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water bottle。〃
〃I will get soft soap； and monkey soap； and all sorts of soap； and soda and scrubbing brushes； and persian powder； and carbolic to remove the smell。 I must have a disinfecting。 Perhaps I may have to burn sulphur。〃
He hurried round the house to get a shovel from the kitchen 〃First I will arrange the holethen I will drag out that person in the blanket。 。 。 。〃
He opened the door。 。 。 。
Tommy Brock was sitting at Mr。 Tod's kitchen table； pouring out tea from Mr。 Tod's teapot into Mr。 Tod's teacup。 He was quite dry himself and grinning； and he threw the cup of scalding tea all over Mr。 Tod。
Then Mr。 Tod rushed upon Tommy Brock； and Tommy Brock grappled with Mr。 Tod amongst
the broken crockery； and there was a terrific battle all over the kitchen。 To the rabbits underneath it sounded as if the floor would give way at each crash of falling furniture。
They crept out of their tunnel； and hung about amongst the rocks and bushes； listening anxiously。
Inside the house the racket was fearful。 The rabbit babies in the oven woke up trembling； perhaps it was fortunate they were shut up inside。
Everything was upset except the kitchen table。
And everything was broken； except the mantelpiece and the kitchen fender。 The crockery was smashed to atoms。
The chairs were broken； and the window； and the clock fell with a crash； and there were handfuls of Mr。 Tod's sandy whiskers。
The vases fell off the mantelpiece； the cannisters fell off the shelf； the kettle fell off the hob。 Tommy Brock put his foot in a jar of raspberry jam。
And the boiling water out of the kettle fell upon the tail of Mr。 Tod。
When the kettle fell； Tommy Brock； who was still grinning； happened to be uppermost； and he rolled Mr。 Tod over and over like a log； out at the door。
Then the snarling and worrying went on outside； and they rolled over the bank； and down hill； bumping over the rocks。 There will never be any love lost between Tommy Brock and Mr。 Tod。
As soon as the coast was clear； Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny came out of the bushes。
〃Now for it！ Run in； Cousin Benjamin！ Run in and get them！ while I watch the door。〃
But Benjamin was frightened
〃Oh； oh！ they are coming back！〃
〃No they are not。〃
〃Yes they are！〃
〃What dreadful bad language！ I think they have fallen down the stone quarry。〃
Still Benjamin hesitated； and Peter kept pushing him
〃Be quick； it's all right。 Shut the oven door； Cousin Benjamin； so that he won't miss them。〃
Decidedly there were lively doings in Mr。 Tod's kitchen！
At home in the rabbit hole； things had not been quite comfortable。
After quarreling at supper； Flopsy and old Mr。 Bouncer had passed a sleepless night； and quarrelled again at breakfast。 Old Mr。 Bouncer could no longer deny that he had invited company into the rabbit hole； but he refused to reply to the questions and reproaches of Flopsy。 The day passed heavily。
Old Mr。 Bouncer； very sulky； was huddled up in a corner； barricaded with a chair。 Flopsy had taken
away his pipe and hidden the tobacco。 She had been having a complete turn out and spring cleaning； to relieve her feelings。 She had just finished。 Old Mr。 Bouncer； behind his chair； was wondering anxiously what she would do next。
In Mr。 Tod's kitchen； amidst the wreckage； Benjamin Bunny picked his way to the oven nervously； through a thick cloud of dust。 He opened the oven door； felt inside； and found something warm and wriggling。 He lifted it out carefully； and rejoined Peter Rabbit。
〃I've got them！ Can we get away？ Shall we hide； Cousin Peter？〃
Peter pricked his ears； distant sounds of fighting still echoed in the wood。
Five minutes afterwards two breathless rabbits came scuttering away down Bull Banks； half carrying； half dragging a sack between them； bumpetty bump over the grass。 They reached home safely； and burst into the rabbit hole。
Great was old Mr。 Bouncer's relief and Flopsy's joy when Peter and Benjamin arrived in triumph with
the young family。 The rabbit babies were rather tumbled and very hungry； they were fed and put to bed。 They soon recovered。
A new long pipe and a fresh supply of rabbit tobacco was presented to Mr。 Bouncer。 He was rather upon his dignity； but he accepted。
Old Mr。 Bouncer was forgiven； and they all had dinner。 Then Peter and Benjamin told their storybut they had not waited long enough to be able to tell the end of the battle between Tommy Brock and Mr。 Tod。
THE TALE OF PIGLING BLAND
＇For Cicily and Charlie； a Tale of the Christmas Pig＇
Once upon a time there was an old pig called Aunt Pettitoes。 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 appetites〃Yus； yus； yus！ they eat and indeed they DO eat！〃 said Aunt Pettitoes； looking at her family with pride。 Suddenly there were fearful squeals； Alexander had squeezed inside the hoops of the pig trough and stuck。
Aunt Pettitoes and I dragged him out by the hind legs。
Chin…chin was already in disgrace； it was washing 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 Pettitoes。 Now all the pig family are pink； or pink with black spots； but this pig child was smutty 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 Pettitoes； Aunt Pettitoes！ 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 Pettitoes。 〃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 Pettitoes； 〃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 Pettitoes 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 passed the handkerchief to Spot。 Aunt Pettitoes 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 Pettitoes passed 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 Pettitoes 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 Pettitoes〃Observe signposts 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 licenses permitting two pigs to go to market in Lancashire。 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 Pettitoes gave to each a little bundle； and eight conversation peppermints with appropriate
moral sentiments in screws of paper。 Then they started。
Pigling Bland and Alexander trotted along steadily for a mile； at least Pigling Bland did。 Alexander made the road half as long again by skipping from side to side。 He danced about and pinched his brother； singing
〃This pig went to market； this pig stayed at home； 〃This pig had a bit of meat
let's see what they have given US for dinner； Pigling？〃
Pigling Bland and Alexander sat down and untied their bundles。 Alexander gobbled up his dinner in no time； he had already eaten all his own peppermints〃Give me one of yours； please； Pigling？〃 〃But I wish to preserve them for emergencies；〃 said Pigling Bland doubtfully。 Alexander went into squeals of laughter。 Then he pricked Pigling with the pin that had fastened his pig paper； and when Pigling slapped him he dropped the pin； and tried to take Pigling's pin； and the papers got mixed up。 Pigling Bland reproved Alexander。
But presently they made it up again； and trotted away together； singing
〃Tom； Tom the piper's son； stole a pig and away he ran！ 〃But all the tune that he could play； was ‘Over