessdrewalongbreath—
“ThenImusthavebeeneatingMOUSE!...NowonderIfeelill....ButperhapsIshouldfeelworseifIhadreallyswallowedapatty-pan!”
Duchessreflected—“WhataveryawkwardthingtohavetoexplaintoRibby!
IthinkIwillputMYpieintheback-yardandsaynothingaboutit.
WhenIgohome,Iwillrunroundandtakeitaway.”
Sheputitoutsidetheback-door,andsatdownagainbythefire,andshuthereyes;whenRibbyarrivedwiththedoctor,sheseemedfastasleep.
“Iamfeelingverymuchbetter,”saidDuchess,wakingupwithajump.
“Iamtrulygladtohearit!Hehasbroughtyouapill,mydearDuchess!”
“IthinkIshouldfeelQUITEwellifheonlyfeltmypulse,”saidDuchess,backingawayfromthemagpie,whosidledupwithsomethinginhisbeak.
“Itisonlyabreadpill,youhadmuchbettertakeit;drinkalittlemilk,mydearDuchess!”
“Iamfeelingverymuchbetter,mydearRibby,”saidDuchess.“DoyounotthinkthatIhadbettergohomebeforeitgetsdark?”
“Perhapsitmightbewise,mydearDuchess.”
RibbyandDuchesssaidgood-byeaffectionately,andDuchessstartedhome.
Halfwayupthelaneshestoppedandlookedback;Ribbyhadgoneinandshutherdoor.
Duchessslippedthroughthefence,andranroundtothebackofRibby’shouse,andpeepedintotheyard.
Upontheroofofthepig-stysatDr.Maggottyandthreejackdaws.Thejackdawswereeatingpiecrust,andthemagpiewasdrinkinggravyoutofapatty-pan.
Duchessranhomefeelinguncommonlysilly!
WhenRibbycameoutforapailfulofwatertowashupthetea-things,shefoundapinkandwhitepie-dishlyingsmashedinthemiddleoftheyard.
Ribbystaredwithamazement—“Didyoueverseethelike!sotherereallyWASapatty-pan?
...ButMYpatty-pansareallinthekitchencupboard.WellIneverdid!
...NexttimeIwanttogiveaparty—IwillinviteCousinTabithaTwitchit!”
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