10/03/2017 TheTaleofPeterRabbit

TheTaleofPeterRabbit
byBeatrixPotter(/author/beatrixpotter/biobooksstories)

ThemostbelovedstorybyBritishauthorBeatrixPotter,publishedin1902.

ONCEuponatimetherewerefour
littleRabbits,andtheirnameswere
Flopsy,Mopsy,Cottontail,andPeter.

TheylivedwiththeirMotherinasand
bank,underneaththerootofaverybig
firtree.

"NOW,mydears,"saidoldMrs.Rabbit
onemorning,"youmaygointothe
fieldsordownthelane,butdon'tgo
intoMr.McGregor'sgarden:your
FatherhadanaccidenttherehewasputinapiebyMrs.McGregor."

"NOWrunalong,anddon'tgetintomischief.Iamgoingout."

THENoldMrs.Rabbittookabasketandherumbrella,tothebaker's.
Sheboughtaloafofbrownbreadandfivecurrantbuns.

FLOPSY,Mopsy,andCottontail,whoweregoodlittlebunnies,went
downthelanetogatherblackberries

BUTPeter,whowasverynaughty,ranstraightawaytoMr.McGregor's
gardenandsqueezedunderthegate!

FIRSTheatesomelettucesandsomeFrenchbeansandthenheate
someradishes

ANDthen,feelingrathersick,hewenttolookforsomeparsley.

BUTroundtheendofacucumberframe,whomshouldhemeetbutMr.
McGregor!

MR.McGREGORwasonhishandsandkneesplantingoutyoung
cabbages,buthejumpedupandranafterPeter,wavingarakeand
callingout,"Stopthief!"

PETERwasmostdreadfullyfrightenedherushedalloverthegarden,for
hehadforgottenthewaybacktothegate.

Helostoneofhisshoesamongthecabbages,andtheothershoe
amongstthepotatoes.

AFTERlosingthem,heranonfourlegsandwentfaster,sothatIthinkhemighthavegotawayaltogetherifhehadnot
unfortunatelyrunintoagooseberrynet,andgotcaughtbythelargebuttonsonhisjacket.Itwasabluejacketwithbrassbuttons,
quitenew.

PETERgavehimselfupforlost,andshedbigtearsbuthissobswereoverheardbysomefriendlysparrows,whoflewtohimin
greatexcitement,andimploredhimtoexerthimself.

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10/03/2017 TheTaleofPeterRabbit

MR.McGREGORcameupwithasieve,whichheintendedtopopuponthe
topofPeterbutPeterwriggledoutjustintime,leavinghisjacketbehind
him.

ANDrushedintothetoolshed,andjumpedintoacan.Itwouldhavebeena
beautifulthingtohidein,ifithadnothadsomuchwaterinit.

MR.McGREGORwasquitesurethatPeterwassomewhereinthe
toolshed,perhapshiddenunderneathaflowerpot.Hebegantoturnthem
overcarefully,lookingundereach.

PresentlyPetersneezed"Kertyschoo!"Mr.McGregorwasafterhiminno
time,

ANDtriedtoputhisfootuponPeter,whojumpedoutofawindow,upsetting
threeplants.ThewindowwastoosmallforMr.McGregor,andhewastired
ofrunningafterPeter.Hewentbacktohiswork.

PETERsatdowntoresthewasoutofbreathandtremblingwithfright,andhehadnottheleastideawhichwaytogo.Alsohewas
verydampwithsittinginthatcan.

Afteratimehebegantowanderabout,goinglippitylippitynotveryfast,andlookingallaround.

HEfoundadoorinawallbutitwaslocked,andtherewasnoroomforafatlittlerabbittosqueezeunderneath.

Anoldmousewasrunninginandoutoverthestonedoorstep,carryingpeasandbeanstoherfamilyinthewood.Peteraskedher
thewaytothegate,butshehadsuchalargepeainhermouththatshecouldnotanswer.Sheonlyshookherheadathim.Peter
begantocry.

THENhetriedtofindhiswaystraightacrossthegarden,buthebecamemore
andmorepuzzled.Presently,hecametoapondwhereMr.McGregorfilledhis
watercans.Awhitecatwasstaringatsomegoldfishshesatvery,verystill,
butnowandthenthetipofhertailtwitchedasifitwerealive.Peterthoughtit
besttogoawaywithoutspeakingtoherhehadheardaboutcatsfromhis
cousin,littleBenjaminBunny.

HEwentbacktowardsthetoolshed,butsuddenly,quiteclosetohim,heheard
thenoiseofahoescrrritch,scratch,scratch,scritch.Peterscuttered
underneaththebushes.Butpresently,asnothinghappened,hecameout,and
climbeduponawheelbarrow,andpeepedover.ThefirstthinghesawwasMr.
McGregorhoeingonions.HisbackwasturnedtowardsPeter,andbeyondhim
wasthegate!

PETERgotdownveryquietlyoffthewheelbarrow,andstartedrunningasfast
ashecouldgo,alongastraightwalkbehindsomeblackcurrantbushes.

Mr.McGregorcaughtsightofhimatthecorner,butPeterdidnotcare.He
slippedunderneaththegate,andwassafeatlastinthewoodoutsidethe
garden.

MR.McGREGORhungupthelittlejacketandtheshoesforascarecrowtofrightentheblackbirds.

PETERneverstoppedrunningorlookedbehindhimtillhegothometothebigfirtree.

Hewassotiredthathefloppeddownuponthenicesoftsandontheflooroftherabbithole,andshuthiseyes.Hismotherwas
busycookingshewonderedwhathehaddonewithhisclothes.ItwasthesecondlittlejacketandpairofshoesthatPeterhadlost
inafortnight!

IAMsorrytosaythatPeterwasnotverywellduringtheevening.

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10/03/2017 TheTaleofPeterRabbit

Hismotherputhimtobed,andmadesomecamomileteaandshegavea
doseofittoPeter!

"Onetablespoonfultobetakenatbedtime."

BUTFlopsy,Mopsy,andCottontailhadbreadandmilkandblackberries,for
supper.

THEEND

8.6

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