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The Tale of Peter Rabbit By Beatrix Potter 1902

Beatrix Potter (1866-1943) was an English writer, illustrator, and natural scientist who was best known for her children's books featuring animals. The following fable was written for the five-year-old son of Potter's former governess. The Tale of Peter Rabbit is about a young rabbit and his adventures in Mr. McGregor’s garden. As you read, take notes on Peter’s character traits throughout the story.

[1] Once upon a time there were four little Rabbits, and their names were — Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton- tail, and Peter.

They lived with their Mother in a sand-bank, 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: your Father had an accident there; he was put in a pie by Mrs. McGregor.”

“Now run along, and don’t get into mischief.1 I am going out.”

[5] Then old Mrs. Rabbit took a basket and her umbrella, to the baker’s. She bought a loaf of 2 brown bread and five currant buns. "Untitled" by Beatrix Potter is in the public domain.

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

But Peter, who was very naughty, ran straight away to Mr. McGregor’s garden and squeezed under the gate!

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

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

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

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!”

1. Mischief (noun): playful misbehavior or troublemaking 2. a small dried fruit 1 Peter was most dreadfully frightened; he rushed all over the garden, for he had forgotten the way back to the gate.

He lost one of his shoes among the cabbages, and the other shoe amongst the potatoes.

After losing them, he ran on four legs and went faster, so that I think he might have got away altogether if he had not unfortunately run into a gooseberry3 net, and got caught by the large buttons on his jacket. It was a blue jacket with brass buttons, quite new.

[15] Peter gave himself up for lost, and shed big tears; but his sobs were overheard by some friendly sparrows, who flew to him in great excitement, and implored4 him to exert5 himself.

Mr. McGregor came up with a sieve,6 which he intended to pop upon the top of Peter; but Peter wriggled out just in time, leaving his jacket behind him.

And rushed into the toolshed, and jumped into a can. It would have been a beautiful thing to hide in, if it had not had so much water in it.

Mr. McGregor was quite sure that Peter was somewhere in the toolshed, perhaps hidden underneath a flower-pot. He began to turn them over carefully, looking under each.

Presently Peter sneezed — “Kertyschoo!” Mr. McGregor was after him in no time.

[20] And tried to put his foot upon Peter, who jumped out of a window, upsetting three plants. The window was too small for Mr. McGregor, and he was tired of running after Peter. He went back to his work.

Peter sat down to rest; he was out of breath and trembling7 with fright, and he had not the least idea which way to go. Also he was very damp with sitting in that can.

After a time he began to wander8 about, going lippity — lippity — not very fast, and looking all around.

He found a door in a wall; but it was locked, and there was no room for a fat little rabbit to squeeze underneath.

An old mouse was running in and out over the stone doorstep, carrying peas and beans to her family in the wood. Peter asked her the way to the gate, but she had such a large pea in her mouth that she could not answer. She only shook her head at him. Peter began to cry.

[25] Then he tried to find his way straight across the garden, but he became more and more puzzled. Presently, he came to a pond where Mr. McGregor filled his water-cans. A white cat was staring at some gold-fish; she sat very, very still, but now and then the tip of her tail twitched as if it were alive. Peter thought it best to go away without speaking to her; he had heard about cats from his cousin, little Benjamin Bunny.

3. a yellowish-green berry 4. Implore (verb): to beg someone to do something 5. to try harder 6. a filter or strainer used to drain liquids from solids 7. Tremble (verb): to shake 8. Wander (verb): to walk or move in an aimless way 2 He went back towards the toolshed, but suddenly, quite close to him, he heard the noise of a hoe9 — scr-r-ritch, scratch, scratch, scritch. Peter scuttered10 underneath the bushes. But presently, as nothing happened, he came out, and climbed upon a wheelbarrow, and peeped over. The first thing he saw was Mr. McGregor hoeing onions. His back was turned towards Peter, and beyond him was the gate!

Peter got down very quietly off the wheelbarrow, and started running as fast as he could go, along a straight walk behind some black-currant bushes.

Mr. McGregor caught sight of him at the corner, but Peter did not care. He slipped underneath the gate, and was safe at last in the wood outside the garden.

Mr. McGregor hung up the little jacket and the shoes for a scare-crow to frighten the blackbirds.

[30] Peter never stopped running or looked behind him till he got home to the big fir-tree.

He was so tired that he flopped down upon the nice soft sand on the floor of the rabbit-hole, and shut his eyes. His mother was busy cooking; she wondered what he had done with his clothes. It was the second little jacket and pair of shoes that Peter had lost in a fortnight!11

I am sorry to say that Peter was not very well during the evening.

His mother put him to bed, and made some chamomile12 tea; and she gave a dose13 of it to Peter!

“One table-spoonful to be taken at bed-time.”

[35] But Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail had bread and milk and blackberries, for supper.

THE END

"The Tale of Peter Rabbit" by Beatrix Potter (1902) is in the public domain.

9. a long gardening tool used to break up the dirt 10. to move hurriedly with short steps 11. a period of about two weeks 12. Chamomile is a type of tea that give the drinker a calm, sleepy feeling. 13. Dose (noun): a measured amount (usually used for taking medicine) 3 Text-Dependent Questions

Directions: For the following questions, choose the best answer or respond in complete sentences.

1. PART A: What is the moral of the story? A. It is a good idea to take risks. B. There will be consequences if you break the rules. C. Always play with your brothers and sisters. D. Stealing food is wrong.

2. PART B: Which detail from the story supports the answer to Part A? A. “‘Now run along, and don’t get into mischief. I am going out.’” (Paragraph 4) B. “‘Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail, who were good little bunnies, went down the lane to gather blackberries’” (Paragraph 6) C. “Peter was most dreadfully frightened; he rushed all over the garden, for he had forgotten the way back to the gate.” (Paragraph 12) D. “Mr. McGregor caught sight of him at the corner, but Peter did not care.” (Paragraph 28)

3. Why does Mrs. Rabbit tell her children to stay away from Mr. McGregor’s garden? A. She does not want her children to grow up to be thieves. B. She wants them to stay home when she goes out. C. She is afraid they will be caught and put into a pie like her husband. D. She is afraid they will become sick from eating too much and get caught.

4. How does Peter Rabbit feel after he jumps out of the window in paragraph 20? A. He is excited to escape. B. He feels scared and tired. C. He is mad at Mr. McGregor. D. He feels ready to eat more food.

5. Why is it important to the story that Peter Rabbit goes to Mr. McGregor’s garden?

4 Discussion Questions

Directions: Brainstorm your answers to the following questions in the space provided. Be prepared to share your original ideas in a class discussion.

1. Do you think Peter has grown up and learned his lesson by the end of the story, or do you think he will he wander into trouble again? Why or why not?

2. In this story, Peter Rabbit goes against what his mother tells him to do. When have you broken a rule? What happened when you broke that rule?

3. Peter Rabbit goes into the garden and eats some of the vegetables Mr. McGregor grew. Is it fair for him to eat those vegetables? Do you think Mr. McGregor should be able to keep animals from eating from his garden?

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