第 3 节
作者:换裁判      更新:2024-09-08 23:53      字数:9322
  did not wake up。
  MR。 McGREGOR tied up the sack and left it on the wall。
  He went to put away the mowing machine。
  WHILE he was gone; Mrs。 Flopsy Bunny (who had remained at home)
  came across the field。
  She   looked   suspiciously   at   the   sack   and   wondered   where   everybody
  was?
  THEN   the   mouse   came   out   of   her   jam   pot;   and   Benjamin   took   the
  paper bag off his head; and they told the doleful tale。
  Benjamin and Flopsy were in despair; they could not undo the string。
  But Mrs。 Tittlemouse was a resourceful person。 She nibbled a hole in
  the bottom corner of the sack。
  THE little rabbits were pulled out and pinched to wake them。
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  Their    parents    stuffed   the  empty    sack   with    three  rotten   vegetable
  marrows; an old blacking…brush and two decayed turnips。
  THEN they all hid under a bush and watched for Mr。 McGregor。
  MR。 McGREGOR came back   and picked up the   sack; and carried   it
  off。
  He carried it hanging down; as if it were rather heavy。
  The Flopsy Bunnies followed at a safe distance。
  THEY watched him go into his house。
  And then they crept up to the window to listen。
  MR。  McGREGOR   threw  down   the   sack   on   the   stone   floor in   a   way
  that would have been extremely painful to the Flopsy Bunnies; if they had
  happened to have been inside it。
  They could hear him drag his chair on the flags; and chuckle
  〃One; two; three; four; five; six leetle rabbits!〃 said Mr。 McGregor。
  〃EH? What's that? What have they been spoiling now?〃 enquired Mrs。
  McGregor。 〃One; two; three; four; five; six leetle fat rabbits!〃 repeated Mr。
  McGregor; counting on his fingers〃one; two; three〃
  〃Don't you be silly; what do you mean; you silly old man?〃
  〃In the sack! one; two; three; four; five; six!〃 replied Mr。 McGregor。
  (The youngest Flopsy Bunny got upon the window…sill。)
  MRS。   McGREGOR   took   hold   of   the   sack   and   felt   it。   She   said   she
  could feel six; but they must be OLD rabbits; because they were so hard
  and all different shapes。
  〃Not fit to eat; but the skins will do fine to line my old cloak。〃
  〃Line your old cloak?〃 shouted Mr。 McGregor〃I shall sell them and
  buy myself baccy!〃
  〃Rabbit tobacco! I shall skin them and cut off their heads。〃
  MRS。 McGREGOR untied the sack and put her hand inside。
  When   she   felt   the   vegetables   she   became   very   very   angry。   She   said
  that Mr。 McGregor had 〃done it a purpose。〃
  AND Mr。 McGregor was very angry too。 One of the rotten marrows
  came   flying   through   the   kitchen   window;   and   hit   the   youngest   Flopsy
  Bunny。
  It was rather hurt。
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  THEN Benjamin and Flopsy thought that it was time to go home。
  SO Mr。 McGregor did not get his tobacco; and Mrs。 McGregor did not
  get her rabbit skins。
  But   next   Christmas   Thomasina   Tittlemouse   got   a   present   of   enough
  rabbit…wool to make herself a cloak and a hood; and a handsome muff and
  a pair of warm mittens。
  THE END
  IN   REMEMBRANCE   OF   〃SAMMY;〃   THE   INTELLIGENT   PINK…
  EYED         REPRESENTATIVE              OF       A     PERSECUTED            (BUT
  IRREPRESSIBLE)           RACE。     AN   AFFECTIONATE           LITTLE     FRIEND。
  AND MOST ACCOMPLISHED THIEF!
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  THE ROLY…POLY PUDDING
  ONCE upon a time there was an old cat; called Mrs。 Tabitha Twitchit;
  who was an anxious parent。 She used to lose her kittens continually; and
  whenever they were lost they were always in mischief!
  On baking day she determined to shut them up in a cupboard。
  She caught Moppet and Mittens; but she could not find Tom。
  Mrs。 Tabitha went up and down all over the house; mewing for Tom
  Kitten。 She looked in the pantry under the staircase; and she searched the
  best   spare   bedroom   that   was   all   covered   up   with   dust   sheets。   She   went
  right   upstairs   and   looked    into  the   attics;  but  she  could   not   find  him
  anywhere。
  It was an old; old house; full of cupboards and passages。 Some of the
  walls were four feet thick; and there used to be queer noises inside them;
  as if there might be a little secret staircase。 Certainly there were odd little
  jagged     doorways     in  the   wainscot;    and   things   disappeared     at  night
  especially cheese and bacon。
  Mrs。 Tabitha became more and more distracted; and mewed dreadfully
  While their mother was searching the house; Moppet and Mittens had
  got into mischief。
  The cupboard door was not locked; so they pushed it open and came
  out。
  They went straight to the dough which was set to rise in a pan before
  the fire。
  They patted it with their little soft paws 〃Shall we make dear little
  muffins?〃 said Mittens to Moppet
  But   just   at   that   moment   somebody   knocked   at   the   front   door;   and
  Moppet jumped into the flour barrel in a fright
  Mittens ran away to the dairy; and hid in an empty jar on the stone
  shelf where the milk pans stand。
  The   visitor   was   a   neighbor;   Mrs。   Ribby;   she   had   called   to   borrow
  some yeast。
  Mrs。 Tabitha came downstairs mewing dreadfully〃Come in; Cousin
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  Ribby; come in; and sit ye down! I'm in sad trouble; Cousin Ribby;〃 said
  Tabitha; shedding tears。 〃I've lost my dear son Thomas; I'm afraid the rats
  have got him。〃 She wiped her eyes with an apron。
  〃He's a bad kitten; Cousin Tabitha; he made a cat's cradle of my best
  bonnet last time I came to tea。 Where have you looked for him?〃
  〃All over the house! The rats are too many for me。 What a thing it is to
  have an unruly family!〃 said Mrs。 Tabitha Twitchit。
  〃I'm not afraid of rats; I will help you to find him; and whip him too!
  What is all that soot in the fender?〃
  〃The     chimney     wants    sweepingOh;       dear   me;   Cousin    Ribbynow
  Moppet and Mittens are gone!〃
  〃They have both got out of the cup… board!〃
  Ribby and Tabitha set to work to search the house thoroughly again。
  They poked under the beds with Ribby's umbrella; and they rummaged in
  cupboards。 They even fetched a candle; and looked inside a clothes chest
  in one of the attics。 They could not find anything; but once they heard a
  door bang and somebody scuttered downstairs。
  〃Yes;   it   is   infested   with   rats;〃   said Tabitha   tearfully;   〃I   caught   seven
  young   ones   out   of   one   hole   in   the   back   kitchen;   and   we   had   them   for
  dinner last Saturday。 And once I saw the old father ratan enormous old
  rat; Cousin Ribby。 I was just going to jump upon him; when he showed his
  yellow teeth at me and whisked down the hole。〃
  〃The rats get upon my nerves; Cousin Ribby;〃 said Tabitha。
  Ribby and Tabitha searched and searched。 They both heard a curious
  roly…poly noise under the attic floor。 But there was nothing to be seen。
  They   returned   to   the   kitchen。   〃Here's   one   of   your   kittens   at   least;〃
  said Ribby; dragging Moppet out of the flour barrel。
  They shook the flour off her and set her down on the kitchen floor。
  She seemed to be in a terrible fright。
  〃Oh! Mother; Mother;〃 said Moppet; 〃there's been an old woman rat in
  the kitchen; and she's stolen some of the dough!〃
  The   two   cats   ran   to   look   at   the   dough   pan。   Sure   enough   there   were
  marks of little scratching fingers; and a lump of dough was gone!
  〃Which way did she go; Moppet?〃
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  But   Moppet   had   been   too   much   frightened   to  peep   out   of   the   barrel
  again。
  Ribby and Tabitha took her with them to keep her safely in sight; while
  they went on with their search。
  They went into the dairy。
  The first thing they found was Mittens; hiding in an empty jar
  They tipped up the jar; and she scrambled out。
  〃Oh; Mother; Mother!〃 said Mittens
  〃Oh! Mother; Mother; there has been an old man rat in the dairya
  dreadful 'normous big rat; Mother; and he's stolen a pat of but