OnceuponatimetherewerefourlittleRabbits,andtheirnameswere— TheylivedwiththeirMotherinasand-bank,underneaththerootofaverybigfir-tree. “Now,mydears,”saidoldMrs.Rabbitonemorning,“youmaygointothefieldsordownthelane,butdon’tgointoMr.McGregor’sgarden:yourFatherhadanaccidentthere;hewasputinapiebyMrs.McGregor.” “Nowrunalong,anddon’tgetintomischief.Iamgoingout.” ThenoldMrs.Rabbittookabasketandherumbrella,andwentthroughthewoodtothebaker’s.Sheboughtaloafofbrownbreadandfivecurrantbuns. Flopsy,Mopsy,andCotton-tail,whoweregoodlittlebunnies,wentdownthelanetogatherblackberries; ButPeter,whowasverynaughty,ranstraightawaytoMr.McGregor’sgarden,andsqueezedunderthegate! 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. Awhitecatwasstaringatsomegoldfish;shesatvery,verystill,butnowandthenthetipofhertailtwitchedasifitwerealive. Peterthoughtitbesttogoawaywithoutspeakingtoher;hehasheardaboutcatsfromhiscousin,littleBenjaminBunny. Hewentbacktowardsthetoolshed,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,andCotton-tailhadbreadandmilkandblackberriesforsupper. 
