Thé Tâlè of^uv Samûél Whiskerś, bŷ Beatrix Potter

Or,

THÉ RÔLÝ POLÝ PŪDDING

In Rėmembránçè of^uv
"SAMMÝ,"
Thé intellíĝént piñk-èŷèd Reprėśentátivè
of^uv
a Persécûtéd (but Irrépressíblè) Râçè
An áffectionátè littlè Frìend,
and môst áccomplishèd
thìêf

 

 

 

(Óriĝínállý publishèd in Û.S.A. aś

Thé Rôlý-Polý Pūdding)

 

 

 

Őnçè^wőnçè upon a tîmè theŕè wáś^woś an ôld cat, cållèd Mrs. Tabithá Twitchit, whö wáś^woś an añxìòús pãrént. Shê ûśèd tó^tö löśè her kitténś cóntinûállý, and whenever they werè lost they werè ålwayś in mischiéf!

On bâking day shê dėtermínèd tó^tö shut them up in a cupbòàŕd.

Shê caught Moppet and Mitténś, but shê cōūld not fînd Tom.

Mrs. Tabithá went up and down åll ôver thé housè, mëwing for Tom Kittén. Shê lōōkèd in thé pantrý under thé stãircâsè, and shê sèàŕchèd thé best spãŕè bedrööm that wáś^woś åll cőverèd up with dust sheets. Shê went right upstãirś and lōōkèd intö thé attics, but shê cōūld not fînd him ãnýwheŕè.

It wáś^woś an ôld, ôld housè, fūll of^uv cupbòàŕdś and passáĝėś. Sőmè of^uv thé wållś werè føùr feet thick, and theŕè ûśèd tó^tö bê qυeeŕ noiśėś insîdè them, aś if theŕè might bê a littlè sêcrét stãircâsè. Çertáìnlý theŕè werè odd littlè jaggèd dòorwayś in thé wainscot, and thingś disáppėàŕèd at night—espećiállý cheeśè and bâcón.

Mrs. Tabithá bėcâmè morè and morè distractėd, and mewèd dreàdfullý.

Whîlè their mőther wáś^woś sèàŕching thé housè, Moppet and Mitténś had got intö mischiéf.

Thé cupbòàŕd dòor wáś^woś not lockèd, sô they pūshèd it ôpén and câmè out.

They went straight tó^tö thé dôùgh which wáś^woś set tó^tö rîśè in a pan bėforè thé fîŕè.

They pattėd it with their littlè soft pawś—"Shall wê mâkè dėàŕ littlè muffínś?" sãìd Mitténś tó^tö Moppet.

But just at that mômént sőmèbódý knockèd at thé frőnt dòor, and Moppet jumpèd intö thé flõυŕ barrél in a fright.

Mitténś ran áway tó^tö thé dãírý, and hid in an emptý jar on thé stônè shelf wheŕè thé milk panś stand.

Thé viśítòŕ wáś^woś a neĩghbòur, Mrs. Ribbý; shê had cållèd tó^tö borrôw sőmè yeast.

Mrs. Tabithá câmè downstãirś mëwing dreàdfullý—"Cőmè in, Còuśín Ribbý, cőmè in, and sit yê down! Î'm in sad tròublè, Còuśín Ribbý," sãìd Tabithá, shedding tėàŕś. "Î'vè lost mŷ dėàŕ sőn Thomás; Î'm áfraid thé rats havè got him." Shê wîpèd her èŷèś with her âprón.

"Hê's a bad kittén, Còuśín Tabithá; hê mâdè a cat's crâdlè of^uv mŷ best bonnét last tîmè Î câmè tó^tö tea. Wheŕè havè yöü lōōkèd for him?"

"Åll ôver thé housè! thé rats arè töö mãný for mê. Whåt a thing it iś tó^tö havè an unrülý famílý!" sãìd Mrs. Tabithá Twitchit.

"Î'm not áfraid of^uv rats; Î will help yöü tó^tö fînd him; and whip him töö! Whåt iś åll that sōōt in thé fender?"

"Thé chimnêy wants^wonts sweeping—Ôh, dėàŕ mê, Còuśín Ribbý—now Moppet and Mitténś arè gonè!"

"They havè bôth got out of^uv thé cupbòàŕd!"

Ribbý and Tabithá set tó^tö wòŕk tó^tö sèàŕch thé housè thóróùghlý ágãìn. They pôkèd under thé bedś with Ribbý's umbrellá, and they rummáĝèd in cupbòàŕdś. They êvén fetchèd a candlè, and lōōkèd insîdè a clôthèś chest in one^wőnè of^uv thé attics. They cōūld not fînd ãnýthing, but őnçè^wőnçè they hèàŕd a dòor bang and sőmèbódý scutterèd downstãirś.

"Yes, it iś infestėd with rats," sãìd Tabithá tėàŕfullý. "Î caught sevén yòung ones^wőnèś out of^uv one^wőnè hôlè in thé back kitchén, and wê had them for dinner last Saturday. And őnçè^wőnçè Î saw thé ôld fāther rat—an ėnormòús ôld rat, Còuśín Ribbý. Î wáś^woś just gôing tó^tö jump upon him, when hê shôwèd hiś yellôw teeth at mê and whiskèd down thé hôlè."

"Thé rats get upon mŷ nervèś, Còuśín Ribbý," sãìd Tabithá.

Ribbý and Tabithá sèàŕchèd and sèàŕchèd. They bôth hèàŕd a cûrïòús rôlý-polý noiśè under thé attic flòor. But theŕè wáś^woś nőthing tó^tö bê seen.

They rėturnèd tó^tö thé kitchén. "Hėŕè's one^wőnè of^uv yøùr kitténś at least," sãìd Ribbý, dragging Moppet out of^uv thé flõυŕ barrél.

They shōōk thé flõυŕ off her and set her down on thé kitchén flòor. Shê seemèd tó^tö bê in a terríblè fright.

"Ôh! Mőther, Mőther," sãìd Moppet, "theŕè's bėèn-been an ôld wōmán rat in thé kitchén, and shê's stôlén sőmè of^uv thé dôùgh!"

Thé twö cats ran tó^tö lōōk at thé dôùgh pan. Ŝūrè enough^ėnòuf theŕè werè marks of^uv littlè scratching fiñgerś, and a lump of^uv dôùgh wáś^woś gonè!

"Which way did shê gô, Moppet?"

But Moppet had bėèn-been töö much frighténèd tó^tö peep out of^uv thé barrél ágãìn.

Ribbý and Tabithá tōōk her with them tó^tö keep her sâfèlý in sight, whîlè they went on with their sèàŕch.

They went intö thé dãírý.

Thé first thing they found wáś^woś Mitténś, hîding in an emptý jar.

They tippèd up thé jar, and shê scramblèd out.

"Ôh, Mőther, Mőther!" sãìd Mitténś—

"Ôh! Mőther, Mőther, theŕè haś bėèn-been an ôld man rat in thé dãírý—a dreàdful 'normòús big rat, mőther; and hê's stôlén a pat of^uv butter and thé rôlling-pin."

Ribbý and Tabithá lōōkèd at one^wőnè ánőther.

"A rôlling-pin and butter! Ôh, mŷ pōōr sőn Thomás!" ėxclaimèd Tabithá, wringing her pawś.

"A rôlling-pin?" sãìd Ribbý. "Did wê not hėàŕ a rôlý-polý noiśè in thé attic when wê werè lōōking intö that chest?"

Ribbý and Tabithá rushèd upstãirś ágãìn. Ŝūrè enough^ėnòuf thé rôlý-polý noiśè wáś^woś still gôing on qυîtè distiñctlý under thé attic flòor.

"This iś sėrïòús, Còuśín Tabithá," sãìd Ribbý. "Wê must send for John Joiner at őnçè^wőnçè, with a saw."

 

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Now this iś whåt had bėèn-been happéning tó^tö Tom Kittén, and it shôwś how verý unwîśè it iś tó^tö gô up a chimnêy in a verý ôld housè, wheŕè a persón dőèś not knôw hiś way, and wheŕè theŕè arè ėnormòús rats.

Tom Kittén did not want^wont tó^tö bê shut up in a cupbòàŕd. When hê saw that hiś mőther wáś^woś gôing tó^tö bâkè, hê dėtermínèd tó^tö hîdè.

Hê lōōkèd ábout for a nîçè cónvênĩént plâçè, and hê fixèd upon thé chimnêy.

Thé fîŕè had ônlý just bėèn-been lightėd, and it wáś^woś not hot; but theŕè wáś^woś a whîtè chôkèý smôkè fróm thé green sticks. Tom Kittén got upon thé fender and lōōkèd up. It wáś^woś a big ôld-fashiónèd fîŕè-plâçè.

Thé chimnêy itself wáś^woś wîdè enough^ėnòuf insîdè for a man tó^tö stand up and wålk ábout. Sô theŕè wáś^woś plentý of^uv rööm for a littlè Tom Cat.

Hê jumpèd right up intö thé fîŕè-plâçè, balánçing himself upon thé îŕòn bar wheŕè thé kettlè hangś.

Tom Kittén tōōk ánőther big jump off thé bar, and landėd on a ledĝè high up insîdè thé chimnêy, knocking down sőmè sōōt intö thé fender.

Tom Kittén coughed^cofd and chôkèd with thé smôkè; and hê cōūld hėàŕ thé sticks bėginning tó^tö cracklè and burn in thé fîŕè-plâçè down bėlôw. Hê mâdè up hiś mînd tó^tö clîmb right tó^tö thé top, and get out on thé slâtès, and trŷ tó^tö catch sparrôwś.

"Î cannot gô back. If Î slippèd Î might fåll in thé fîŕè and sinĝè mŷ bèàûtíful tail and mŷ littlè blüè jackét."

Thé chimnêy wáś^woś a verý big ôld-fashiónèd one^wőnè. It wáś^woś bùilt in thé dayś when pêòplè burnt logś of^uv wōōd upon thé hèàŕth.

Thé chimnêy stack stōōd up ábővè thé rööf lîkè a littlè stônè tõwer, and thé daylight shônè down fróm thé top, under thé slanting slâtès that kept out thé rain.

Tom Kittén wáś^woś getting verý frighténèd! Hê clîmbèd up, and up, and up.

Then hê wâdėd sîdèwayś thröügh inchėś of^uv sōōt. Hê wáś^woś lîkè a littlè sweep himself.

It wáś^woś môst cónfûśing in thé dark. One^wőnè flüè seemèd tó^tö lead intö ánőther.

Theŕè wáś^woś less smôkè, but Tom Kittén felt qυîtè lost.

Hê scramblèd up and up; but bėforè hê reachèd thé chimnêy top hê câmè tó^tö a plâçè wheŕè sőmèbódý had löösénèd a stônè in thé wåll. Theŕè werè sőmè muttón bônèś lŷing ábout—

"This seemś funný," sãìd Tom Kittén. "Whö haś bėèn-been gnawing bônèś up hėŕè in thé chimnêy? Î wish Î had never cőmè! And whåt a funný smell? It iś sőmèthing lîkè mousè; ônlý dreàdfullý strong. It mâkès mê sneezè," sãìd Tom Kittén.

Hê sqυeezèd thröügh thé hôlè in thé wåll, and draggèd himself álong a môst uncómfòŕtáblý tight passáĝè wheŕè theŕè wáś^woś scãŕçèlý ãný light.

Hê grôpèd hiś way cãŕèfullý for sevèrál yardś; hê wáś^woś at thé back of^uv thé skirting-bøàrd in thé attic, wheŕè theŕè iś a littlè mark * in thé picťurè.

Åll at őnçè^wőnçè hê fell heàd ôver heelś in thé dark, down a hôlè, and landėd on a heap of^uv verý dirtý ragś.

When Tom Kittén pickèd himself up and lōōkèd ábout him—hê found himself in a plâçè that hê had never seen bėforè, ålthôùgh hê had livèd åll hiś lîfè in thé housè.

It wáś^woś a verý småll stuffý frustý rööm, with bøàrdś, and rafterś, and cobwebś, and lath and plaster.

Oppóśítè tó^tö him—aś far áway aś hê cōūld sit—wáś^woś an ėnormòús rat.

"Whåt dö yöü mean bŷ tumbling intö mŷ bed åll cőverèd with smuts?" sãìd thé rat, chattéring hiś teeth.

"Pleaśè sir, thé chimnêy wants^wonts sweeping," sãìd pōōr Tom Kittén.

"Anná Márïá! Anná Márïá!" sqυeakèd thé rat. Theŕè wáś^woś a pattéring noiśè and an ôld wōmán rat pôkèd her heàd round a rafter.

Åll in a minútè shê rushèd upon Tom Kittén, and bėforè hê knew whåt wáś^woś happéning—

Hiś coat wáś^woś pūllèd off, and hê wáś^woś rôllèd up in a bundlè, and tîèd with string in verý hard knots.

Anná Márïá did thé tŷing. Thé ôld rat wātchèd^wotchèd her and tōōk snuff. When shê had finishèd, they bôth sat stãring at him with their mouthś ôpén.

"Anná Márïá," sãìd thé ôld man rat (whöśè nâmè wáś^woś Samûél Whiskerś),—"Anná Márïá, mâkè mê a kittén dumpling rôlý-polý pūdding for mŷ dinner."

"It rėqυîŕèś dôùgh and a pat of^uv butter, and a rôlling-pin," sãìd Anná Márïá, cónsidéring Tom Kittén with her heàd on one^wőnè sîdè.

 

"Nô," sãìd Samûél Whiskerś, "mâkè it properlý, Anná Márïá, with breàdcrumbś."

"Nonsensè! Butter and dôùgh," rėplîèd Anná Márïá.

Thé twö rats cónsultėd tógether for a few minútès and then went áway.

Samûél Whiskerś got thröügh a hôlè in thé wainscot, and went bôldlý down thé frőnt stãircâsè tó^tö thé dãírý tó^tö get thé butter. Hê did not meet ãnýbodý.

Hê mâdè a secónd jòurnêy for thé rôlling-pin. Hê pūshèd it in frőnt of^uv him with hiś pawś, lîkè a brëwer's man trundling a barrél.

Hê cōūld hėàŕ Ribbý and Tabithá tålking, but they werè bμsy lighting thé candlè tó^tö lōōk intö thé chest.

They did not see him.

Anná Márïá went down bŷ way of^uv thé skirting-bøàrd and a windôw shutter tó^tö thé kitchén tó^tö steal thé dôùgh.

Shê borrôwèd a småll sauçer, and scööpèd up thé dôùgh with her pawś.

Shê did not óbśervè Moppet.

Whîlè Tom Kittén wáś^woś left álônè under thé flòor of^uv thé attic, hê wriggled ábout and trîèd tó^tö mew for help.

But hiś mouth wáś^woś fūll of^uv sōōt and cobwebś, and hê wáś^woś tîèd up in such verý tight knots, hê cōūld not mâkè ãnýbodý hėàŕ him.

Ėxcept a spîder, which câmè out of^uv a crack in thé çêìling and ėxamínèd thé knots criticàllý, fróm a sâfè distánçè.

It wáś^woś a judĝè of^uv knots bėcauśè it had a habít of^uv tŷing up unforťünátè blüè-bottlèś. It did not offer tó^tö ássist him.

Tom Kittén wriggled and sqυirmèd until hê wáś^woś qυîtè ėxhaustėd.

Preśéntlý thé rats câmè back and set tó^tö wòŕk tó^tö mâkè him intö a dumpling. First they smėàŕèd him with butter, and then they rôllèd him in thé dôùgh.

"Will not thé string bê verý indîĝestíblè, Anná Márïá?" inqυîrèd Samûél Whiskerś.

Anná Márïá sãìd shê thøùght that it wáś^woś of^uv nô conséqυénçè; but shê wishèd that Tom Kittén wōūld hôld hiś heàd still, aś it disaranged thé pâstrý. Shê laid hôld of^uv hiś ėàŕś.

Tom Kittén bit and spat, and mewèd and wriggled; and thé rôlling-pin went rôlý-polý, rôlý; rôlý, polý, rôlý. Thé rats each held an end.

"Hiś tail iś sticking out! Yöü did not fetch enough^ėnòuf dôùgh, Anná Márïá."

"Î fetchèd aś much aś Î cōūld carrý," rėplîèd Anná Márïá.

"Î dö not thiñk"—sãìd Samûél Whiskerś, pauśing tó^tö tâkè a lōōk at Tom Kittén—"Î dö not thiñk it will bê a gōōd pūdding. It smellś söötý."

Anná Márïá wáś^woś ábout tó^tö argûè thé point, when åll at őnçè^wőnçè theŕè bėgan tó^tö bê őther soundś up ábővè—thé rasping noiśè of^uv a saw; and thé noiśè of^uv a littlè dog, scratching and yelping!

Thé rats droppèd thé rôlling-pin, and listénèd áttentivèlý.

"Wê arè discőverèd and intérruptėd, Anná Márïá; let us cóllect õυŕ propertý—and őther pêòplè's,—and dėpart at őnçè^wőnçè."

"Î fėàŕ that wê shall bê óblîĝèd tó^tö leavè this pūdding."

"But Î am persυâdėd that thé knots wōūld havè prövèd indîĝestíblè, whåtever yöü may urĝè tó^tö thé contrãrý."

"Cőmè áway at őnçè^wőnçè and help mê tó^tö tîè up sőmè muttón bônèś in a counterpânè," sãìd Anná Márïá. "Î havè got hālf a smôkèd ham hiddén in thé chimnêy."

Sô it happénèd that bŷ thé tîmè John Joiner had got thé plañk up—theŕè wáś^woś nôbodý under thé flòor ėxcept thé rôlling-pin and Tom Kittén in a verý dirtý dumpling!

But theŕè wáś^woś a strong smell of^uv rats; and John Joiner spent thé rest of^uv thé morning sniffing and whîning, and wagging hiś tail, and gôing round and round with hiś heàd in thé hôlè lîkè a gimlet.

Then hê nailèd thé plañk down ágãìn and pūt hiś töölś in hiś bag, and câmè downstãirś.

Thé cat famílý had qυîtè récőverèd. They invîtėd him tó^tö stay tó^tö dinner.

Thé dumpling had bėèn-been peelèd off Tom Kittén, and mâdè sepárátèlý intö a bag pūdding, with currants in it tó^tö hîdè thé smuts.

They had bėèn-been óblîĝèd tó^tö pūt Tom Kittén intö a hot bath tó^tö get thé butter off.

John Joiner smelt thé pūdding; but hê rėgrettėd that hê had not tîmè tó^tö stay tó^tö dinner, bėcauśè hê had just finishèd mâking a wheel-barrôw for Miss Potter, and shê had orderèd twö hen-côops.

And when Î wáś^woś gôing tó^tö thé pôst lâtè in thé afternöön—Î lōōkèd up thé lânè fróm thé corner, and Î saw Mr. Samûél Whiskerś and hiś wîfè on thé run, with big bundlèś on a littlè wheel-barrôw, which lōōkèd verý lîkè mînè.

They werè just turning in at thé gâtè tó^tö thé barn of^uv Farmer Pótâtôèś.

Samûél Whiskerś wáś^woś puffing and out of^uv breàth. Anná Márïá wáś^woś still argûing in shrill tônèś.

Shê seemèd tó^tö knôw her way, and shê seemèd tó^tö havè a qυantitý of^uv luggáĝè.

Î am ŝūrè Î never gâvè her leavè tó^tö borrôw mŷ wheel-barrôw!

They went intö thé barn, and haulèd their parçélś with a bit of^uv string tó^tö thé top of^uv thé hay môw.

After that, theŕè werè nô morè rats for a long tîmè at Tabithá Twitchit's.

Aś for Farmer Pótâtôèś, hê haś bėèn-been drivén nėàŕlý distractėd. Theŕè arè rats, and rats, and rats in hiś barn! they eat up thé chickén fööd, and steal thé oats and bran, and mâkè hôlèś in thé meal bagś.

And they arè åll dėscendėd fróm Mr. and Mrs. Samûél Whiskerś—childrén and grand-childrén and grèât grèât grand-childrén.

Theŕè iś nô end tó^tö them!

Moppet and Mitténś havè grôwn up intö verý gōōd rat-catcherś.

They gô out rat-catching in thé villáĝè, and they fînd plentý of^uv ėmploymént. They charĝè sô much a dőzén, and èàŕn their living verý cőmfòŕtáblý.

They hang up thé rats' tailś in a rôw on thé barn dòor, tó^tö shôw how mãný they havè caught—dózénś and dózénś of^uv them.

But Tom Kittén haś ålwayś bėèn-been áfraid of^uv a rat; hê never durst fâçè ãnýthing that iś bigger than—

A Mousè.

 

 

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