Beatrix Potter - The Tale of Peter Rabbit: Illustrated Edition

Once upon a time there were four little Rabbits, and their nameswere

Flopsy,
Mopsy,
Cotton-tail,
and Peter.

They lived with their Mother in a sand-bank, underneath the root ofa very big fir-tree.

'Now, my dears,' said old Mrs. Rabbit one morning, 'you may go intothe fields or down the lane, but don't go into Mr. McGregor'sgarden: your Father had an accident there; he was put in a pie byMrs. McGregor.'

'Now run along, and don't get into mischief. I am going out.'

Then old Mrs. Rabbit took a basket and her umbrella, and wentthrough the wood to the baker's. She bought a loaf of brown breadand five currant buns.

Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail, who were good little bunnies, wentdown the lane to gather blackberries:

But Peter, who was very naughty, ran straight away to Mr.McGregor's garden, and squeezed under the gate!

First he ate some lettuces and some French beans; and then he atesome radishes;

And then, feeling rather sick, he went to look for some parsley.

But round the end of a cucumber frame, whom should he meet but Mr.McGregor!

Mr. McGregor was on his hands and knees planting out youngcabbages, but he jumped up and ran after Peter, waving a rake andcalling out, 'Stop thief!'

Peter was most dreadfully frightened; he rushed all over thegarden, for he had forgotten the way back to the gate.

He lost one of his shoes among the cabbages, and the other shoeamongst the potatoes.

After losing them, he ran on four legs and went faster, so that Ithink he might have got away altogether if he had not unfortunatelyrun into a gooseberry net, and got caught by the large buttons onhis jacket. It was a blue jacket with brass buttons, quite new.

Peter gave himself up for lost, and cried big tears; but his sobswere overheard by some friendly sparrows, who flew to him in greatexcitement, and implored him to exert himself.

Mr. McGregor came up with a sieve, which he intended to pop uponthe top of Peter; but Peter wriggled out just in time, leaving hisjacket behind him.

And rushed into the tool-shed, and jumped into a can. It would havebeen a beautiful thing to hide in, if it had not had so much waterin it.

Mr. McGregor was quite sure that Peter was somewhere in thetool-shed, perhaps hidden underneath a flower-pot. He began to turnthem over carefully, looking under each.

Presently Peter sneezed'Kertyschoo!' Mr. McGregor was after him inno time.

And tried to put his foot upon Peter, who jumped out of a window,upsetting three plants. The window was too small for Mr. McGregor,and he was tired of running after Peter. He went back to his work.

Peter sat down to rest; he was out of breath and trembling withfright, and he had not the least idea which way to go. Also he wasvery damp with sitting in that can.

After a time he began to wander about, going lippitylippitynotvery fast, and looking all round.

He found a door in a wall; but it was locked, and there was no roomfor a fat little rabbit to squeeze underneath.

An old mouse was running in and out over the stone door-step,carrying peas and beans to her family in the wood. Peter asked herthe way to the gate, but she had such a large pea in her mouth thatshe could not answer. She shook her head at him. Peter began tocry.

Then he tried to find his way straight across the garden, but hebecame more and more puzzled. Presently, he came to a pond whereMr. McGregor filled his water-cans. A white cat was staring at somegold-fish, she sat very, very still, but now and then the tip ofher tail twitched as if it were alive. Peter thought it best to goaway without speaking to her; he had heard about cats from hiscousin, little Benjamin Bunny.