Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Once upon a time, there were four little Rabbits, and their names were— Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail, and Peter. They lived with their Mother in a sandbank, underneath the root of a very big fir tree.
“Now, my dears,” said old Mrs. Rabbit one morning, “You may go into the fields or down the lane, but don’t go into Mr. McGregor’s garden: your Father had an accident there; he was put in a pie by Mrs. 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 went through the woods to the baker’s. She bought a loaf of brown bread and five currant buns.
Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail, who were good little bunnies, went down the lane to gather blackberries. But Peter, who was very naughty, ran straight away to Mr. McGregor’s garden, andsqueezed under the gate!
First, he ate some lettuce and some French beans; and then he ate some 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 young cabbages, but he jumped up and ran after Peter, waving a rake and calling out, “Stop thief!
Chapter 2
Peter was most dreadfully frightened. He rushed all over the garden, for he had forgotten the way back to the gate. He lost one of his shoes among the cabbages, and the other among the potatoes. After losing them, he ran on all four legs and went faster—but unfortunately, he ran into a gooseberry net and got caught by the large buttons on his jacket. It was a blue jacket with brass buttons—quite new.
Peter gave himself up for lost and shed big tears. But his sobs were overheard by some friendly sparrows, who flew to him in great excitement and implored him to exert himself. Mr. McGregor came up with a sieve to trap Peter—but Peter wriggled out just in time, leaving his jacket behind him.
Peter rushed into the toolshed and jumped into a can. It would have been a beautiful hiding place if it hadn’t had so much water in it. Mr. McGregor was quite sure Peter was somewhere in the shed, and began turning over flower-pots, one by one. Presently, Peter sneezed—“Kertyschoo!” Mr. McGregor was after him in no time!
He tried to put his foot on Peter, who jumped out of a window, upsetting three plants in the process. The window was too small for Mr. McGregor, and he was tired of running after Peter. He went back to his work.
Chapter 3
Peter sat down to rest—out of breath and trembling with fright. He had no idea which way to go, and he was very damp from sitting in that can. After a while, he began to wander—lippity-lippity—not very fast, and looking around.
He found a door in a wall; but it was locked, and there was no room for a fat little rabbit to squeeze underneath. An old mouse was running in and out over the doorstep, carrying peas and beans.
Peter asked her the way to the gate, but she had such a large pea in her mouth she couldn’t answer—she only shook her head at him. Peter began to cry.
He tried to find his way across the garden but got even more puzzled. Then he came to a pond, where Mr. McGregor filled his watering-cans. A white cat was staring at some goldfish. She sat very, very still—but the tip of her tail twitched now and then. Peter thought it best to go away without speaking to her. He had heard about cats from his cousin, Benjamin Bunny.
He headed back toward the toolshed. Suddenly, quite close by, he heard the sound of a hoe— Peter scuttered underneath the bushes. But when nothing happened, he came out, climbed up on a wheelbarrow, and peeped over. Mr. McGregor was hoeing onions. His back was turned—and beyondb him was the gate!
Chapter 4
Peter got down very quietly off the wheelbarrow and ran as fast as he could along a straight path behind the black-currant bushes. Mr. McGregor caught sight of him at the corner—but Peter didn’t care! He slipped underneath the gate—and was safe at last.
Mr. McGregor hung up the little jacket and shoes to make a scarecrow. Peter never stopped running until he reached home under the big fir-tree. He flopped down on the soft sand floor and shut his eyes. His mother, who was busy cooking, noticed his missing clothes—It was the second jacket and pair of shoes Peter had lost in a fortnight!
Peter was not very well that evening. His mother put him to bed, gave him some camomile tea, and said: “One tablespoonful to be taken at bedtime. But Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail had bread and milk and blackberries for supper.