THE TALE OF PETER RABBIT

Once there were four little rabbits.
Their names were Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail, and Peter.

They lived in a sand-bank.
It was under a big fir-tree.
They lived there with their mother.

"Go into the fields," said Mrs. Rabbit.
"Or go down the lane.
But do not go into Mr. McGregor's garden.
Your father had an accident there.
Mrs. McGregor put him in a pie!"

"Now run along," said Mrs. Rabbit.
"Do not get into trouble.
I am going out now."

Mrs. Rabbit took a basket.
She took her umbrella too.
She went to the baker.
She bought some brown bread.
She bought five currant buns.

Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail were good bunnies.
They went to gather blackberries.

But Peter was very naughty.
He ran to Mr. McGregor's garden.
He squeezed under the gate!

First, Peter ate some lettuce.
Then he ate some beans.
Then he ate some radishes.

He began to feel sick.
He went to look for parsley.

Then Peter saw Mr. McGregor!
Mr. McGregor was planting cabbages.
He jumped up fast.
He ran after Peter.
He waved a rake.
"Stop, thief!" he shouted.

Peter was very scared.
He ran all over the garden.
He forgot the way to the gate.

He lost one shoe in the cabbages.
He lost his other shoe in the potatoes.

Peter ran on four legs now.
He went faster and faster.
Then he got stuck!
He ran into a net.
His jacket buttons got caught.
It was a new blue jacket.

Peter thought he was in trouble now.
He began to cry big tears.
Some kind sparrows heard him.
They told him to keep trying.

Mr. McGregor came with a sieve.
He wanted to trap Peter.
But Peter wiggled free!
He left his jacket behind.

Peter ran into a shed.
He jumped into a can.
It had lots of water in it.

Mr. McGregor looked for Peter.
He thought Peter was hiding.
He looked under flower pots.

Then Peter sneezed loudly.
"Kertyschoo!"
Mr. McGregor ran to find him.

He tried to step on Peter.
But Peter jumped out a window!
He knocked over three plants.
Mr. McGregor could not fit through the window.
He was tired now.
He went back to work.

Peter sat down to rest.
He was out of breath.
He was shaking with fright.
He did not know the way home.
He was very wet too.

Peter began to walk slowly.
He looked all around.

He found a door in a wall.
But it was locked.
He was too fat to fit under it.

An old mouse was nearby.
She carried peas and beans.
Peter asked her the way.
But her mouth was full.
She could only shake her head.
Peter began to cry again.

He tried to cross the garden.
But he got more lost.
He came to a pond.
A white cat sat there.
She watched some gold-fish.
She sat very, very still.

Peter did not talk to her.
He knew cats were dangerous.
His cousin Benjamin Bunny told him so.

Peter walked back toward the shed.
He heard a scratchy noise.
Scr-r-ritch, scratch, scratch!
Peter hid under some bushes.

Nothing happened.
So Peter came out.
He climbed on a wheelbarrow.
He peeked over the top.

He saw Mr. McGregor.
Mr. McGregor was working on onions.
His back was turned.
And there was the gate!

Peter got down quietly.
Then he ran as fast as he could.
He ran along a path.
He ran past some bushes.

Mr. McGregor saw him at the corner.
But Peter did not care.
He slipped under the gate.
He was safe in the woods!

Mr. McGregor hung up the little jacket.
He hung up the shoes too.
They became a scarecrow.
It would scare the blackbirds.

Peter ran all the way home.
He did not stop.
He did not look back.
He reached the big fir-tree.

He was so tired.
He flopped onto the soft sand.
He closed his eyes.

His mother was cooking.
She wondered where his clothes went.
This was the second jacket he lost!
He lost two in two weeks!

Peter did not feel well that night.
His mother put him to bed.
She made some tea.
It was called camomile tea.
She gave some to Peter.

"One spoonful at bedtime," she said.

But Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail were fine.
They had bread and milk for supper.
They had blackberries too.

THE END