Short Fiction

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The Tale of Peter Rabbit

Mrs. Rabbit (wearing a blue dress and white apron) tucks Peter into bed. Only the tips of his ears and paws are visible.

Rabbits peek out from underneath and around the roots of a tree.

Once upon a time there were four little Rabbits, and their names were Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail, 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.”

Mrs. Rabbit says goodbye to her children. Peter, in his blue coat, is looking away from Mrs. Rabbit.

“Your Father had an accident there; he was put in a pie by Mrs. McGregor.”

Mr. McGregor, knife and fork in hand, looks at a steaming pie being brought to him by Mrs. McGregor.

“Now run along, and don’t get into mischief. I am going out.”

Mrs. Rabbit buttons up Peter’s coat while his siblings walk away.

Then old Mrs. Rabbit took a basket and her umbrella, and went through the wood to the baker’s. She bought a loaf of brown bread and five currant buns.

Mrs. Rabbit walks through the wood with her basket and umbrella. She’s wearing a red scarf, red coat, and a yellow and black striped skirt.

Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail, who were good little bunnies, went down the lane to gather blackberries;

Peter’s siblings are picking blackberries, while blackbirds try to steal them.

But Peter, who was very naughty, ran straight away to Mr. McGregor’s garden.

Peter runs over the fields, in his blue coat.

And squeezed under the gate!

Peter squeezes under a wooden gate, which is tugging on his coat.

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

Peter sits in the garden with a carrot in each paw, and another on the ground next to him. Behind him, perched on a fork handle, a robin in singing.

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

Peter walks through a vegetable garden, with his paws on his tummy.

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

Mr. McGregor kneels on the ground with a tool for planting small plants. He looks surprised to see Peter.

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!”