English
OnceuponatimetherewasalittlegirlcalledLucie,wholivedatafarmcalledLittle-town.Shewasagoodlittlegirl—onlyshewasalwayslosingherpocket-handkerchiefs!
OnedaylittleLuciecameintothefarm-yardcrying—oh,shedidcryso!“I’velostmypocket-handkin!Threehandkinsandapinny!HaveYOUseenthem,TabbyKitten?”
TheKittenwentonwashingherwhitepaws;soLucieaskedaspeckledhen—
“SallyHenny-penny,haveYOUfoundthreepocket-handkins?”
Butthespeckledhenranintoabarn,clucking—
“Igobarefoot,barefoot,barefoot!”
AndthenLucieaskedCockRobinsittingonatwig.CockRobinlookedsidewaysatLuciewithhisbrightblackeye,andheflewoverastileandaway.
LucieclimbeduponthestileandlookedupatthehillbehindLittle-town—ahillthatgoesup—up—intothecloudsasthoughithadnotop!
Andagreatwayupthehillsideshethoughtshesawsomewhitethingsspreaduponthegrass.
Luciescrambledupthehillasfastashershortlegswouldcarryher;sheranalongasteeppath-way—upandup—untilLittle-townwasrightawaydownbelow—shecouldhavedroppedapebbledownthechimney!
Presentlyshecametoaspring,bubblingoutfromthehillside.
Someonehadstoodatincanuponastonetocatchthewater—butthewaterwasalreadyrunningover,forthecanwasnobiggerthananegg-cup!
Andwherethesanduponthepathwaswet—therewerefootmarksofaVERYsmallperson.
Lucieranon,andon.
Thepathendedunderabigrock.Thegrasswasshortandgreen,andtherewereclothes-propscutfrombrackenstems,withlinesofplaitedrushes,andaheapoftinyclothespins—butnopocket-handkerchiefs!
Buttherewassomethingelse—adoor!straightintothehill;andinsideitsomeonewassinging—
“Lily-whiteandclean,oh!
Withlittlefrillsbetween,oh!
Smoothandhot-redrustyspot
Neverherebeseen,oh!”
Lucieknocked-once-twice,andinterruptedthesong.Alittlefrightenedvoicecalledout“Who’sthat?”
Lucieopenedthedoor:andwhatdoyouthinktherewasinsidethehill?
—anicecleankitchenwithaflaggedfloorandwoodenbeams—justlikeanyotherfarmkitchen.
OnlytheceilingwassolowthatLucie’sheadnearlytouchedit;andthepotsandpansweresmall,andsowaseverythingthere.
Therewasanicehotsingeysmell;andatthetable,withanironinherhand,stoodaverystoutshortpersonstaringanxiouslyatLucie.
Herprintgownwastuckedup,andshewaswearingalargeapronoverherstripedpetticoat.
Herlittleblacknosewentsniffle,sniffle,snuffle,andhereyeswenttwinkle,twinkle;andunderneathhercap-whereLuciehadyellowcurls-thatlittlepersonhadPRICKLES!
“Whoareyou?”saidLucie.“Haveyouseenmypocket-handkins?”
Thelittlepersonmadeabob-curtsey—“Ohyes,ifyouplease’m;mynameisMrs.Tiggy-winkle;ohyesifyouplease’m,I’manexcellentclear-starcher!”
Andshetooksomethingoutoftheclothesbasket,andspreaditontheironing-blanket.
“What’sthatthing?”saidLucie,“that’snotmypocket-handkin?”
“Ohno,ifyouplease’m;that’salittlescarletwaist-coatbelongingtoCockRobin!”
Andsheironeditandfoldedit,andputitononeside.
Thenshetooksomethingelseoffaclothes-horse—“Thatisn’tmypinny?”saidLucie.
“Ohno,ifyouplease’m;that’sadamasktable-clothbelongingtoJennyWren;lookhowit’sstainedwithcurrantwine!It’sverybadtowash!”saidMrs.Tiggy-winkle.
Mrs.Tiggy-winkle’snosewentsnifflesnifflesnuffle,andhereyeswenttwinkletwinkle;andshefetchedanotherhotironfromthefire.
“There’soneofmypocket-handkins!”criedLucie—“andthere’smypinny!”
Mrs.Tiggy-winkleironedit,andgofferedit,andshookoutthefrills.
“OhthatISlovely!”saidLucie.
“Andwhatarethoselongyellowthingswithfingerslikegloves?”
“Ohthat’sapairofstockingsbelongingtoSallyHenny-penny—lookhowshe’sworntheheelsoutwithscratchingintheyard!She’llverysoongobarefoot!”saidMrs.Tiggy-winkle.
“Why,there’sanotherhankersniff—butitisn’tmine;it’sred?”
“Ohno,ifyouplease’m;thatonebelongstooldMrs.Rabbit;anditDIDsosmellofonions!I’vehadtowashitseparately,Ican’tgetoutthatsmell.”
“There’sanotheroneofmine,”saidLucie.
“Whatarethosefunnylittlewhitethings?”
“That’sapairofmittensbelongingtoTabbyKitten;Ionlyhavetoironthem;shewashesthemherself.”
“There’smylastpocket-handkin!”saidLucie.
“Andwhatareyoudippingintothebasinofstarch?”
“They’relittledickyshirt-frontsbelongingtoTomTitmouse—mostterribleparticular!”saidMrs.Tiggy-winkle.“NowI’vefinishedmyironing;I’mgoingtoairsomeclothes.”
“Whatarethesedearsoftfluffythings?”saidLucie.
“OhthosearewoollycoatsbelongingtothelittlelambsatSkelghyl.”
“Willtheirjacketstakeoff?”askedLucie.
“Ohyes,ifyouplease’m;lookatthesheep-markontheshoulder.Andhere’sonemarkedforGatesgarth,andthreethatcomefromLittle-town.They’reALWAYSmarkedatwashing!”saidMrs.Tiggy-winkle.
Andshehungupallsortsandsizesofclothes—smallbrowncoatsofmice;andonevelvetyblackmoleskinwaist-coat;andaredtail-coatwithnotailbelongingtoSquirrelNutkin;andaverymuchshrunkbluejacketbelongingtoPeterRabbit;andapetticoat,notmarked,thathadgonelostinthewashing—andatlastthebasketwasempty!
ThenMrs.Tiggy-winklemadetea—acupforherselfandacupforLucie.
Theysatbeforethefireonabenchandlookedsidewaysatoneanother.
Mrs.Tiggy-winkle’shand,holdingthetea-cup,wasveryverybrown,andveryverywrinklywiththesoap-suds;andallthroughhergownandhercap,therewereHAIRPINSstickingwrongendout;sothatLuciedidn’tliketosittoonearher.
Whentheyhadfinishedtea,theytieduptheclothesinbundles;andLucie’spocket-handkerchiefswerefoldedupinsidehercleanpinny,andfastenedwithasilversafety-pin.
Andthentheymadeupthefirewithturf,andcameoutandlockedthedoor,andhidthekeyunderthedoor-sill.
ThenawaydownthehilltrottedLucieandMrs.Tiggy-winklewiththebundlesofclothes!
Allthewaydownthepathlittleanimalscameoutoftheferntomeetthem;theveryfirstthattheymetwerePeterRabbitandBenjaminBunny!
Andshegavethemtheirnicecleanclothes;andallthelittleanimalsandbirdsweresoverymuchobligedtodearMrs.Tiggy-winkle.
Sothatatthebottomofthehillwhentheycametothestile,therewasnothinglefttocarryexceptLucie’sonelittlebundle.
Luciescrambledupthestilewiththebundleinherhand;andthensheturnedtosay“Good-night,”andtothankthewasher-woman.—ButwhataVERYoddthing!
Mrs.Tiggy-winklehadnotwaitedeitherforthanksorforthewashingbill!
Shewasrunningrunningrunningupthehill—andwherewasherwhitefrilledcap?Andhershawl?Andhergownandherpetticoat?
AndHOWsmallshehadgrown—andHOWbrown—andcoveredwithPRICKLES!
Why!Mrs.Tiggy-winklewasnothingbutaHEDGEHOG!
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(NowsomepeoplesaythatlittleLuciehadbeenasleepuponthestile—butthenhowcouldshehavefoundthreecleanpocket-handkinsandapinny,pinnedwithasilversafety-pin?
Andbesides—IhaveseenthatdoorintothebackofthehillcalledCatBells—andbesidesIamverywellacquaintedwithdearMrs.Tiggy-winkle!)
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