The Tale of Peter Rabbit

Once there were four little rabbits. Their names were Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail, and Peter.They lived with their mother in a sandy burrow under a big fir tree.

One morning their mother said, “You may play in the fields, but do not go into Mr. McGregor’s garden.”“Your father had trouble there. Now be good while I am away.”Then she took her basket and went to the baker’s shop.

Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail were good little rabbits. They went down the lane to pick blackberries.But Peter was naughty. He ran straight to Mr. McGregor’s garden and squeezed under the gate.

First he ate some lettuces. Then he ate some beans and some radishes.Soon his stomach felt sick, so he went to look for some parsley.But at the end of a row, he met Mr. McGregor!

Mr. McGregor jumped up and ran after him, shouting, “Stop! Stop!”Peter was very frightened. He ran this way and that way, and lost one of his shoes among the cabbages.His little blue jacket caught on a net, so he wriggled out of it and ran on.He hid in a watering can in the shed, but then he sneezed and had to run again.

At last Peter found the gate. He slipped under it and was safe in the wood outside.He ran all the way home and lay down on the soft floor of the burrow. He was too tired to speak.That evening his mother gave him a cup of warm camomile tea, while the other three had bread and milk and blackberries.