Onceuponatimetherewerethreelittlekittens,andtheirnameswereMittens,TomKitten,andMoppet. Theyhaddearlittlefurcoatsoftheirown;andtheytumbledaboutthedoorstepandplayedinthedust. Butonedaytheirmother—Mrs.TabithaTwitchit—expectedfriendstotea;soshefetchedthekittensindoors,towashanddressthem,beforethefinecompanyarrived. Firstshescrubbedtheirfaces(thisoneisMoppet). Thenshebrushedtheirfur(thisoneisMittens). Thenshecombedtheirtailsandwhiskers(thisisTomKitten). Tomwasverynaughty,andhescratched. Mrs.TabithadressedMoppetandMittensincleanpinaforesandtuckers;andthenshetookallsortsofelegantuncomfortableclothesoutofachestofdrawers,inordertodressuphersonThomas. TomKittenwasveryfat,andhehadgrown;severalbuttonsburstoff.Hismothersewedthemonagain. Whenthethreekittenswereready,Mrs.Tabithaunwiselyturnedthemoutintothegarden,tobeoutofthewaywhileshemadehotbutteredtoast. “Nowkeepyourfrocksclean,children!Youmustwalkonyourhindlegs.Keepawayfromthedirtyash-pit,andfromSallyHennyPenny,andfromthepigstyandthePuddle-ducks.” MoppetandMittenswalkeddownthegardenpathunsteadily.Presentlytheytrodupontheirpinaforesandfellontheirnoses. Whentheystooduptherewereseveralgreensmears! “Letusclimbuptherockeryandsitonthegardenwall,”saidMoppet. Theyturnedtheirpinaforesbacktofrontandwentupwithaskipandajump;Moppet’swhitetuckerfelldownintotheroad. TomKittenwasquiteunabletojumpwhenwalkinguponhishindlegsintrousers.Hecameuptherockerybydegrees,breakingthefernsandsheddingbuttonsrightandleft. Hewasallinpieceswhenhereachedthetopofthewall. MoppetandMittenstriedtopullhimtogether;hishatfelloff,andtherestofhisbuttonsburst. Whiletheywereindifficulties,therewasapitpat,paddlepat! andthethreePuddle-duckscamealongthehardhighroad,marchingonebehindtheotheranddoingthegoosestep—pitpat,paddlepat!pitpat,waddlepat! Theystoppedandstoodinarowandstaredupatthekittens. Theyhadverysmalleyesandlookedsurprised. Thenthetwoduck-birds,RebeccahandJemimaPuddle-duck,pickedupthehatandtuckerandputthemon. Mittenslaughedsothatshefelloffthewall.MoppetandTomdescendedafterher;thepinaforesandalltherestofTom’sclothescameoffonthewaydown. “Come!Mr.DrakePuddle-duck,”saidMoppet.“Comeandhelpustodresshim!ComeandbuttonupTom!” Mr.DrakePuddle-duckadvancedinaslowsidewaysmannerandpickedupthevariousarticles. ButheputthemonHIMSELF!TheyfittedhimevenworsethanTomKitten. “It’saveryfinemorning!”saidMr.DrakePuddle-duck. AndheandJemimaandRebeccahPuddle-ducksetoffuptheroad,keepingstep—pitpat,paddlepat!pitpat,waddlepat! ThenTabithaTwitchitcamedownthegardenandfoundherkittensonthewallwithnoclotheson. Shepulledthemoffthewall,smackedthem,andtookthembacktothehouse. “Myfriendswillarriveinaminute,andyouarenotfittobeseen;Iamaffronted,”saidMrs.TabithaTwitchit. Shesentthemupstairs;andIamsorrytosayshetoldherfriendsthattheywereinbedwiththemeasles—whichwasnottrue. Quitethecontrary;theywerenotinbed:NOTintheleast. Somehowtherewereveryextra—ordinarynoisesoverhead,whichdisturbedthedignityandreposeoftheteaparty. AndIthinkthatsomedayIshallhavetomakeanother,largerbook,totellyoumoreaboutTomKitten! AsforthePuddle-ducks—theywentintoapond. Theclothesallcameoffdirectly,becausetherewerenobuttons. AndMr.DrakePuddle-duck,andJemimaandRebeccah,havebeenlookingforthemeversince. 
