Mrs. Peter Rabbit

by Thornton W. Burgess

  And still he hated to give in When there was still so much to see. "Persistence, I was taught, will win, And so I will persist," said he.

  And he did persist day after day, until at last he felt that he reallymust give it up. He had stretched out wearily on a tiny sunning-bank inthe farthest corner of the Old Pasture, and had just about made up hismind that he would go back that very night to the dear Old Briar-patchon the Green Meadows, when a tiny rustle behind him made him jump to hisfeet with his heart in his mouth. But instead of the angry face of theold gray Rabbit he saw--what do you think? Why, two of the softest,gentlest eyes peeping at him from behind a big fern.

  CHAPTER XI

  PETER RABBIT HAS A SUDDEN CHANGE OF MIND

  Whatever you decide to do Make up your mind to see it through. Peter Rabbit.

  Peter Rabbit stared at the two soft, gentle eyes peeping at him frombehind the big fern just back of the sunning-bank in the far corner ofthe Old Pasture. He had so fully expected to see the angry face of thebig, gray, old Rabbit who had made life so miserable for him that for aminute he couldn't believe that he really saw what he did see. And so hejust stared and stared. It was very rude. Of course it was. It was veryrude indeed. It is always rude to stare at any one. So it was no wonderthat after a minute the two soft, gentle eyes disappeared behind oneof the great green leaves of the fern. Peter gave a great sigh. Then heremembered how rude he had been to stare so.

  "I--I beg your pardon," said Peter in his politest manner, which is verypolite indeed, for Peter can be very polite when he wants to be. "I begyour pardon. I didn't mean to frighten you. Please forgive me."

  With the greatest eagerness Peter waited for a reply. You know it wasbecause he had been so lonesome that he had left his home in the dearOld Briar-patch on the Green Meadows. And since he had been in the OldPasture he had been almost as lonesome, for he had had no one to talkto. So now he waited eagerly for a reply. You see, he felt sure thatthe owner of such soft, gentle eyes must have a soft, gentle voice and asoft, gentle heart, and there was nothing in the world that Peter neededjust then so much as sympathy. But though he waited and waited, therewasn't a sound from the big fern.

  "Perhaps you don't know who I am. I'm Peter Rabbit, and I've come uphere from the Green Meadows, and I'd like very much to be your friend,"continued Peter after a while. Still there was no sound. Peter peepedfrom the corner of one eye at the place where he had seen the two soft,gentle eyes, but there was nothing to be seen but the gently waving leafof the big fern. Peter didn't know just what to do. He wanted to hopover to the big fern and peep behind it, but he didn't dare to. He wasafraid that whoever was hiding there would run away.

  "I'm very lonesome; won't you speak to me?" said Peter, in his gentlestvoice, and he sighed a deep, doleful sort of sigh. Still there was noreply. Peter had just about made up his mind that he would go over tothe big fern when he saw those two soft, gentle eyes peeping from undera different leaf. It seemed to Peter that never in all his life had heseen such beautiful eyes. They looked so shy and bashful that Peter heldhis breath for fear that he would frighten them away.

  After a time the eyes disappeared. Then Peter saw a little movementamong the ferns, and he knew that whoever was there was stealing away.He wanted to follow, but something down inside him warned him that Itwas best to sit still. So Peter sat just where he was and kept perfectlystill for the longest time.

  But the eyes didn't appear again, and at last he felt sure that whoeverthey belonged to had really gone away. Then he sighed another greatsigh, for suddenly he felt more lonesome than ever. He hopped overto the big fern and looked behind it. There in the soft earth was afootprint, the footprint of a Rabbit, and it was SMALLER than his own.It seemed to Peter that it was the most wonderful little footprint heever had seen.

  "I believe," said Peter right out loud, "that I'll change my mind. Iwon't go back to the dear Old Briar-patch just yet, after all."

  CHAPTER XII

  PETER LEARNS SOMETHING FEOM TOMMY TIT

  When you find a friend in trouble Pass along a word of cheer. Often it is very helpful Just to feel a friend is near. Peter Rabbit.

  "Hello, Peter Rabbit! What are you doing way up here, and what are youlooking so mournful about?"

  Peter gave a great start of pleased surprise. That was the firstfriendly voice he had heard for days and days.

  "Hello yourself, Tommy Tit!" shouted Peter joyously. "My, my, my, butI am glad to see you! But what are you doing up here in the Old Pastureyourself?"

  Tommy Tit the Chickadee hung head down from the tip of a slender branchof a maple-tree and winked a saucy bright eye at Peter. "I've got asecret up here," he said.

  Now there is nothing in the world Peter Rabbit loves more than a secret.But he cannot keep one to save him. No, Sir, Peter Rabbit can no morekeep a secret than he can fly. He means to. His intentions are the verybest in the world, but--

  Alas! alack! poor Peter's tongue Is very, very loosely hung. And so,because he MUST talk and WILL talk every chance he gets, he cannot keepa secret. People who talk too much never can.

  "What is your secret?" asked Peter eagerly.

  Tommy Tit looked down at Peter, and his sharp little eyes twinkled."It's a nest with six of the dearest little babies in the world in it,"he replied.

  "Oh, how lovely!" cried Peter. "Where is it, Tommy Tit?"

  "In a hollow birch-stub," replied Tommy, his eyes twinkling more thanever.

  "But where is the hollow birch-stub?" persisted Peter.

  Tommy laughed. "That's my real secret," said he, "and if I should tellyou it wouldn't be a secret at all. Now tell me what you are doing uphere in the Old Pasture, Peter Rabbit."

  Peter saw that it was of no use to tease Tommy Tit for his secret, soinstead he poured out all his own troubles. He told how lonesome he hadbeen in the dear Old Briar-patch on the Green Meadows because he didn'tdare to go about for fear of Old Man Coyote, and how at last he haddecided to visit the Old Pasture. He told how Hooty the Owl had nearlycaught him on his way, and then how, ever since his arrival, he had beenhunted by the big, gray, old Rabbit so that he could neither eat norsleep and had become so miserable that at last he had made up his mindto go back to the dear Old Briar-patch.

  "Ho!" interrupted Tommy Tit, "I know him. He's Old Jed Thumper, theoldest, biggest, crossest Rabbit anywhere around. He's lived in the OldPasture so long that he thinks he owns it. It's a wonder that he hasn'tkilled you."

  "I guess perhaps he would have only I can run faster than he can,"replied Peter, looking a little shamefaced because he had to own up thathe ran away instead of fighting.

  Tommy Tit laughed. "That's the very wisest thing you could have done,"said he. "But why don't you go back to the dear Old Briar-patch in theGreen Meadows?"

  Peter hesitated and looked a wee bit foolish. Finally he told TommyTit all about the two soft, gentle eyes he had seen peeping at him frombehind a big fern, and how he wanted to know who the eyes belonged to.

  "If that's all you want to know, I can tell you," said Tommy Tit,jumping out into the air to catch a foolish little bug who tried tofly past. "Those eyes belong to little Miss Fuzzy-tail, and she's thefavorite daughter of Old Jed Thumper. You take my advice, Peter Rabbit,and trot along home to the Old Briar-patch before you get into anymore trouble. There's my wife calling. Yes, my dear, I'm coming!Chickadee-dee-dee!"

  And with a wink and a nod to Peter Rabbit, off flew Tommy Tit.

  CHAPTER XIII

  LITTLE MISS FUZZYTAIL

  Foolish questions waste time, but wise questions lead to knowledge.--Peter Rabbit.

  "Little Miss Fuzzytail!" Peter said it over and over again, as he sat onthe sunning-bank in the far corner of the Old Pasture, where Tommy Titthe Chickadee had left him.

  "It's a pretty name," said Peter. "Yes, Sir, it's a pretty name. It'sthe prettiest name I've ever heard. I wonder if she is just as pretty.I--I--think she must be. Yes, I am quite sure
she must be." Peter wasthinking of the soft, gentle eyes he had seen peeping at him from behindthe big fern, and of the dainty little footprint he had found thereafterward. So he sat on the sunning-bank, dreaming pleasant dreams andwondering if he could find little Miss Fuzzytail if he should go lookfor her.

  Now all the time, although Peter didn't know it, little Miss Fuzzytailwas very close by. She was right back in her old hiding-place behind thebig fern, shyly peeping out at him from under a great leaf, where shewas sure he wouldn't see her. She saw the long tears in Peter's coat,made by the cruel claws of Hooty the Owl, and she saw the places whereher father, Old Jed Thumper, had pulled the hair out with his teeth. Shesaw how thin and miserable Peter looked, and tears of pity filled thesoft, gentle eyes of little Miss Fuzzytail, for, you see, she had a verytender heart.

  "He's got a very nice face," thought Miss Fuzzytail, "and he certainlywas very polite, and I do love good manners. And Peter is such a nicesounding name! It sounds so honest and good and true. Poor fellow! PoorPeter Rabbit!" Here little Miss Fuzzytail wiped her eyes. "He looks somiserable I do wish I could do something for him. I--I--oh, dear, I dobelieve he is coming right over here! I guess I better be going. How helimps!"

  Once more the tears filled her soft, gentle eyes as she stole away,making not the least little sound. When she was sure she was far enoughaway to hurry without attracting Peter's attention, she began to run.

  "I saw him talking to my old friend Tommy Tit the Chickadee, and Ijust know that Tommy will tell me all about him," she thought, as shescampered along certain private little paths of her own.

  Just as she expected, she found Tommy Tit and his anxious little wife,Phoebe, very busy hunting for food for six hungry little babies snuglyhidden in a hollow near the top of the old birch-stub. Tommy was toobusy to talk then, so little Miss Fuzzytail sat down under a friendlybramble-bush to rest and wait, and while she waited, she carefullywashed her face and brushed her coat until it fairly shone. You see, notin all the Old Pasture, or the Green Forest, was there so slim and trimand neat and dainty a Rabbit as little Miss Fuzzytail, and she was very,very particular about her appearance.

  By and by, Tommy Tit stopped to rest. He looked down at Miss Fuzzytailand winked a saucy black eye. Miss Fuzzytail winked back. Then bothlaughed, for they were very good friends, indeed.

  "Tell me, Tommy Tit, all about Peter Rabbit," commanded little MissFuzzytail. And Tommy did.

  CHAPTER XIV

  SOME ONE FOOLS OLD JED THUMPER

  You cannot judge a person's temper by his size. There is more meanness in the head of a Weasel than in the whole of a Bear. --Peter Rabbit.

  Old Jed Thumper sat in his bull-briar castle in the middle of the OldPasture, scowling fiercely and muttering to himself. He was very angry,was Old Jed Thumper. He was so angry that presently he stopped mutteringand began to chew rapidly on nothing at all but his temper, which is away angry Rabbits have.

  The more he chewed his temper, the angrier he grew. He was big and stoutand strong and gray. He had lived so long in the Old Pasture that hefelt that it belonged to him and that no other Rabbit had any rightthere unless he said so. Yet here was a strange Rabbit who had had theimpudence to come up from the Green Meadows and refused to be drivenaway. Such impudence!

  Of course it was Peter Rabbit of whom Old Jed Thumper was thinking. Itwas two days since he had caught a glimpse of Peter, but he knew thatPeter was still in the Old Pasture, for he had found fresh tracks eachday. That very morning he had visited his favorite feeding ground, onlyto find Peter's tracks there. It had made him so angry that he had losthis appetite, and he had gone straight back to his bull-briar castle tothink it over. At last Old Jed Thumper stopped chewing on his temper. Hescowled more fiercely than ever and stamped the ground impatiently.

  "I'll hunt that fellow till I kill him, or drive him so far from theOld Pasture that he'll never think of coming back. I certainly will!" hesaid aloud, and started forth to hunt.

  Now it would have been better for the plans of Old Jed Thumper if he hadkept them to himself instead of speaking aloud. Two dainty little earsheard what he said, and two soft, gentle eyes watched him leave thebull-briar castle. He started straight for the far corner of the OldPasture where, although he didn't know it, Peter Rabbit had found a warmlittle sunning-bank. But he hadn't gone far when, from way off in theopposite direction, he heard a sound that made him stop short and prickup his long ears to listen. There it was again--thump, thump! He wasjust going to thump back an angry reply, when he thought better of it.

  "If do that," thought he, "I'll only warn him, and he'll run away, justas he has before."

  So instead, he turned and hurried in the direction from which the thumpshad come, taking the greatest care to make no noise. Every few jumps hewould stop to listen. Twice more he heard those thumps, and each timenew rage filled his heart, and for a minute or two he chewed his temper.

  "He's down at my blueberry-patch," he muttered.

  At last he reached the blueberry-patch. Very softly he crept to a placewhere he could see and not be seen. No one was there. No, Sir, no onewas there! He waited and watched, and there wasn't a hair of PeterRabbit to be seen. He was just getting ready to go look for Peter'stracks when he heard that thump, thump again. This time it came from hisfavorite clover-patch where he never allowed even his favorite daughter,little Miss Fuzzytail, to go. Anger nearly choked him as he hurried inthat direction. But when he got there, just as before no one was to beseen.

  So, all the morning long, Old Jed Thumper hurried from one place toanother and never once caught sight of Peter Rabbit. Can you guess why?Well, the reason was that all the time Peter was stretched out on hiswarm sunning-bank getting the rest he so much needed. It was some oneelse who was fooling Old Jed Thumper.

  CHAPTER XV

  A PLEASANT SURPRISE FOR PETER

  Sticks will break and sticks will bend, And all things bad will have an end. Peter Rabbit.

  All morning, while someone was fooling Old Jed Thumper, the cross oldRabbit who thought he owned the Old Pasture, Peter Rabbit lay stretchedout on the warm little sunning-bank, dreaming of soft, gentle eyes andbeautiful little footprints. It was a dangerous place to go to sleep,because at any time fierce Mr. Goshawk might have come that way, and ifhe had, and had found Peter Rabbit asleep, why, that would have been theend of Peter and all the stories about him.

  Peter did go to sleep. You see, the sunning-bank was so warm andcomfortable, and he was so tired and had had so little sleep for sucha long time that, in spite of all he could do, he nodded and nodded andfinally slipped off into dreamland.

  Peter slept a long time, for no one came to disturb him. It was pastnoon when he opened his eyes and blinked up at jolly, round, red Mr.Sun. For a minute he couldn't remember where he was. When he did, hesprang to his feet and hastily looked this way and that way.

  "My gracious!" exclaimed Peter. "My gracious, what a careless fellow Iam! It's a wonder that Old Jed Thumper didn't find me asleep. My, butI'm hungry! Seems as if I hadn't had a good square meal for a year."

  Peter stopped suddenly and began to wrinkle his nose. "Um-m!" said he,"if I didn't know better, I should say that there is a patch ofsweet clover close by. Um-m, my, my! Am I really awake, or am I stilldreaming? I certainly do smell sweet clover!"

  Slowly Peter turned his head In the direction from which the delicioussmell seemed to come. Then he whirled around and stared as hard as everhe could, his mouth gaping wide open in surprise. He blinked, rubbed hiseyes, then blinked again. There could be no doubt of it; there on theedge of the sunning-bank was a neat little pile of tender, sweet clover.Yes, Sir, there it was!

  Peter walked all around it, looking for all the world as if he couldn'tbelieve that it was real. Finally he reached out and nibbled a leaf ofit. It WAS real!

  There was no doubt in Peter's mind then. Some one had put it there whilePeter was asleep, and Peter knew that it was meant for him. Who could ith
ave been?

  Suddenly a thought popped into Peter's head. He stopped eating andhopped over to the big fern from behind which he had first seen the twosoft, gentle eyes peeping at him the day before. There in the soft earthwas a fresh footprint, and it looked very, very much like the footprintof dainty little Miss Fuzzytail!

  Peter's heart gave a happy little jump. He felt sure now who had putthe clover there. He looked wistfully about among the ferns, but she wasnowhere to be seen. Finally he hopped back to the pile of clover and ateit, every bit, and it seemed to him that it was the sweetest, tenderestclover he had ever tasted in all his life.

  CHAPTER XVI

  PETER RABBIT'S LOOKING-GLASS

  If people by their looks are judged, As judged they're sure to be, Why each should always look his best, I'm sure you will agree. Peter Rabbit.

  For the first time in his life Peter Rabbit had begun to think about hisclothes. Always he had been such a happy-go-lucky fellow that it neverhad entered his head to care how he looked. He laughed at Sammy Jay forthinking so much of that beautiful blue-and-white coat he wears, and hepoked fun at Reddy Fox for bragging so much about his handsome suit. Asfor himself, Peter didn't care how he looked. If his coat was whole, orin rags and tags, it was all the same to Peter. But now Peter, sittingon the edge of his sunning-bank in the far corner of the Old Pasture,suddenly realized that he wanted to be good-looking. Yes, Sir, he wantedto be good-looking. He wished that he were bigger. He wished that hewere the biggest and strongest Rabbit in the world. He wished that hehad a handsome coat. And it was all because of the soft, gentle eyes oflittle Miss Fuzzytail that he had seen peeping out at him so often. Hefelt sure that it was little Miss Fuzzytail herself who had left thepile of sweet clover close by his sunning-bank the other day while hewas asleep.