A Collection of Beatrix Potter Stories Part 21

He was rather abrupt.

Jemima Puddle-duck had never heard him speak like that.

She felt surprised, and uncomfortable.

WHILE she was inside she heard pattering feet round the back of the shed.

Some one with a black nose sniffed at the bottom of the door, and then locked it.

Jemima became much alarmed.

A MOMENT afterwards there were most awful noises--barking, baying, growls and howls, squealing and groans.

And nothing more was ever seen of that foxy-whiskered gentleman.

PRESENTLY Kep opened the door of the shed, and let out Jemima Puddle-duck.

Unfortunately the puppies rushed in and gobbled up all the eggs before he could stop them.

He had a bite on his ear and both the puppies were limping.

JEMIMA PUDDLE-DUCK was escorted home in tears on account of those eggs.

SHE laid some more in June, and she was permitted to keep them herself: but only four of them hatched.

Jemima Puddle-duck said that it was because of her nerves; but she had always been a bad sitter.

THE END

THE TALE OF PIGLING BLAND

FOR CECILY AND CHARLIE, A TALE OF THE CHRISTMAS PIG.

THE TALE OF PIGLING BLAND

ONCE upon a time there was an old pig called Aunt Pett.i.toes.

She had eight of a family: four little girl pigs, called Cross-patch, Suck-suck, Yock-yock and Spot;

and four little boy pigs, called Alexander, Pigling Bland, Chin- chin and Stumpy. Stumpy had had an accident to his tail.

The eight little pigs had very fine appet.i.tes. "Yus, yus, yus! they eat and indeed they DO eat!"

said Aunt Pett.i.toes, looking at her family with pride. Suddenly there were fearful squeals; Alexander had squeezed inside the hoops of the pig trough and stuck.

Aunt Pett.i.toes and I dragged him out by the hind legs.

Chin-chin was already in disgrace; it was was.h.i.+ng day, and he had eaten a piece of soap. And presently in a basket of clean clothes, we found another dirty little pig.

"Tchut, tut, tut! whichever is this?" grunted Aunt Pett.i.toes.

Now all the pig family are pink, or pink with black spots, but this pig child was s.m.u.tty black all over; when it had been popped into a tub, it proved to be Yock-yock.

I went into the garden; there I found Cross-patch and Suck-suck rooting up carrots. I whipped them myself and led them out by the ears.

Cross-patch tried to bite me.

"Aunt Pett.i.toes, Aunt Pett.i.toes!

you are a worthy person, but your family is not well brought up.

Every one of them has been in mischief except Spot and Pigling Bland."

"Yus, yus!" sighed Aunt Pett.i.toes. "And they drink bucketfuls of milk; I shall have to get another cow! Good little Spot shall stay at home to do the housework; but the others must go.

Four little boy pigs and four little girl pigs are too many altogether."

"Yus, yus, yus," said Aunt Pett.i.toes, "there will be more to eat without them."

So Chin-chin and Suck-suck went away in a wheel-barrow, and Stumpy, Yock-yock and Cross- patch rode away in a cart.

And the other two little boy pigs, Pigling Bland and Alexander, went to market. We brushed their coats, we curled their tails and washed their little faces, and wished them good-bye in the yard.

Aunt Pett.i.toes wiped her eyes with a large pocket handkerchief, then she wiped Pigling Bland's nose and shed tears; then she wiped Alexander's nose and shed tears; then she pa.s.sed the handkerchief to Spot. Aunt Pett.i.toes sighed and grunted, and addressed those little pigs as follows:

"Now Pigling Bland, son Pigling Bland, you must go to market.

Take your brother Alexander by the hand. Mind your Sunday clothes, and remember to blow your nose"--

(Aunt Pett.i.toes pa.s.sed round the handkerchief again)--"beware of traps, hen roosts, bacon and eggs; always walk upon your hind legs."

Pigling Bland, who was a sedate little pig, looked solemnly at his mother, a tear trickled down his cheek.

Aunt Pett.i.toes turned to the other--"Now son Alexander take the hand"--"Wee, wee, wee!"

giggled Alexander--"take the hand of your brother Pigling Bland, you must go to market.

Mind--" "Wee, wee, wee!" interrupted Alexander again. "You put me out," said Aunt Pett.i.toes.

"Observe sign-posts and milestones; do not gobble herring bones--"

"And remember," said I impressively, "if you once cross the county boundary you cannot come back.

Alexander, you are not attending.

Here are two licences permitting two pigs to go to market in Lancas.h.i.+re. Attend, Alexander. I have had no end of trouble in getting these papers from the policeman."

Pigling Bland listened gravely; Alexander was hopelessly volatile.

I pinned the papers, for safety, inside their waistcoat pockets;

Aunt Pett.i.toes gave to each a little bundle, and eight conversation peppermints with appropriate moral sentiments in screws of paper. Then they started.