ThisisaTaleaboutatail—atailthatbelongedtoalittleredsquirrel,andhisnamewasNutkin. HehadabrothercalledTwinkleberry,andagreatmanycousins:theylivedinawoodattheedgeofalake. Inthemiddleofthelakethereisanislandcoveredwithtreesandnutbushes;andamongstthosetreesstandsahollowoak-tree,whichisthehouseofanowlwhoiscalledOldBrown. Oneautumnwhenthenutswereripe,andtheleavesonthehazelbushesweregoldenandgreen—NutkinandTwinkleberryandalltheotherlittlesquirrelscameoutofthewood,anddowntotheedgeofthelake. Theymadelittleraftsoutoftwigs,andtheypaddledawayoverthewatertoOwlIslandtogathernuts. Eachsquirrelhadalittlesackandalargeoar,andspreadouthistailforasail. TheyalsotookwiththemanofferingofthreefatmiceasapresentforOldBrown,andputthemdownuponhisdoor-step. ThenTwinkleberryandtheotherlittlesquirrelseachmadealowbow,andsaidpolitely— “OldMr.Brown,willyoufavoruswithpermissiontogathernutsuponyourisland?” ButNutkinwasexcessivelyimpertinentinhismanners.HebobbedupanddownlikealittleredCHERRY,singing— “Riddleme,riddleme,rot-tot-tote! Alittleweeman,inaredredcoat! Astaffinhishand,andastoneinhisthroat; Ifyou’lltellmethisriddle,I’llgiveyouagroat.” Nowthisriddleisasoldasthehills;Mr.BrownpaidnoattentionwhatevertoNutkin. Heshuthiseyesobstinatelyandwenttosleep. Thesquirrelsfilledtheirlittlesackswithnuts,andsailedawayhomeintheevening. ButnextmorningtheyallcamebackagaintoOwlIsland;andTwinkleberryandtheothersbroughtafinefatmole,andlaiditonthestoneinfrontofOldBrown’sdoorway,andsaid— “Mr.Brown,willyoufavoruswithyourgraciouspermissiontogathersomemorenuts?” ButNutkin,whohadnorespect,begantodanceupanddown,ticklingoldMr.BrownwithaNETTLEandsinging— HittyPittywithoutthewall; Mr.Brownwokeupsuddenlyandcarriedthemoleintohishouse. HeshutthedoorinNutkin’sface.PresentlyalittlethreadofblueSMOKEfromawoodfirecameupfromthetopofthetree,andNutkinpeepedthroughthekey-holeandsang— Andyoucannotgatherabowl-full!” Thesquirrelssearchedfornutsallovertheislandandfilledtheirlittlesacks. ButNutkingatheredoak-apples—yellowandscarlet—andsatuponabeech-stumpplayingmarbles,andwatchingthedoorofoldMr.Brown. Onthethirddaythesquirrelsgotupveryearlyandwentfishing;theycaughtsevenfatminnowsasapresentforOldBrown. TheypaddledoverthelakeandlandedunderacrookedchestnuttreeonOwlIsland. Twinkleberryandsixotherlittlesquirrelseachcarriedafatminnow;butNutkin,whohadnonicemanners,broughtnopresentatall.Heraninfront,singing— “Themaninthewildernesssaidtome, ‘Howmaystrawberriesgrowinthesea?’ IansweredhimasIthoughtgood— ‘Asmanyredherringsasgrowinthewood.”’ ButoldMr.Browntooknointerestinriddles—notevenwhentheanswerwasprovidedforhim. Onthefourthdaythesquirrelsbroughtapresentofsixfatbeetles,whichwereasgoodasplumsinPLUMPUDDINGforOldBrown. Eachbeetlewaswrappedupcarefullyinadockleaf,fastenedwithapine-needle-pin. ButNutkinsangasrudelyasever— FlourofEngland,fruitofSpain, Mettogetherinashowerofrain; Putinabagtiedroundwithastring, Ifyou’lltellmethisriddle, WhichwasridiculousofNutkin,becausehehadnotgotanyringtogivetoOldBrown. Theothersquirrelshuntedupanddownthenutbushes;butNutkingatheredrobin’spin-cushionsoffabriarbush,andstuckthemfullofpine-needle-pins. Onthefifthdaythesquirrelsbroughtapresentofwildhoney;itwassosweetandstickythattheylickedtheirfingersastheyputitdownuponthestone. TheyhadstolenitoutofabumbleBEES’nestonthetippitytopofthehill. ButNutkinskippedupanddown,singing— “Hum-a-bum!Buzz!Buzz!Hum-a-bumbuzz! Someyellow-nacked,someyellowbacked! Theyweretheverybonniestswine Thate’erwentovertheTipple-tine.” OldMr.BrownturneduphiseyesindisgustattheimpertinenceofNutkin. Thesquirrelsfilledtheirlittlesackswithnuts. ButNutkinsatuponabigflatrock,andplayedninepinswithacrabappleandgreenfir-cones. Onthesixthday,whichwasSaturday,thesquirrelscameagainforthelasttime;theybroughtanew-laidEGGinalittlerushbasketasalastpartingpresentforOldBrown. ButNutkinraninfrontlaughing,andshouting— “HumptyDumptyliesinthebeck, Withawhitecounterpaneroundhisneck, Fortydoctorsandfortywrights, CannotputHumptyDumptytorights!” NowoldMr.Browntookaninterestineggs;heopenedoneeyeandshutitagain.Butstillhedidnotspeak. Nutkinbecamemoreandmoreimpertinent— Hickamore,Hackamore,ontheKing’skitchendoor; AlltheKing’shorses,andalltheKing’smen, Couldn’tdriveHickamore,Hackamore, OfftheKing’skitchendoor!” NutkindancedupanddownlikeaSUNBEAM;butstillOldBrownsaidnothingatall. “AuthurO’Bowerhasbrokenhisband, TheKingofScotswithallhispower, CannotturnArthuroftheBower!” NutkinmadeawhirringnoisetosoundliketheWIND,andhetookarunningjumprightontotheheadofOldBrown!... Thenallatoncetherewasafluttermentandascufflementandaloud“Squeak!” Theothersquirrelsscutteredawayintothebushes. Whentheycamebackverycautiously,peepingroundthetree—therewasOldBrownsittingonhisdoor-step,quitestill,withhiseyesclosed,asifnothinghadhappened. BUTNUTKINWASINHISWAISTCOATPOCKET! Thislooksliketheendofthestory;butitisn’t. OldBrowncarriedNutkinintohishouse,andheldhimupbythetail,intendingtoskinhim;butNutkinpulledsoveryhardthathistailbrokeintwo,andhedashedupthestaircase,andescapedoutoftheatticwindow. Andtothisday,ifyoumeetNutkinupatreeandaskhimariddle,hewillthrowsticksatyou,andstamphisfeetandscold,andshout— “Cuck-cuck-cuck-cur-r-r-cuck-k!” 
