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🟡 Adventures of Peter Cottontail (Full Audiobook) | Thornton W. Burgess · Historical Adventure Audiobooks

• 0:01
  Speaker 1: CHAPTER I. Peter Rabbit decides to change his name. Peter Rabbit!
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: Peter Rabbit! I don't see what Mother Nature ever gave
• 0:39
  Speaker 1: me such a common-sounding name as that for. People laugh
• 0:43
  Speaker 1: at me, but if I had a fine-sounding name, they
• 0:47
  Speaker 1: wouldn't laugh. Some folks say that a name doesn't amount
• 0:51
  Speaker 1: to anything, but it does! if i should do some
• 0:56
  Speaker 1: wonderful thing nobody would think anything of it no sir
• 1:00
  Speaker 1: nobody would think anything of it at all just because
• 1:04
  Speaker 1: why just because it was done by peter rabbit peter
• 1:08
  Speaker 1: was talking out loud but he was talking to himself
• 1:12
  Speaker 1: he sat in the dear old briar-patch with an ugly
• 1:15
  Speaker 1: scowl on his usually happy face the sun was shining
• 1:21
  Speaker 1: the merry little breezes of old mother west wind were
• 1:24
  Speaker 1: dancing over the green meadows the birds were singing and
• 1:28
  Speaker 1: happiness the glad joyous happiness of springtime was everywhere but
• 1:35
  Speaker 1: in peter rabbit's heart there there seemed to be no
• 1:40
  Speaker 1: room for anything but discontent and such foolish discontent discontent
• 1:46
  Speaker 1: with his name And yet, do you know, there are
• 1:50
  Speaker 1: lots of people just as foolish as Peter Rabbit. Well,
• 1:55
  Speaker 1: what are you going to do about it? The voice
• 1:58
  Speaker 1: made Peter Rabbit jump and turn around hastily. There was
• 2:03
  Speaker 1: Jimmy Skunk, poking his head in at the opening of
• 2:07
  Speaker 1: one of Peter's private little paths. He was grinning, and
• 2:11
  Speaker 1: Peter knew by that grin that Jimmy had heard what
• 2:14
  Speaker 1: he had said. Peter didn't know what to say. He
• 2:18
  Speaker 1: hung his head in a very shame-faced way. You got
• 2:23
  Speaker 1: something to learn, said Jimmy Skunk. What is it? asked Peter.
• 2:30
  Speaker 1: It's just this, replied Jimmy. There's nothing in a name
• 2:35
  Speaker 1: except just what we choose to make it. It lies
• 2:38
  Speaker 1: with us and no one else how other folks shall
• 2:41
  Speaker 1: take it. It's what we do and what we say
• 2:45
  Speaker 1: and how we live each passing day that makes it
• 2:48
  Speaker 1: big or makes it small or even worse than none
• 2:51
  Speaker 1: at all. A name just stands for what we are.
• 2:54
  Speaker 1: It's what we choose to make it. And that's the
• 2:56
  Speaker 1: way and only way that other folks will take it.
• 3:01
  Speaker 1: Peter Rabbit made a face at Jimmy Skunk. I don't
• 3:06
  Speaker 1: like being preached to. I'm not preaching. I'm just telling
• 3:11
  Speaker 1: you what you ought to know without being told, replied
• 3:14
  Speaker 1: Jimmy Skunk. If you don't like your name, why don't
• 3:18
  Speaker 1: you change it? What's that? cried Peter sharply. If you
• 3:23
  Speaker 1: don't like your name, why don't you change it? repeated Jimmy.
• 3:30
  Speaker 1: Peter sat up, and the disagreeable frown had left his face. I.
• 3:35
  Speaker 2: I.
• 3:38
  Speaker 1: I hadn't thought of that, he said slowly. Do you
• 3:43
  Speaker 1: suppose I could, Jimmy Skunk? Easiest thing in the world,
• 3:49
  Speaker 1: replied Jimmy Skunk. Just decide what name you'd like, and
• 3:53
  Speaker 1: then ask all your friends to call you by it.
• 3:56
  Speaker 1: I believe I will, cried Peter Rabbit. Well, let me
• 4:00
  Speaker 1: know what it is when you have decided, said Jimmy
• 4:03
  Speaker 1: as he started for home. And all the way up
• 4:06
  Speaker 1: the crooked little path, Jimmy chuckled to himself as he
• 4:10
  Speaker 1: thought of foolish Peter Rabbit trying to change his name.
• 4:16
  Speaker 1: End of chapter one. Chapter two of The Adventures of
• 4:26
  Speaker 1: Peter Cottontail. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings
• 4:32
  Speaker 1: are in the public domain. For more information, or to volunteer,
• 4:36
  Speaker 1: please visit LibriVox.org. This has been read by Roslyn Curlile.
• 4:43
  Speaker 1: The Adventures of Peter Cottontail by Thornton W. Burgess Chapter
• 4:48
  Speaker 1: 2 Peter Finds a Name Peter Rabbit had quite lost
• 4:55
  Speaker 1: his appetite. When Peter forgets to eat, you may make
• 4:59
  Speaker 1: up your mind that Peter has something very important to
• 5:02
  Speaker 1: think about. at least he has something on his mind
• 5:05
  Speaker 1: that he thinks is important the fact is peter had
• 5:10
  Speaker 1: fully made up his mind to change his name he
• 5:13
  Speaker 1: thought peter rabbit too common a name but when he
• 5:17
  Speaker 1: tried to think of a better one he found that
• 5:19
  Speaker 1: no name that he could think of really pleased him
• 5:22
  Speaker 1: any more so he thought and he thought and he
• 5:25
  Speaker 1: thought and he thought and the more he thought the
• 5:29
  Speaker 1: less appetite he had now jimmy skunk was the only
• 5:34
  Speaker 1: one to whom peter had told how discontented he was
• 5:37
  Speaker 1: with his name and it was jimmy who had suggested
• 5:40
  Speaker 1: to peter that he change it jimmy thought it a
• 5:43
  Speaker 1: great joke and he straightway passed the word along among
• 5:48
  Speaker 1: all the little meadow and forest people that peter rabbit
• 5:52
  Speaker 1: was going to change his name Everybody laughed and chuckled
• 5:56
  Speaker 1: over the thought of Peter Rabbit's foolishness, and they planned
• 6:00
  Speaker 1: to have a great deal of fun with Peter as
• 6:02
  Speaker 1: soon as he should tell them his new name. Peter
• 6:06
  Speaker 1: was sitting on the edge of the old briar-patch one morning,
• 6:10
  Speaker 1: when old Mr. Buzzard passed flying low.' G' morning, Brer Cottontail,'
• 6:17
  Speaker 1: said old Mr. Buzzard, with a twinkle in his eye.
• 6:21
  Speaker 1: At first Peter didn't understand that old Miss Dabuzzard was
• 6:24
  Speaker 1: speaking to him, and by the time he did it
• 6:27
  Speaker 1: was too late to reply, for old Miss Dabuzzard was way, way, way, way,
• 6:32
  Speaker 1: way up in the blue, blue sky.' Cottontail!'' Cottontail!' said Peter,
• 6:40
  Speaker 1: over and over to himself, and began to smile. Every
• 6:43
  Speaker 1: time he said it, he liked it better.' Cottontail!' Peter Cottontail.
• 6:51
  Speaker 1: How much better sounding that is than Peter Rabbit. That
• 6:56
  Speaker 1: sounds as if I really was somebody. Oh, yes, sir.
• 7:00
  Speaker 1: That's the very name I want. Now I must send
• 7:03
  Speaker 1: word to all my friends that hereafter I am no
• 7:07
  Speaker 1: longer Peter Rabbit, but Peter Cottontail. Peter kicked up his
• 7:13
  Speaker 1: heels in just the funny way he always does when
• 7:16
  Speaker 1: he is pleased. Suddenly he remembered that such a fine, long,
• 7:21
  Speaker 1: high-sounding name as Peter Cottontail demanded dignity. So he stopped
• 7:26
  Speaker 1: kicking up his heels and began to practice putting on airs.
• 7:31
  Speaker 1: But first he called to the merry little breezes and
• 7:34
  Speaker 1: told them about his change of name, and asked them
• 7:37
  Speaker 1: to tell all his friends that in the future he
• 7:40
  Speaker 1: would not answer to the name of Peter Rabbit. but
• 7:43
  Speaker 1: only to the name of Peter Cottontail. He was very
• 7:47
  Speaker 1: grave and earnest and important, as he explained it to
• 7:51
  Speaker 1: the merry little breezes. The merry little breezes kept their
• 7:55
  Speaker 1: faces straight while he was talking, but as soon as
• 8:00
  Speaker 1: they had left him to carry his message, they burst
• 8:03
  Speaker 1: out laughing. It was such a joke. And they giggled
• 8:08
  Speaker 1: as they delivered this message to each of the little
• 8:10
  Speaker 1: forest and meadow people. Peter Rabbit's changed his name in
• 8:15
  Speaker 1: the future without fail. You must call him, if you please, Mr.
• 8:21
  Speaker 1: Peter Cottontail. While they were doing this, Peter was back
• 8:27
  Speaker 1: in the old briar patch, practising new airs and trying
• 8:31
  Speaker 1: to look very high and mighty and important, as became
• 8:35
  Speaker 1: one with such a fine-sounding name as Peter Cottontail. End
• 8:42
  Speaker 1: of chapter 2 Chapter 3 of The Adventures of Peter
• 8:51
  Speaker 1: Cottontail This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are
• 8:56
  Speaker 1: in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
• 8:59
  Speaker 1: please visit LibriVox.org. This has been read by Rosalind Carlyle.
• 9:06
  Speaker 1: The Adventures of Peter Cottontail by Thornton W. Burgess Chapter 3.
• 9:13
  Speaker 1: There's nothing like the old name after all. Bobby Coon
• 9:19
  Speaker 1: and Jimmy Skunk had their heads together. Now, when these
• 9:23
  Speaker 1: two put their heads together, you may make up your
• 9:25
  Speaker 1: mind that they are planning mischief. Yes, sir, there is
• 9:29
  Speaker 1: sure to be mischief afoot when Bobby Coon and Jimmy
• 9:33
  Speaker 1: Skunk put their heads together as they were doing now.
• 9:37
  Speaker 1: had peter rabbit seen them he might not have felt
• 9:41
  Speaker 1: so easy in his mind as he did but peter
• 9:44
  Speaker 1: didn't see them he was too much taken up with
• 9:48
  Speaker 1: trying to look as important as his new name sounded
• 9:52
  Speaker 1: he was putting on airs and holding his head very
• 9:55
  Speaker 1: high as he went down to the smiling pool to
• 9:58
  Speaker 1: call on jerry muskrat Whenever anyone called him by his
• 10:02
  Speaker 1: old name, Peter pretended not to hear. He pretended that
• 10:07
  Speaker 1: he had never heard that name and didn't know that
• 10:10
  Speaker 1: he was being spoken to. Bobby Coon and Jimmy Skunk
• 10:14
  Speaker 1: thought it a great joke and they made up their
• 10:17
  Speaker 1: minds that they would have some fun. Peter, and perhaps
• 10:22
  Speaker 1: make him see how very foolish he was. Yes, sir,
• 10:26
  Speaker 1: they planned to teach Peter a lesson. Bobby Coon hurried
• 10:31
  Speaker 1: away to find Ready Fox, and tell him that Peter
• 10:34
  Speaker 1: had gone down to the Smiling Pool, and that if
• 10:37
  Speaker 1: he had beside the path, he might catch Peter on
• 10:40
  Speaker 1: the way back. Jimmy Skunk hunted up Blackie the Crow
• 10:45
  Speaker 1: and Sammy J and told them of his plan and
• 10:49
  Speaker 1: what he wanted them to do to help. Of course,
• 10:53
  Speaker 1: they promised that they would. Then he went to old
• 10:56
  Speaker 1: Mr Buzzard and old him. Old Mr Buzzard grinned and
• 11:01
  Speaker 1: promised that he would do his share. Then Bobby Coon
• 11:05
  Speaker 1: and Jimmy Skunk hid where they could see all that
• 11:08
  Speaker 1: would happen. Peter had reached the smiling pool, and now
• 11:13
  Speaker 1: sat on the bank admiring his own reflection in the
• 11:15
  Speaker 1: water and talking to Jerry Muskrat. He had just told
• 11:20
  Speaker 1: Jerry that when his old name was called out he
• 11:22
  Speaker 1: didn't hear it any more, when along came Blackie the crow.
• 11:26
  Speaker 3: Hello, Peter Rabbit. You're just the fellow I'm looking for.
• 11:32
  Speaker 3: I've a very important message for you,' shouted Blackie. Peter
• 11:37
  Speaker 3: kept right on talking with Jerry Muskrat, just as if
• 11:41
  Speaker 3: he didn't hear. Although he was burning with curiosity to
• 11:46
  Speaker 3: know what the message was.
• 11:48
  Speaker 1: I say, Rack, Peter Rabbit, are you deaf? shouted Blackie
• 11:53
  Speaker 1: the Crow. Jerry Muskrat looked up at Blackie and winked. Oh,
• 11:58
  Speaker 1: Peter Rabbit isn't here, said he. This is Peter Cottontail. Oh,
• 12:05
  Speaker 1: said Blackie.
• 12:06
  Speaker 3: My message is for Peter Rabbit, and it's something he
• 12:10
  Speaker 3: really ought to know. I'm sorry he isn't here. And
• 12:15
  Speaker 3: with that, away flew Blackie the Crow, chuckling to himself.
• 12:21
  Speaker 3: Peter looked quite as uncomfortable as he felt, but of
• 12:24
  Speaker 3: course he couldn't say a word after boasting that he
• 12:28
  Speaker 3: didn't hear people who called him Peter Rabbit. Pretty soon,
• 12:32
  Speaker 3: along came Sammy J., Sammy seemed very much excited.' Oh,
• 12:39
  Speaker 3: Peter Rabbit, I'm so glad I've found you,' he cried.'
• 12:42
  Speaker 3: I' ve some very important news for you.' Peter had all
• 12:47
  Speaker 3: he could do to sit still and pretend not to hear,
• 12:51
  Speaker 3: but he did.' Oh, this is Peter Cottontail,' said Jerry Muskrat,
• 12:56
  Speaker 3: winking at Sammy J.' Ah,' replied Sammy, 'my news is
• 13:00
  Speaker 3: for Peter Rabbit.' And off he flew, chuckling to himself.
• 13:05
  Speaker 3: Peter looked and felt more uncomfortable than ever. He bade
• 13:10
  Speaker 3: Jerry Muskrat goodbye and started for the dear old briar
• 13:13
  Speaker 3: patch to think things over. When he was halfway there,
• 13:17
  Speaker 3: old Mr Buzzard came sailing down out of the sky.'
• 13:20
  Speaker 3: Brare cottontail,' said he.' If you see anything of brare rabbit,
• 13:26
  Speaker 3: you tell him that brare fox I'm hiding behind that
• 13:29
  Speaker 3: big bunch of grass just ahead.' Peter stopped short, and
• 13:33
  Speaker 3: his heart gave a great leap. There, behind the clump
• 13:37
  Speaker 3: of grass, was something red, sure enough. Peter did not
• 13:41
  Speaker 3: wait to see more. He started for a hiding place
• 13:44
  Speaker 3: he knew of in the green forest as fast as
• 13:46
  Speaker 3: he could go, and behind him raced Reddy Fox. As
• 13:51
  Speaker 3: he ran, he heard Blackie the Crow and Sammy J laughing,
• 13:55
  Speaker 3: and then he knew that this was the news that
• 14:00
  Speaker 3: they had had for him.
• 14:02
  Speaker 1: I— I guess that Peter— Peter Rupp is a good enough name
• 14:07
  Speaker 1: after all,' he panted. End of chapter 3 Chapter 4
• 14:19
  Speaker 1: of The Adventures of Peter Cottontail This is a LibriVox recording.
• 14:26
  Speaker 1: All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information,
• 14:30
  Speaker 1: or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. This has been read
• 14:36
  Speaker 1: by Roslyn Curlile. The Adventures of Peter Cottontail by Thornton W.
• 14:43
  Speaker 1: Burgess Chapter 4 Peter Rabbit Fools Jimmy Skunk Peter Rabbit
• 14:52
  Speaker 1: came hopping and skipping down the crooked little path. Uncabelly
• 14:57
  Speaker 1: Possum always calls him Brer Rabbit, but everybody else calls
• 15:01
  Speaker 1: him Peter. Peter was feeling very fine that morning, very
• 15:07
  Speaker 1: fine indeed. Every few minutes he jumped up in the
• 15:11
  Speaker 1: air and kicked his heels together just for fun. Presently
• 15:16
  Speaker 1: he met Jimmy Skunk. Jimmy was on his way back
• 15:20
  Speaker 1: from Farmer Brown's Cornfield and where he had been helping
• 15:24
  Speaker 1: Blacky the Crow get free from a snare. Jimmy was
• 15:29
  Speaker 1: still tickling and laughing over the way Blacky the Crow
• 15:32
  Speaker 1: had been caught. He had to tell Peter Rabbit all
• 15:36
  Speaker 1: about it. Peter thought it just as good a joke
• 15:40
  Speaker 1: as did Jimmy. And the two trotted along side by side,
• 15:44
  Speaker 1: planning how they would spread the news all over the
• 15:47
  Speaker 1: Green Meadows that Blackie the Crow, who thinks himself so smart,
• 15:52
  Speaker 1: had been caught. That reminds me, said Jimmy Skunk suddenly,
• 15:57
  Speaker 1: I haven't had my breakfast yet. Have you seen any
• 16:02
  Speaker 1: beetles this morning, Peter Rabbit? Peter Rabbit stopped and scratched
• 16:07
  Speaker 1: his long left ear with his long left hind foot.
• 16:11
  Speaker 1: Now you speak of it, it seems to me that
• 16:14
  Speaker 1: I did, said Peter Rabbit. Where? asked Jimmy Skunk eagerly.
• 16:20
  Speaker 1: Peter pretended to think very hard. It seems to me
• 16:24
  Speaker 1: that it was back at the top of the crooked
• 16:26
  Speaker 1: little path up the hill, said Peter. I think I
• 16:30
  Speaker 1: will go and look for them at once, replied Jimmy.
• 16:34
  Speaker 1: All right, replied Peter. I'll show you the way. So
• 16:40
  Speaker 1: up the crooked little path hopped Peter Rabbit, and right
• 16:44
  Speaker 1: behind him trotted Jimmy Skunk. By and by they came
• 16:48
  Speaker 1: to an old pine stump. Peter Rabbit stopped. He put
• 16:52
  Speaker 1: one hand on his lips. Hush, whispered Peter. I think
• 16:59
  Speaker 1: there is a whole family of beetles on the other
• 17:02
  Speaker 1: side of this stump. You creep around the other side,
• 17:06
  Speaker 1: and I'll creep around this side. When I thump the ground...
• 17:10
  Speaker 1: You spring right around and grab them before they can
• 17:12
  Speaker 1: run away. So Jimmy Skunk crept around one side of
• 17:17
  Speaker 1: the stump, and Peter Rabbit crept around the other side.
• 17:21
  Speaker 1: Suddenly Peter thumped the ground hard twice.
• 17:25
  Speaker 4: Thump, thump!
• 17:27
  Speaker 1: Jimmy Skunk was waiting and all ready to spring when
• 17:30
  Speaker 1: he heard those thumps. He just sprang up as quickly
• 17:34
  Speaker 1: as he could. What do you think happened? Why, Jimmy
• 17:39
  Speaker 1: Skunk landed Thump right on Ready Fox, who was taking
• 17:44
  Speaker 1: a sun nap on the other side of the pine stump.
• 17:48
  Speaker 1: Ha ha ha ha ha, shouted Peter Rabbit, and started
• 17:53
  Speaker 1: down the crooked little path as fast as his long
• 17:56
  Speaker 1: legs could take him. End of chapter four CHAPTER V.
• 18:07
  Speaker 1: READY FOX GETS INTO TROUBLE Reddy Fox, curled up behind
• 18:37
  Speaker 1: the big pine stump, was dreaming of a coop full
• 18:41
  Speaker 1: of chickens where there was no Bowser the Hound to
• 18:44
  Speaker 1: watch over them. Suddenly, something landed on him with a
• 18:49
  Speaker 1: thump that knocked all of his breath out. For an instant,
• 18:53
  Speaker 1: it frightened Reddy so that he just shook and shook.
• 18:58
  Speaker 1: Then he got his senses together and discovered that it
• 19:01
  Speaker 1: was Jimmy Skunk who had jumped on him. Jimmy was
• 19:05
  Speaker 1: very polite. He begged Reddy's pardon, he protested that it
• 19:10
  Speaker 1: was all a mistake, he explained how Peter Rabbit had
• 19:12
  Speaker 1: played a trick on the both of them, and how
• 19:15
  Speaker 1: he himself was just looking for beetles for breakfast. Now,
• 19:19
  Speaker 1: Reddy Fox is very quick-tempered, and as soon as he
• 19:22
  Speaker 1: realised that he had been made the victim of a joke,
• 19:25
  Speaker 1: he lost his temper completely. He glared at Jimmy Skunk,
• 19:31
  Speaker 1: he was so angry that he stuttered you you you
• 19:40
  Speaker 1: did that on purpose said reddy fox no such thing
• 19:46
  Speaker 1: declared jimmy skunk i tell you it was a joke
• 19:50
  Speaker 1: on the part of peter rabbit and if you don't
• 19:52
  Speaker 1: believe me just look down there on the green meadows
• 19:57
  Speaker 1: reddy fox looked There sat Peter, his hands on his hips,
• 20:02
  Speaker 1: his long ears pointed straight up to the blue sky
• 20:05
  Speaker 1: and his mouth wide open as he laughed at the
• 20:09
  Speaker 1: results of his joke. Reddy shook his fist. Ha ha
• 20:15
  Speaker 1: ha ha ha, shouted Peter Rabbit. Reddy Fox looked hard
• 20:21
  Speaker 1: at Jimmy Skunk. but like all the other little meadow
• 20:25
  Speaker 1: and forest people he has a very great respect for
• 20:29
  Speaker 1: jimmy skunk and though he would have liked to quarrel
• 20:32
  Speaker 1: with jimmy he thought it wisest not to instead he
• 20:37
  Speaker 1: started after peter rabbit as fast as his legs would
• 20:40
  Speaker 1: go now reddy fox can run very fast and when
• 20:45
  Speaker 1: peter saw him coming Well, Peter knew that he would
• 20:49
  Speaker 1: have to use his own long legs to the very
• 20:52
  Speaker 1: best of his ability. Away they went across the green meadows.
• 20:56
  Speaker 1: Jimmy Skunk, sitting on top of the hill, could see
• 20:59
  Speaker 1: the white patch on the seat of Peter Rabbit's trousers
• 21:02
  Speaker 1: bobbing this way and that way, and right behind him
• 21:06
  Speaker 1: was Ready Fox. Now, Peter Rabbit could run fast enough
• 21:11
  Speaker 1: to keep away from Ready for a while, You remember
• 21:15
  Speaker 1: that Peter's eyes are so placed that he can see
• 21:17
  Speaker 1: behind him without turning his head? So he knew when
• 21:21
  Speaker 1: Reddy was getting too near. In and out among the
• 21:26
  Speaker 1: bushes along the edge of the green meadows they dodged.
• 21:30
  Speaker 1: And the more he had to run, the angrier Reddy
• 21:33
  Speaker 1: folks grew. He paid no attention to where they were going.
• 21:38
  Speaker 1: His whole thought was of catching Peter Rabbit. Now When
• 21:45
  Speaker 1: Peter began to grow tired, he began to work over
• 21:48
  Speaker 1: towards Farmer Brown's cornfield, where he knew that Farmer Brown's
• 21:52
  Speaker 1: boy was hiding, with Pouser the Hound. Dodging this way
• 21:57
  Speaker 1: and that way, Peter worked over to the fence corner,
• 22:00
  Speaker 1: where Jimmy Skunk had watched Blackie the Crow get caught
• 22:03
  Speaker 1: in a snare. He let Reddy almost catch him, then
• 22:08
  Speaker 1: he dodged out into the open cornfield, and Reddy, of course,
• 22:13
  Speaker 1: followed him. Bow! Wow!
• 22:16
  Speaker 5: Bow wow wow!
• 22:17
  Speaker 1: Reddy did not need to turn to know what had happened.
• 22:22
  Speaker 1: Bowser the Hound had seen him and was after him.
• 22:25
  Speaker 1: Peter just ducked behind a big bunch of grass and
• 22:29
  Speaker 1: sat down to get his breath, while Reddy started off
• 22:32
  Speaker 1: as hard as he could go, with Bowser the Hound
• 22:35
  Speaker 1: behind him. End of chapter 5 CHAPTER VI. READY FOOLS
• 22:47
  Speaker 1: BOWSER THE HOUND Away across the green meadows and up
• 23:18
  Speaker 1: the hill through the green forest raced Reddy Fox at
• 23:21
  Speaker 1: the top of his speed. Behind him, nose to the ground,
• 23:25
  Speaker 1: came Bowser the Hound, baying at the top of his lungs.
• 23:30
  Speaker 1: Reddy ran along an old stone wall and jumped as
• 23:33
  Speaker 1: far out into the field as he could. I guess
• 23:38
  Speaker 1: that will fool him for a while, panted Reddy as
• 23:43
  Speaker 1: he sat down to get his breath. When Bowser came
• 23:46
  Speaker 1: to the place where Reddy had jumped on the stone wall,
• 23:49
  Speaker 1: he just grinned. That's too old a trick to fool
• 23:54
  Speaker 1: me one minute, said Bowser to himself, and he just
• 23:59
  Speaker 1: made a big circle, so that in a few minutes
• 24:02
  Speaker 1: he had found Reddy's tracks again. Every trick that Reddy
• 24:07
  Speaker 1: had heard old Granny Fox tell about he tried, in
• 24:11
  Speaker 1: order to fool Bowser the Hound. But it was of
• 24:14
  Speaker 1: no use at all. Bowser seemed to know exactly what
• 24:19
  Speaker 1: Reddy was doing, and wasted no time. Reddy was beginning
• 24:24
  Speaker 1: to get worried. He was getting dreadfully out of breath.
• 24:29
  Speaker 1: His legs ached. His big, plumy tail, of which he
• 24:33
  Speaker 1: is very, very proud, had become dreadfully heavy. Granny Fox
• 24:39
  Speaker 1: had warned him never, never to run into the snug
• 24:43
  Speaker 1: house they had dug unless he was obliged to, to
• 24:48
  Speaker 1: save his life, for that would tell Bowser the Hound
• 24:51
  Speaker 1: where they lived, and then they would have to move.
• 24:56
  Speaker 1: How Reddy did wish that wise old Granny Fox would
• 24:59
  Speaker 1: come to his relief. He was running along the back
• 25:02
  Speaker 1: of Farmer Brown's pasture, and he could hear Bowser the
• 25:06
  Speaker 1: Hound altogether too near for comfort. He looked this way
• 25:10
  Speaker 1: and he looked that way for a chance to escape.
• 25:14
  Speaker 1: Just ahead of him he saw a lot of woolly friends.
• 25:17
  Speaker 1: They were Farmer Brown's sheep. Reddy had a bright idea.
• 25:22
  Speaker 1: Like a flash, he sprang on the back of one
• 25:26
  Speaker 1: of the sheep. It frightened the sheep as badly as
• 25:29
  Speaker 1: Reddy had been frightened when Jimmy Skunk had landed on
• 25:32
  Speaker 1: him that morning. Baa! Baa!
• 25:36
  Speaker 3: Baa!
• 25:37
  Speaker 1: Cried the sheep and started to run. Reddy hung on tightly,
• 25:41
  Speaker 1: and away they raced across the pasture. Now, Bowser the
• 25:46
  Speaker 1: Hound trusts wholly to his nose to follow Reddy Fox
• 25:49
  Speaker 1: or Peter Rabbit or his master, Farmer Brown's boy. So
• 25:54
  Speaker 1: he did not see Reddy jump on the back of
• 25:57
  Speaker 1: the sheep. And, of course, when he reached the place
• 26:01
  Speaker 1: where Reddy had found his strange horse, he was puzzled.
• 26:05
  Speaker 1: Round and around and around and around Bowser worked in
• 26:09
  Speaker 1: a circle, but no trace of Reddy could he find,
• 26:13
  Speaker 1: and all the time Reddy sat behind the stone wall
• 26:17
  Speaker 1: on the far side of the pasture, getting his wind
• 26:20
  Speaker 1: and laughing and laughing at the smart way in which
• 26:24
  Speaker 1: he had fooled Bowser the Hound. End of chapter 6
• 26:37
  Speaker 1: CHAPTER VII. READY INVITE PETER RABBIT TO TAKE A WALK.
• 27:07
  Speaker 1: Old Granny Fox was not feeling well. For three days,
• 27:12
  Speaker 1: she had been unable to go out hunting. And for
• 27:16
  Speaker 1: three days, Reddy Fox had tried to find something to
• 27:20
  Speaker 1: tempt Granny's appetite. He had brought in a tender young
• 27:24
  Speaker 1: chicken from Farmer Brown's Hen Yard, and he had stolen
• 27:28
  Speaker 1: a plump trout from Billy Mink's storehouse. But Granny had
• 27:32
  Speaker 1: just turned up her nose. What I need, said Granny Fox,
• 27:39
  Speaker 1: is a tender young rabbit. Now, Reddy Fox is very
• 27:44
  Speaker 1: fond of Granny Fox. And when she said that she
• 27:47
  Speaker 1: needed a tender young rabbit, Reddy made up his mind
• 27:51
  Speaker 1: that he would get it for her. Though how he
• 27:54
  Speaker 1: was going to do it, he didn't know. Dozens of
• 27:57
  Speaker 1: times he had tried to catch Peter Rabbit, and every
• 28:02
  Speaker 1: time Peter's long legs had taken him to a place
• 28:05
  Speaker 1: of safety. I'll just have to fool Peter Rabbit, said
• 28:10
  Speaker 1: Reddy Fox as he sat on his doorsteps and looked
• 28:14
  Speaker 1: over the green meadows. Reddy Fox is very sly. He
• 28:19
  Speaker 1: is so sly that it is hard work to be
• 28:23
  Speaker 1: sure when he is honest and when he is playing
• 28:26
  Speaker 1: a trick. As he sat on his doorsteps looking across
• 28:30
  Speaker 1: the green meadows, he saw the merry little breezes coming
• 28:33
  Speaker 1: his way. Reddy smiled to himself. When they got near enough,
• 28:39
  Speaker 1: he shouted to them.' Will you do something for me?'
• 28:43
  Speaker 1: he asked. of course we will shouted the merry little
• 28:48
  Speaker 1: breezes who are always delighted to do something for others
• 28:52
  Speaker 1: i wish you would find peter rabbit and tell him
• 28:54
  Speaker 1: that i have found a new bed of tender young
• 28:58
  Speaker 1: carrots in farmer brown's garden and invite him to go
• 29:02
  Speaker 1: there with me to-morrow morning at sun-up said reddy fox
• 29:06
  Speaker 1: away raced the merry little breezes to find peter rabbit
• 29:10
  Speaker 1: and give him the invitation of reddy fox Pretty soon,
• 29:14
  Speaker 1: back they came, to tell Reddy that Peter Rabbit would
• 29:18
  Speaker 1: be delighted to meet Reddy on the edge of the
• 29:21
  Speaker 1: old briar patch at sunup the next morning, and go
• 29:25
  Speaker 1: with him to get some tender young carrots. Reddy smiled
• 29:30
  Speaker 1: to himself, for now he was sure that he would
• 29:34
  Speaker 1: get Peter Rabbit for Granny's breakfast. Early the next morning...
• 29:40
  Speaker 1: just before sun-up, Reddy Fox started down the lone little
• 29:44
  Speaker 1: path and hurried across the green meadows to the old
• 29:48
  Speaker 1: briar patch. Reddy was dressed in his very best suit
• 29:53
  Speaker 1: of clothes, and very smart and handsome he looked. When
• 29:58
  Speaker 1: he reached the old briar patch, he could see nothing
• 30:00
  Speaker 1: of Peter Rabbit. He waited, and waited, and waited. But still,
• 30:08
  Speaker 1: Peter Rabbit did not come. Finally, he gave it up,
• 30:14
  Speaker 1: and decided that he would go over and have a
• 30:17
  Speaker 1: look at the young carrots in Farmer Brown's garden. When
• 30:21
  Speaker 1: he got there, what do you think he saw? Why,
• 30:25
  Speaker 1: all around that bed of tender young carrots were footprints,
• 30:29
  Speaker 1: and the footprints were Peter Rabbit's. Reddy Fox ground his
• 30:36
  Speaker 1: teeth and snarled wickedly, for he knew then that instead
• 30:41
  Speaker 1: of fooling Peter Rabbit, Peter Rabbit had fooled him. Just then,
• 30:47
  Speaker 1: up came one of the merry little breezes of Old
• 30:49
  Speaker 1: Mother West Wind. Good morning, Reddy Fox! said the merry
• 30:54
  Speaker 1: little breeze good morning replied reddy fox and if you
• 31:00
  Speaker 1: could have seen him and heard him you would never
• 31:02
  Speaker 1: have suspected how ill-tempered he was feeling peter rabbit asked
• 31:07
  Speaker 1: me to come and tell you that he is very
• 31:10
  Speaker 1: sorry that he could not meet you at the briar-patch
• 31:12
  Speaker 1: this morning but that he grew so hungry thinking of
• 31:16
  Speaker 1: those tender young carrots that he just had to come
• 31:19
  Speaker 1: and get some before sun-up, and he is very much
• 31:22
  Speaker 1: obliged to you for telling him about them. He says
• 31:25
  Speaker 1: they are the finest young carrots that he has ever tasted,
• 31:29
  Speaker 1: said the merry little breeze. The heart of Reddy Fox
• 31:33
  Speaker 1: was filled with rage, but he did not let the
• 31:36
  Speaker 1: merry little breeze know it. he just smiled and sent
• 31:40
  Speaker 1: the merry little breeze back to peter rabbit to tell
• 31:43
  Speaker 1: him how glad he was that peter enjoyed the carrots
• 31:47
  Speaker 1: and to invite peter to meet him the next morning
• 31:50
  Speaker 1: on the edge of the old briar-patch at sunup to
• 31:53
  Speaker 1: go with him to a patch of sweet clover which
• 31:56
  Speaker 1: she had just found near the old hickory tree the
• 32:00
  Speaker 1: merry little breeze danced off with the message. Pretty soon
• 32:03
  Speaker 1: he was back to say that Peter Rabbit would be
• 32:06
  Speaker 1: delighted to go to the sweet clover patch the next morning.
• 32:11
  Speaker 1: Reddy grinned as he trudged off home. I'll just be
• 32:15
  Speaker 1: at the clover patch an hour before sun up tomorrow morning,
• 32:18
  Speaker 1: and then we'll see, he said to himself. End of
• 32:24
  Speaker 1: chapter seven CHAPTER VIII. PETER RABBIT GETS AN EARLY BREAKFAST
• 33:03
  Speaker 1: Peter Rabbit crept out of his snug little bed in
• 33:06
  Speaker 1: the middle of the old briar-patch two hours before sun-up,
• 33:10
  Speaker 1: and hurried over to the big hickory tree. Sure enough,
• 33:15
  Speaker 1: close by, he found a beautiful bed of sweet clover,
• 33:21
  Speaker 1: just as Reddy Fox had said was there. Peter chuckled
• 33:25
  Speaker 1: to himself as he ate and ate and ate, until
• 33:29
  Speaker 1: his little round stomach was so full that he could
• 33:33
  Speaker 1: hardly hop. When he had eaten all that he could,
• 33:36
  Speaker 1: he hurried back to the old briar-patch to finish his
• 33:39
  Speaker 1: morning nap, and all the time he kept chuckling to himself.
• 33:44
  Speaker 1: You see, Peter was suspicious of Reddy Fox, and so
• 33:48
  Speaker 1: he had gone over to the sweet clover bed alone
• 33:51
  Speaker 1: two hours before sun-up. Peter Rabbit had hardly left the
• 33:56
  Speaker 1: sweet clover bed when Reddy Fox arrived. Reddy lay down
• 34:02
  Speaker 1: in the long meadow grass and grinned to himself as
• 34:06
  Speaker 1: he waited. Slowly the minutes went by, until up from
• 34:13
  Speaker 1: behind the purple hills came jolly round red Mr. Sun.
• 34:18
  Speaker 1: But no Peter Rabbit! Reddy stopped, grinning. Perhaps, said he
• 34:27
  Speaker 1: to himself, perhaps Peter is waiting for me on the
• 34:32
  Speaker 1: edge of the old briar patch, and wasn't going to
• 34:35
  Speaker 1: try to fool me. So Reddy hurried over to the
• 34:39
  Speaker 1: old briar patch, and sure enough there was Peter Rabbit
• 34:44
  Speaker 1: sitting on the edge of it. When Peter saw him coming,
• 34:47
  Speaker 1: he dodged in behind a big clump of friendly old brambles.
• 34:52
  Speaker 1: Ready came up with his broadest smile.' Good morning, Peter Rabbit,'
• 34:58
  Speaker 1: said Ready.' Shall we go over to that sweet clover bed?'
• 35:04
  Speaker 1: Peter put one hand over his mouth to hide a smile.
• 35:08
  Speaker 1: oh said he i was so dreadfully hungry for sweet
• 35:12
  Speaker 1: clover that i couldn't wait until sun-up and so i
• 35:16
  Speaker 1: went over two hours ago i hope you will excuse
• 35:20
  Speaker 1: me reddy fox i certainly do appreciate your kindness in
• 35:25
  Speaker 1: telling me of that new sweet clover bed and i
• 35:28
  Speaker 1: hope i have not put you out certainly not replied
• 35:33
  Speaker 1: reddy fox in his pleasantest manner and you know reddy
• 35:37
  Speaker 1: fox can be very pleasant indeed when he wants to
• 35:40
  Speaker 1: be it is a very great pleasure to be able
• 35:43
  Speaker 1: to give you pleasure there is nothing i so like
• 35:48
  Speaker 1: to do as to give pleasure to others by the
• 35:52
  Speaker 1: way i have just heard that farmer brown has a
• 35:55
  Speaker 1: new planting of young cabbage in the corner of his
• 35:58
  Speaker 1: garden Will you meet me here at sun-up to-morrow morning
• 36:02
  Speaker 1: to go over there? Oh, I will be delighted to,
• 36:06
  Speaker 1: I will indeed, replied Peter Rabbit, and all the time
• 36:10
  Speaker 1: he smiled to himself behind his hand. Reddy Fox bade
• 36:15
  Speaker 1: Peter Rabbit good-bye in the pleasantest way you can imagine,
• 36:20
  Speaker 1: yet all the time, down in his heart, Reddy was
• 36:24
  Speaker 1: so angry that he hardly knew what to do. For
• 36:28
  Speaker 1: you see, he had got to go back to Granny
• 36:32
  Speaker 1: Fox without the tender young rabbit which he had promised her.
• 36:38
  Speaker 1: This time I will be there two hours before sun-up,
• 36:42
  Speaker 1: and then we will see, Peter Rabbit, who is the smartest,
• 36:46
  Speaker 1: said Reddy Fox to himself. End of chapter 8 CHAPTER
• 36:58
  Speaker 1: NINE READY FOX GETS A SCARE Peter Rabbit looked up
• 37:29
  Speaker 1: at the silvery moon and laughed aloud. Then he kicked
• 37:33
  Speaker 1: up his heels and laughed again as he started out
• 37:36
  Speaker 1: across the green meadows towards Farmer Brown's garden. You see,
• 37:41
  Speaker 1: Peter was suspicious, very suspicious indeed of Reddy Fox. So,
• 37:47
  Speaker 1: as it was a beautiful night for a walk, He
• 37:50
  Speaker 1: thought he would just run over to Farmer Brown's garden
• 37:52
  Speaker 1: and see if he could find that bed of newly
• 37:55
  Speaker 1: planted cabbage, about which Reddy Fox had told him. So
• 37:59
  Speaker 1: Peter hopped and skipped across the green meadows, singing as
• 38:03
  Speaker 1: he went. Hold on, Miss Moon, hold up your light.
• 38:08
  Speaker 1: Show the way, show the way. The little stars are
• 38:11
  Speaker 1: shining bright. Night folks all are out to play. When
• 38:18
  Speaker 1: Peter reached Farmer Brown's garden, he had no trouble in
• 38:22
  Speaker 1: finding the new planting of cabbage. It was tender. It
• 38:26
  Speaker 1: was good. My, how good it was! Peter started in
• 38:31
  Speaker 1: to fill his little round stomach. He ate and he
• 38:35
  Speaker 1: ate and ate and ate and ate. By and by,
• 38:38
  Speaker 1: just when he thought he couldn't eat another mouthful, he
• 38:42
  Speaker 1: happened to look over at a patch of moonlight. For
• 38:45
  Speaker 1: just a second, Peter's heart stopped beating. There was Reddy
• 38:51
  Speaker 1: Fox coming straight over to the new cabbage bed. Peter
• 38:55
  Speaker 1: Rabbit didn't know what to do. Reddy Fox hadn't seen
• 38:59
  Speaker 1: him yet, but he would in a minute or two
• 39:02
  Speaker 1: unless Peter could hide. He was too far from the
• 39:06
  Speaker 1: dear old briar patch to run there. Peter looked this
• 39:10
  Speaker 1: way and looked that way. ha there lay farmer brown's
• 39:16
  Speaker 1: boy's old straw hat just where he had left it
• 39:19
  Speaker 1: when the supper horn blew peter crawled under it it
• 39:23
  Speaker 1: covered him completely peter peeped out from under one edge
• 39:29
  Speaker 1: he saw Reddy Fox standing in the moonlight, looking at
• 39:33
  Speaker 1: the bed of newly set cabbage. Reddy was smiling as
• 39:37
  Speaker 1: if his thoughts were very pleasant. Peter shivered. He could
• 39:43
  Speaker 1: just guess what Reddy was thinking, how he would gobble
• 39:46
  Speaker 1: up Peter. when once he got him away from the
• 39:49
  Speaker 1: safety of the old briar patch. The thought made Peter
• 39:53
  Speaker 1: so indignant that he forgot that he was hiding, and
• 39:58
  Speaker 1: he sat up on his hind legs. Of course, he
• 40:02
  Speaker 1: lifted the straw hat with him. Then he remembered and
• 40:06
  Speaker 1: sat down again in a hurry. Of course, the straw
• 40:09
  Speaker 1: hat went down quite as quickly. Presently, Peter peeped out.
• 40:15
  Speaker 1: Reddy Fox was staring blankly staring at the old straw hat.
• 40:22
  Speaker 1: And he wasn't smiling now. He actually looked frightened. It
• 40:27
  Speaker 1: gave Peter an idea. He made three long hops straight
• 40:32
  Speaker 1: towards Reddy Fox, all the time keeping the old straw
• 40:36
  Speaker 1: hat over him. Of course, the hat went along with him.
• 40:40
  Speaker 1: And because it covered Peter all up, it looked for
• 40:44
  Speaker 1: all the world as if the hat was alive. Reddy
• 40:48
  Speaker 1: Fox gave one more long look at the strange thing
• 40:52
  Speaker 1: coming towards him through the cabbage bed, and then he
• 40:55
  Speaker 1: started for home as fast as he could go, his
• 40:58
  Speaker 1: tail between his legs. Peter Rabbit just lay down right
• 41:04
  Speaker 1: where he was and laughed and laughed and laughed. And
• 41:09
  Speaker 1: it almost seemed as if the old straw hat laughed too.
• 41:15
  Speaker 1: End of chapter nine CHAPTER TEN PETER HAS ANOTHER GREAT
• 41:24
  Speaker 1: LAUGH it was just sun up as reddy fox started
• 41:53
  Speaker 1: down the lone little path to the green meadows reddy
• 41:57
  Speaker 1: was late he should be over at the old briar
• 42:00
  Speaker 1: patch by this time he was afraid now that peter
• 42:04
  Speaker 1: rabbit would not be there when he came in sight
• 42:07
  Speaker 1: of the old briar patch there sat peter on the
• 42:09
  Speaker 1: edge of it good morning peter rabbit said reddy fox
• 42:15
  Speaker 1: in his politest manner i am sorry to have kept
• 42:18
  Speaker 1: you waiting it is all because i had a terrible
• 42:21
  Speaker 1: fright last night is that so what was it asked
• 42:26
  Speaker 1: peter ducking down behind a big bramble bush to hide
• 42:29
  Speaker 1: his smile why i went over to farmer brown's garden
• 42:34
  Speaker 1: to see if that new planting of young cabbage was
• 42:36
  Speaker 1: all right and there i met a terrible monster it
• 42:40
  Speaker 1: frightened me so that i did not dare to come
• 42:42
  Speaker 1: out this morning until jolly round mr sun had begun
• 42:45
  Speaker 1: to climb up in the sky and so i am
• 42:48
  Speaker 1: a little late are you ready peter rabbit to go
• 42:51
  Speaker 1: up to the new planting of young cabbage with me
• 42:54
  Speaker 1: asked reddy in his pleasantest manner Now, what do you
• 42:59
  Speaker 1: think Peter Rabbit did? Why, Peter just began to laugh.
• 43:02
  Speaker 1: He laughed and laughed and shouted. He lay down on
• 43:07
  Speaker 1: his back and kicked his heels for very joy. But
• 43:11
  Speaker 1: all the time he took care to keep behind a
• 43:13
  Speaker 1: big friendly bramble bush. Reddy Fox stared at Peter Rabbit.
• 43:20
  Speaker 1: He just didn't know what to make of it. He
• 43:23
  Speaker 1: began to think that Peter had gone crazy. He couldn't
• 43:26
  Speaker 1: see a thing to laugh at, yet here was Peter
• 43:29
  Speaker 1: laughing fit to kill himself. Finally, Peter stopped and sat up.
• 43:36
  Speaker 1: Did the monster catch you, Ready Fox? he asked, wiping
• 43:41
  Speaker 1: his eyes. No, replied Ready. It didn't catch me because
• 43:47
  Speaker 1: I could run faster than it could, but it chased
• 43:49
  Speaker 1: me all the way home. in that case i think
• 43:53
  Speaker 1: i'll not go up to the cabbage bed this morning
• 43:56
  Speaker 1: for you know i can't run as fast as you
• 43:58
  Speaker 1: can reddy and the monster might catch me replied peter
• 44:03
  Speaker 1: very gravely besides he added i have had my fill
• 44:08
  Speaker 1: of tender young cabbage and it was very nice indeed
• 44:11
  Speaker 1: what shouted reddy fox yes continued peter rabbit i just
• 44:17
  Speaker 1: couldn't wait till morning so i went up there early
• 44:20
  Speaker 1: last night i'm much obliged to you for telling me
• 44:23
  Speaker 1: of it reddy fox i am indeed for just a
• 44:26
  Speaker 1: little minute an ugly look crept into reddy's face for
• 44:31
  Speaker 1: now he knew that once more peter rabbit had fooled
• 44:35
  Speaker 1: him But he kept his temper and managed to smile
• 44:40
  Speaker 1: as he said, Oh, don't mention it, Peter Rabbit, don't
• 44:43
  Speaker 1: mention it. But tell me, didn't you meet the monster? No,
• 44:49
  Speaker 1: replied Peter Rabbit, and then do what he could. He
• 44:52
  Speaker 1: couldn't keep sober another minute, but began to laugh just
• 44:56
  Speaker 1: as he had before. What's the joke, Peter Rabbit? Tell
• 45:01
  Speaker 1: me so that I can laugh too, begged Reddy Foxx.
• 45:05
  Speaker 1: why said peter rabbit when he could get his breath
• 45:09
  Speaker 1: the joke is that the monster that frightened you so
• 45:12
  Speaker 1: was the old straw hat of farmer brown's boy and
• 45:15
  Speaker 1: i was underneath it then reddy fox knew just how
• 45:22
  Speaker 1: badly peter rabbit had fooled him with a snarl he
• 45:27
  Speaker 1: sprang right over the bramble bush at peter rabbit But
• 45:31
  Speaker 1: Peter was watching and darted away along one of his
• 45:34
  Speaker 1: own special little paths, through the old briar patch. Reddy
• 45:38
  Speaker 1: tried to follow, but the brambles tore his clothes and
• 45:41
  Speaker 1: scratched his face and stuck in his feet. Finally, he
• 45:45
  Speaker 1: had to give it up. Torn and bleeding and angry,
• 45:49
  Speaker 1: he turned back home, and as he left the old
• 45:52
  Speaker 1: briar patch, he could still hear Peter Rabbit laughing. End
• 45:59
  Speaker 1: of chapter 10 CHAPTER XI. SHADOW THE WEASEL GETS LOST
• 46:36
  Speaker 1: All of the Green Meadows had heard how Peter Rabbit
• 46:39
  Speaker 1: had frightened Reddy Fox with an old straw hat. And
• 46:43
  Speaker 1: everywhere that Reddy went, someone was sure to shout after him.
• 46:48
  Speaker 1: Reddy Fox is fine to see. He's as brave as
• 46:51
  Speaker 1: brave can be. Till he meets an old straw hat,
• 46:55
  Speaker 1: then he don't know where he's at. Then Reddy would
• 46:59
  Speaker 1: lose his temper and chase his tormentors. Most of all,
• 47:03
  Speaker 1: he wanted to catch Peter Rabbit. He lay in wait
• 47:07
  Speaker 1: for Peter in fence corners and behind bushes and trees,
• 47:11
  Speaker 1: but somehow Peter seemed always to know that Reddy was there.
• 47:17
  Speaker 1: In the old briar patch, Peter was safe. Reddy had
• 47:21
  Speaker 1: tried to follow him there, but he had found that
• 47:24
  Speaker 1: it was of no use at all. Peter's paths were
• 47:28
  Speaker 1: so narrow, and the brambles tore Reddy's clothes and scratched
• 47:32
  Speaker 1: him so, so much that he had to give it up.
• 47:38
  Speaker 1: Reddy was thinking of this one day as he sat
• 47:40
  Speaker 1: on his doorstep, scowling over at the old briar patch,
• 47:45
  Speaker 1: and then all of a sudden he thought of Shadow
• 47:47
  Speaker 1: the Weasel. Shadow is so slim that he can go
• 47:51
  Speaker 1: almost anywhere that anyone else can, and he is so
• 47:55
  Speaker 1: fierce that nearly all of the little meadow people are
• 47:59
  Speaker 1: terribly afraid of him. Reddy smiled. It was a mean, wicked,
• 48:07
  Speaker 1: crafty smile. Then he hopped up and hurried to find
• 48:12
  Speaker 1: Shadow the Weasel and tell him his plan. Shadow listened
• 48:18
  Speaker 1: and then he too began to smile. It's easy, Reddy Fox,
• 48:23
  Speaker 1: the easiest thing in the world. We'll get Peter Rabbit
• 48:27
  Speaker 1: just as sure as fat hens are good eating, said he,
• 48:33
  Speaker 1: and they started for the old briar patch. Ready's plan
• 48:38
  Speaker 1: was very simple. Shadow the Weasel was to follow Peter
• 48:42
  Speaker 1: Rabbit along Peter's narrow little paths and drive Peter out
• 48:47
  Speaker 1: of the old briar patch and onto the green meadows,
• 48:50
  Speaker 1: where Ready Fox could surely catch him. So, Reddy Fox
• 48:55
  Speaker 1: sat down to wait, while Shadow started into the old
• 48:58
  Speaker 1: briar patch. Peter Rabbit heard him coming, and of course,
• 49:03
  Speaker 1: Peter began to run. Now, when Peter first made his
• 49:08
  Speaker 1: home in the old briar patch, he had foreseen that
• 49:11
  Speaker 1: some day Shadow the Weasel might come to hunt him there.
• 49:15
  Speaker 1: So Peter had made dozens and dozens of little paths,
• 49:20
  Speaker 1: twisting and turning and crossing and recrossing in the most
• 49:24
  Speaker 1: puzzling way. Of course, Peter himself knew every twist and
• 49:29
  Speaker 1: turn of every one of them. But Shadow had not
• 49:33
  Speaker 1: gone very far before he was all mixed up. He
• 49:37
  Speaker 1: kept his sharp little nose to the ground to smell
• 49:40
  Speaker 1: Peter's footsteps, but Peter kept crossing his own tracks so
• 49:44
  Speaker 1: often that pretty soon Shadow could not tell which path
• 49:48
  Speaker 1: Peter had last taken. Peter led him further and further
• 49:54
  Speaker 1: into the middle of the old briar patch. Right there,
• 49:57
  Speaker 1: Shadow came to a great big puddle of water. Peter
• 50:01
  Speaker 1: had jumped clear across it, for, you know, Peter's legs
• 50:05
  Speaker 1: are long and meant for jumping. Now, Shadow hates to
• 50:09
  Speaker 1: get his feet wet, and when he reached the puddle,
• 50:12
  Speaker 1: he stopped. He glared with fierce little red eyes across
• 50:17
  Speaker 1: at Peter Rabbit, sitting on the other side. Then he
• 50:22
  Speaker 1: started around the edge. Peter waited until Shadow was almost around,
• 50:27
  Speaker 1: and then he jumped back across the puddle. There was
• 50:31
  Speaker 1: nothing for Shadow to do but go back around, which
• 50:34
  Speaker 1: he did. Of course, Peter just did the same thing
• 50:38
  Speaker 1: over again, all the time a-laughing in his sleeve, for
• 50:42
  Speaker 1: Shadow the Weasel was growing angrier and angrier. Finally, he
• 50:47
  Speaker 1: grew so angry that he tried to jump the puddle himself,
• 50:51
  Speaker 1: and in he fell with a great splash. When Shadow
• 50:58
  Speaker 1: crawled out wet and muddy, Peter had disappeared, and Shadow
• 51:03
  Speaker 1: couldn't tell which path he had taken. Worse still, he
• 51:07
  Speaker 1: didn't know which path to take to get out himself.
• 51:10
  Speaker 1: He tried one after another, but after a little while
• 51:14
  Speaker 1: he would find himself back at the puddle, in the
• 51:16
  Speaker 1: middle of the old briar patch. Shadow the Weasel was lost. Yes, sir,
• 51:23
  Speaker 1: Shadow the Weasel was lost in the old briar patch. Outside,
• 51:29
  Speaker 1: Reddy Fox waited and watched, but no frightened Peter Rabbit
• 51:34
  Speaker 1: came jumping out as he expected. What could it mean?
• 51:39
  Speaker 1: After a long, long time, he saw someone very muddy
• 51:44
  Speaker 1: and very wet and very tired crawl out of one
• 51:51
  Speaker 1: of Peter Rabbit's little paths. It was Shadow the Weasel.
• 51:56
  Speaker 1: Reddy took one good look at him, and then he
• 52:00
  Speaker 1: hurried away. He didn't want to hear what Shadow the
• 52:04
  Speaker 1: Weasel would say. And as he hurried across the green meadows,
• 52:08
  Speaker 1: he heard Peter Rabbit's voice from the middle of the
• 52:11
  Speaker 1: old briar patch. If at first you don't succeed, try,
• 52:16
  Speaker 1: try again, shouted Peter Rabbit. Reddy Fox ground his teeth.
• 52:24
  Speaker 1: End of chapter 11 CHAPTER TWELVE THE PLOT OF TWO
• 52:33
  Speaker 1: SCAMPS Sammy Jay, looking around for mischief, found Reddy Fox
• 53:05
  Speaker 1: sitting on his doorstep with his chin in both hands
• 53:09
  Speaker 1: and looking as if he hadn't a friend in the world.'
• 53:12
  Speaker 1: What are you doing?' asked Sammy Jay.' Oh, I'm just a-studying,'
• 53:20
  Speaker 1: replied Reddy Fox.' What are you studying? Perhaps I can
• 53:25
  Speaker 1: help you?' said Sammy Jay.' Ready Fox heaved a long sigh.'
• 53:34
  Speaker 1: I' m a-studying how I can catch Peter.
• 53:38
  Speaker 6: Rabbit,' replied Ready.' Sammy J. scratched his head thoughtfully.' Ready
• 53:44
  Speaker 6: Fox still sat with his chin in his hands' and
• 53:47
  Speaker 6: thought and thought and thought.' Sammy J. sat on one
• 53:52
  Speaker 6: foot and scratched and scratched' and scratched.
• 53:56
  Speaker 1: His head with the other.' suddenly sammy looked up i
• 54:01
  Speaker 1: have it said he you remember the hollow log over
• 54:05
  Speaker 1: beyond the old hickory tree reddy nodded his head well
• 54:11
  Speaker 1: i'll go down and invite peter rabbit to come over
• 54:15
  Speaker 1: there and see the strangest thing in the world You
• 54:18
  Speaker 1: know what great curiosity Peter Rabbit has. Now, you be
• 54:23
  Speaker 1: hiding in the hollow log, and when you hear me
• 54:26
  Speaker 1: say to Peter Rabbit, the strangest thing in the world
• 54:29
  Speaker 1: is waiting for you over there, Peter, you spring out,
• 54:34
  Speaker 1: and you'll have Peter. Reddy Fox brightened up. This plan
• 54:39
  Speaker 1: certainly did look good to Reddy. Peter had fooled him
• 54:43
  Speaker 1: so many times that he was almost in despair. He
• 54:47
  Speaker 1: knew that if he sent another invitation to Peter, Peter
• 54:50
  Speaker 1: would suspect right away that it meant mischief. But Peter
• 54:54
  Speaker 1: wouldn't think that Sammy J was planning mischief because he
• 54:58
  Speaker 1: knew that Sammy is the greatest news teller in the
• 55:01
  Speaker 1: Green Forest. So Reddy Fox trotted off to the hollow
• 55:05
  Speaker 1: log down by the big hickory tree and crept inside.
• 55:10
  Speaker 1: Sammy J flew over to the old briar patch to
• 55:12
  Speaker 1: look for Peter Rabbit. he found Peter Rabbit sitting under
• 55:16
  Speaker 1: a big bramble bush. Good morning, Peter Rabbit, said Sammy
• 55:22
  Speaker 1: J with his finest manner. Peter looked at Sammy sharply
• 55:26
  Speaker 1: as he returned his greeting. Sammy J wasn't in the
• 55:30
  Speaker 1: habit of being so polite to Peter, and Peter began
• 55:35
  Speaker 1: to study just what it could mean. I saw the
• 55:38
  Speaker 1: strangest thing in the world this morning, said Sammy J.
• 55:43
  Speaker 1: Peter pricked up his ears. In spite of himself, he
• 55:46
  Speaker 1: began to grow curious.' What was it, Sammy J?' he asked.
• 55:51
  Speaker 1: Sammy looked very mysterious.' I really don't know what it is,'
• 55:57
  Speaker 1: he replied.' But I can show it to you if
• 56:00
  Speaker 1: you want to see for yourself, Peter Rabbit.' Of course
• 56:04
  Speaker 1: Peter wanted to see it. So he started out across
• 56:08
  Speaker 1: the green meadows with Sammy J.' Now the farther he went,
• 56:12
  Speaker 1: the more time he had to think, and by the
• 56:15
  Speaker 1: time he had nearly reached the old hickory tree, Peter
• 56:17
  Speaker 1: began to suspect a trick. Sammy J. motioned Peter to
• 56:22
  Speaker 1: approach very carefully.' It' s right over there, in that hollow log, Peter,'
• 56:29
  Speaker 1: he whispered.' You go peep in, and you'll see it.'
• 56:33
  Speaker 1: Then Sammy prepared to give the signal to Ready Fox.
• 56:37
  Speaker 1: Peter hopped a couple of steps nearer and then he
• 56:40
  Speaker 1: sat up very straight and gazed at the hollow log.
• 56:44
  Speaker 1: Somehow he just didn't like the looks of it. He
• 56:47
  Speaker 1: didn't know why, but he just didn't. Then along came
• 56:52
  Speaker 1: one of old Mother West Wind's merry little breezes, dancing
• 56:55
  Speaker 1: right past the hollow log and up to Peter Rabbit.
• 56:59
  Speaker 1: And with him he brought a funny smell. Peter's little
• 57:04
  Speaker 1: wobbly nose wrinkled. That funny smell certainly reminded Peter of
• 57:10
  Speaker 1: Reddy Fox. He wrinkled his nose again. Then he suddenly
• 57:15
  Speaker 1: whirled about. Excuse me, Sammy J, he exclaimed. I just
• 57:20
  Speaker 1: remembered something very important. And before Sammy J could open
• 57:25
  Speaker 1: his mouth, Peter had started like a little brown streak
• 57:28
  Speaker 1: for the old briar patch. End of chapter twelve CHAPTER
• 57:40
  Speaker 1: THIRTEEN READY FOX COMES TO LIFE Reddy Fox lay on
• 58:09
  Speaker 1: the side hill. Bobby Coon found him there, and when
• 58:14
  Speaker 1: Bobby spoke to him, Reddy made no reply. Bobby went
• 58:19
  Speaker 1: over and looked at him. Reddy's eyes were closed. Bobby
• 58:24
  Speaker 1: grinned to himself. Then he tiptoed a little nearer and shouted, Boo!
• 58:32
  Speaker 1: Right in one of Reddy's little black ears. Still Reddy
• 58:36
  Speaker 1: did not move. Bobby Coon's face grew sober. He poked
• 58:42
  Speaker 1: Reddy with his foot, but still Reddy did not move.
• 58:48
  Speaker 1: Then he pulled Reddy's tail, and still Reddy did not move.
• 58:55
  Speaker 1: It must be that Reddy Fox is dead, thought Bobby
• 58:59
  Speaker 1: Coon as he hurried away to tell the news. There
• 59:03
  Speaker 1: was great excitement on the green meadows and in the
• 59:06
  Speaker 1: green forest when the little people there heard that Reddy
• 59:09
  Speaker 1: Fox was dead. Of course, everyone wanted to see Reddy,
• 59:14
  Speaker 1: and soon there was a procession of little meadow and
• 59:17
  Speaker 1: forest people hurrying across the Green Meadows to the hillside
• 59:20
  Speaker 1: where Reddy Fox lay. Jimmy Skunk, Johnny Chuck, Billy Mink,
• 59:27
  Speaker 1: Little Joe Otter, Uncabilly Possum, Danny Meadowmouse, Spotty the Turtle,
• 59:35
  Speaker 1: Old Mr Toad, Grandfather Frog, Jerry Muskrat, Sammy J, Blacky
• 59:42
  Speaker 1: the Crow, Happy Jack Squirrel, Striped Chipmunk, Jumper the Hare,
• 59:49
  Speaker 1: Prickly Porky, all were there. They formed a big circle
• 59:54
  Speaker 1: around Reddy Fox. Then they began to talk about Reddy.
• 59:59
  Speaker 1: Some told of the good things that Reddy had done,
• 1:00:02
  Speaker 1: and what a fine gentleman he was. Others told of
• 1:00:06
  Speaker 1: the mean things that Reddy Fox had done, and how
• 1:00:08
  Speaker 1: glad they were that they would no longer have to
• 1:00:11
  Speaker 1: watch out for him. It was surprising the number of
• 1:00:14
  Speaker 1: bad things that were said. But then they felt safe
• 1:00:19
  Speaker 1: in saying them, for was not Reddy lying right there
• 1:00:22
  Speaker 1: before them, stone dead? Now, Peter Rabbit had not heard
• 1:00:27
  Speaker 1: the news until late in the day, and when he
• 1:00:30
  Speaker 1: did hear it, he started as fast as his long
• 1:00:33
  Speaker 1: legs could take him to have a last look at Reddy.
• 1:00:36
  Speaker 1: Halfway there, he suddenly stopped and scratched one of his
• 1:00:40
  Speaker 1: long ears. Peter was thinking, it was mighty funny that
• 1:00:46
  Speaker 1: Reddy Fox should have died without anyone having heard that
• 1:00:49
  Speaker 1: he was sick. Peter started on again. But this time
• 1:00:54
  Speaker 1: he did not hurry. Presently he cut a long twig
• 1:00:58
  Speaker 1: which she carried along with him. When he reached the
• 1:01:02
  Speaker 1: circle around Reddy Fox, he stole up behind Prickly Porky
• 1:01:06
  Speaker 1: the porcupine and whispered in his ear. Prickly Porky took
• 1:01:10
  Speaker 1: the long twig which Peter handed to him, while Peter
• 1:01:14
  Speaker 1: went off at a little distance and climbed up on
• 1:01:16
  Speaker 1: an old stump where he could see. Prickly Porky reached
• 1:01:20
  Speaker 1: over and tickled one of Reddy's black ears. For a
• 1:01:24
  Speaker 1: minute nothing happened. Then the black ear twitched. Prickly Porky
• 1:01:30
  Speaker 1: tickled the end of Reddy's little black nose. Then he
• 1:01:34
  Speaker 1: tickled again. What do you think happened? Why, Reddy Fox sneezed! My, my, my,
• 1:01:43
  Speaker 1: how that circle around Reddy Fox did disappear! All the
• 1:01:48
  Speaker 1: little people who were afraid of Reddy Fox scampered away
• 1:01:51
  Speaker 1: as fast as they could run. while all the other
• 1:01:54
  Speaker 1: little people who were not afraid of Reddy Fox began
• 1:01:57
  Speaker 1: to laugh. And the one who laughed loudest of all
• 1:02:00
  Speaker 1: was Peter Rabbit as he started back to the old
• 1:02:03
  Speaker 1: briar patch. Of course, Reddy Fox knew then that it
• 1:02:08
  Speaker 1: was of no use at all to pretend that he
• 1:02:10
  Speaker 1: was dead. So he sprang to his feet and started
• 1:02:14
  Speaker 1: after Peter Rabbit at the top of his speed. But
• 1:02:17
  Speaker 1: when he reached the old briar patch, Peter was safely inside.
• 1:02:22
  Speaker 1: and Reddy could hear him laughing as if he would
• 1:02:24
  Speaker 1: split his sides. If at first you don't succeed, try
• 1:02:29
  Speaker 1: and try again, shouted Peter Rabbit. End of chapter.
• 1:02:36
  Speaker 7: 13 Chapter 14 The Adventures of Peter Cottontail This is
• 1:02:48
  Speaker 7: a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
• 1:02:55
  Speaker 7: For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording
• 1:03:04
  Speaker 7: by Tayeh Abdul Oluwanli San Miguel, El Salvador The Adventures
• 1:03:12
  Speaker 7: of Peter Cottontail by Thornton W. Burgess Chapter 14 Peter
• 1:03:19
  Speaker 7: Rabbit in a tight place. Hop along, skip along. The
• 1:03:24
  Speaker 7: sun is shining bright. Hum a song, sing a song.
• 1:03:28
  Speaker 7: My heart is always light. It is true.
• 1:03:33
  Speaker 5: Peter Rabbit always is light-hearted. For days and days, Reddy
• 1:03:37
  Speaker 5: Fox had been trying to catch Peter, and Peter had
• 1:03:42
  Speaker 5: to keep his wits very sharp indeed in order to
• 1:03:45
  Speaker 5: keep out of Reddy's way. Still, It didn't seem to
• 1:03:49
  Speaker 5: worry Peter much. Just now he was hopping and skipping
• 1:03:54
  Speaker 5: down the lone little path without a care in the world. Presently,
• 1:04:00
  Speaker 5: Peter found a nice shady spot close by a big rock.
• 1:04:06
  Speaker 5: Underneath one edge of the rock was a place just
• 1:04:09
  Speaker 5: big enough for Peter to crawl in and it was
• 1:04:13
  Speaker 5: just the place for a nap. Peter was beginning to
• 1:04:16
  Speaker 5: feel sleepy. so he crawled in there and soon was
• 1:04:20
  Speaker 5: fast asleep. By and by, Peter began to dream. He
• 1:04:27
  Speaker 5: dreamed that he had gone for a long walk, way,
• 1:04:31
  Speaker 5: way off from the safe old briar patch, and that
• 1:04:36
  Speaker 5: out from behind a big bush had sprung Reddy Fox.
• 1:04:40
  Speaker 5: Just as Reddy's teeth were about to close on Peter,
• 1:04:44
  Speaker 5: Peter woke up. It was such a relief to find
• 1:04:48
  Speaker 5: that he was really snug and safe under the big
• 1:04:51
  Speaker 5: rock that he almost shouted aloud, but he didn't. And
• 1:04:56
  Speaker 5: a minute later, he was oh so glad he hadn't,
• 1:04:59
  Speaker 5: for he heard a voice that seemed as if it
• 1:05:03
  Speaker 5: was right in his ear. It was the voice of
• 1:05:06
  Speaker 5: Reddy Fox. Yes, sir, the voice of Reddy Fox. Peter
• 1:05:12
  Speaker 5: hardly dared to breathe. And you may be sure that
• 1:05:17
  Speaker 5: he did not make even the smallest sound, for Reddy
• 1:05:20
  Speaker 5: Fox was sitting on the very rock under which Peter
• 1:05:25
  Speaker 5: was resting. Reddy Fox was talking to Blackie the Crow.
• 1:05:30
  Speaker 5: Peter listened with all his might, for what do you
• 1:05:33
  Speaker 5: think Reddy Fox was saying? Why, he was telling Blackie
• 1:05:37
  Speaker 5: the Crow of a new plan to catch Peter Rabbit
• 1:05:41
  Speaker 5: and was asking Blackie to help him.
• 1:05:43
  Speaker 7: Peter.
• 1:05:44
  Speaker 5: Had never been so frightened in his life. For here
• 1:05:49
  Speaker 5: was Reddy the Fox, so close to him that Peter
• 1:05:53
  Speaker 5: could have reached out and touched one of Reddy's legs
• 1:05:56
  Speaker 5: as he kicked his heels over the edge of the
• 1:05:59
  Speaker 5: big rock. By and by, Blackie the Crow spoke. I
• 1:06:05
  Speaker 5: saw Peter Rabbit coming down this way early this morning,
• 1:06:09
  Speaker 5: said Blackie, and I don't think he has gone home.
• 1:06:14
  Speaker 5: Why don't you go over and hide near the old
• 1:06:17
  Speaker 5: briar patch and catch Peter when he comes back? I
• 1:06:21
  Speaker 5: will watch out. And if I see Peter, I will
• 1:06:25
  Speaker 5: tell him that you have gone hunting your breakfast way
• 1:06:28
  Speaker 5: over beyond the big hill. Then he will not be.
• 1:06:32
  Speaker 7: On the watch.
• 1:06:34
  Speaker 5: The very thing, exclaimed Reddy Fox. And if I catch him,
• 1:06:39
  Speaker 5: I will surely do something for you, Blackie. I believe
• 1:06:42
  Speaker 5: that I will go right away. Then the two rascals
• 1:06:46
  Speaker 5: planned and chuckled as they thought how they would outwit
• 1:06:50
  Speaker 5: Peter Rabbit. I'm getting hungry, said Ready Fox as he
• 1:06:56
  Speaker 5: arose and stretched. I wonder if there's a field mouse
• 1:07:00
  Speaker 5: hiding under this old rock. I believe I'll look and see.
• 1:07:05
  Speaker 5: Peter's heart almost stood still as he heard Ready Fox
• 1:07:10
  Speaker 5: slide down off the big rock. He wiggled himself still
• 1:07:14
  Speaker 5: further under the rock and held his breath. Just then,
• 1:07:18
  Speaker 5: Blackie the crow gave a sharp caw, caw, caw. That
• 1:07:23
  Speaker 5: meant Blackie saw something, and almost at once, Peter heard
• 1:07:28
  Speaker 5: a sound that sometimes filled his heart with fear, but
• 1:07:32
  Speaker 5: which now filled it with great joy. It was the
• 1:07:35
  Speaker 5: voice of Bowser the Hound. Reddy Fox heard it too,
• 1:07:40
  Speaker 5: and he did not stop to look under the big rock.
• 1:07:44
  Speaker 5: A little later, Peter very cautiously crawled out of his
• 1:07:48
  Speaker 5: resting place and climbed up where he could look over
• 1:07:52
  Speaker 5: the green metals. Way over on the far side, he
• 1:07:57
  Speaker 5: could see Reddy Fox running at the top of his speed,
• 1:08:01
  Speaker 5: and behind him was Bowser the Hound. My, but that
• 1:08:07
  Speaker 5: was a tight place, said Peter Rabbit as he stretched himself.
• 1:08:16
  Speaker 5: End of.
• 1:08:25
  Speaker 1: Chapter 14 Chapter 15 of The Adventures of Peter Cottontail
• 1:08:43
  Speaker 1: The Adventures of Peter Cottontail by Thornton W. Burgess Chapter
• 1:08:48
  Speaker 1: Fifteen Johnny Chuck Helps Peter Johnny Chuck had watched Reddy
• 1:08:55
  Speaker 1: Fox try to fool and catch Peter Rabbit, and sometimes
• 1:08:59
  Speaker 1: Johnny had been very much afraid that Reddy would succeed.
• 1:09:03
  Speaker 1: But Peter had been too smart for Reddy every time,
• 1:09:07
  Speaker 1: and Johnny had laughed with the other little people of
• 1:09:10
  Speaker 1: the Green Meadows whenever the merry little breezes had brought
• 1:09:13
  Speaker 1: a new story of how Peter had outwitted Reddy. Peter'll
• 1:09:17
  Speaker 1: have to watch out sharper than ever now, for Granny
• 1:09:20
  Speaker 1: Fox is almost well, and she is very angry because
• 1:09:23
  Speaker 1: Reddy could not catch Peter Rabbit for her when she
• 1:09:26
  Speaker 1: was ill. She says that she is going to show
• 1:09:29
  Speaker 1: that stupid Reddy how to do it, and do it quickly,
• 1:09:33
  Speaker 1: said Jimmy Skunk when he stopped to chat with Johnny
• 1:09:36
  Speaker 1: Chuck one fine morning. Johnny had just been laughing very
• 1:09:41
  Speaker 1: hard over one of Peter Rabbit's tricks, but now his
• 1:09:45
  Speaker 1: face grew very sober. Very sober indeed. It won't do
• 1:09:51
  Speaker 1: to let old Granny Fox catch Peter. It won't do
• 1:09:54
  Speaker 1: at all. We must all turn in and help Peter,
• 1:09:57
  Speaker 1: said Johnny. Why, what would the green meadows and the
• 1:10:00
  Speaker 1: green forest be like with no Peter Rabbit, he added.
• 1:10:05
  Speaker 1: Late that afternoon, Johnny Chuck happened to find Peter Rabbit
• 1:10:08
  Speaker 1: taking a nap. Yes, sir, Peter had actually gone to
• 1:10:12
  Speaker 1: sleep outside the dear old briar patch. At first, Johnny
• 1:10:17
  Speaker 1: thought that he would waken him and tell him that
• 1:10:19
  Speaker 1: Reddy Fox was hunting right near. But just then Johnny's
• 1:10:24
  Speaker 1: bright eyes saw something that made him chuckle. It was
• 1:10:27
  Speaker 1: the home of some hot-tempered friends of his, a beautiful
• 1:10:31
  Speaker 1: home made of what looked like grey paper. It was
• 1:10:34
  Speaker 1: fastened to a bush just above a little path leading
• 1:10:37
  Speaker 1: to the very spot where Peter lay fast asleep. Johnny
• 1:10:42
  Speaker 1: chuckled again, then off he hurried. He sat down on
• 1:10:45
  Speaker 1: top of a little hill. Pretty soon, Reddy Fox came
• 1:10:50
  Speaker 1: along through the hollow below.' Hello, Reddy Fox. Do you
• 1:10:55
  Speaker 1: want to know how you can catch Peter Rabbit?' asked Johnny.
• 1:10:59
  Speaker 1: Reddy looked up. He didn't know just what to say.
• 1:11:02
  Speaker 1: He knew that Johnny, Chuck and Peter had always been
• 1:11:04
  Speaker 1: the very best of friends. Still, friends fall out sometimes,
• 1:11:08
  Speaker 1: and perhaps Johnny and Peter had.' Reddy decided that he
• 1:11:12
  Speaker 1: would be polite.' I certainly do, Johnny Chuck,' he replied.'
• 1:11:17
  Speaker 1: Can you tell me how to do it?'' Yes,' said Johnny.'
• 1:11:21
  Speaker 1: Peter is fast asleep over yonder, behind that little bunch
• 1:11:25
  Speaker 1: of huckaberry bushes. There is a little path through them.
• 1:11:29
  Speaker 1: All you have to do is to hurry up that
• 1:11:31
  Speaker 1: little path as fast and as still as you can.'
• 1:11:36
  Speaker 1: Reddy Fox waited to hear no more. His eyes glistened
• 1:11:40
  Speaker 1: as he started off at the top of his speed
• 1:11:43
  Speaker 1: up the little path. Just as Johnny had expected, Reddy
• 1:11:47
  Speaker 1: went in such a hurry that he didn't use his
• 1:11:50
  Speaker 1: eyes for anything but signs of Peter Rabbit.
• 1:11:53
  Speaker 3: Bang!
• 1:11:55
  Speaker 1: Reddy had run headfirst into the paper house of Johnny
• 1:11:59
  Speaker 1: Chuck's hot-tempered friends. In fact, he had smashed the whole
• 1:12:04
  Speaker 1: side in. out poured old Mrs Hornet and all her family,
• 1:12:10
  Speaker 1: and they had their little needles with them. Reddy forgot
• 1:12:14
  Speaker 1: all about Peter Rabbit. He yelled at the top of
• 1:12:18
  Speaker 1: his lungs and started for home, slapping at old Mrs Hornet,
• 1:12:23
  Speaker 1: whom he never could hit, and stopping every few minutes
• 1:12:26
  Speaker 1: to roll over and over. Of course, when he yelled,
• 1:12:31
  Speaker 1: Peter Rabbit awoke and sat up to see what all
• 1:12:34
  Speaker 1: the fuss was about. He saw Reddy running as if
• 1:12:37
  Speaker 1: his life depended upon it. Over on the little hill
• 1:12:41
  Speaker 1: he saw Johnny Chuck laughing so that the tears ran
• 1:12:44
  Speaker 1: down his face. Then Peter began to laugh too, and
• 1:12:49
  Speaker 1: ran over to ask Johnny Chuck to tell him all
• 1:12:52
  Speaker 1: about it. End of chapter 15 Chapter 16 of The
• 1:13:03
  Speaker 1: Adventures of Peter Cottontail CHAPTER XVI. READY FOX TELLS A
• 1:13:07
  Speaker 1: WRONG STORY. reddy fox was a sight there was no
• 1:13:35
  Speaker 1: doubt about that when he started down on to the
• 1:13:38
  Speaker 1: green meadows that morning he limped like an old old
• 1:13:43
  Speaker 1: man yes indeed reddy was a sorry-looking sight his head
• 1:13:50
  Speaker 1: was swelled so that one eye was closed and he
• 1:13:53
  Speaker 1: could hardly see out of the other reddy never would
• 1:13:58
  Speaker 1: have ventured out but that he just had to have
• 1:14:01
  Speaker 1: some fresh mud from the smiling pool. Reddy had waited
• 1:14:06
  Speaker 1: until most of the little meadow people were out of
• 1:14:09
  Speaker 1: the way. Then he had tried to hurry so as
• 1:14:12
  Speaker 1: to get back again as quickly as possible. But Johnny
• 1:14:16
  Speaker 1: Chuck's sharp eyes had spied Reddy, and Johnny had guessed
• 1:14:21
  Speaker 1: right away what the trouble was. He hurried over to
• 1:14:24
  Speaker 1: tell Peter Rabbit. Then the two little scalawags hunted up
• 1:14:29
  Speaker 1: Jimmy Skunk and Bobby Coon to tell them, and they
• 1:14:32
  Speaker 1: four head near the loon little path to wait for
• 1:14:34
  Speaker 1: Reddy's return. Pretty soon, Reddy came limping along. Even Johnny
• 1:14:41
  Speaker 1: Chuck was surprised at the way Reddy's face had swelled.
• 1:14:45
  Speaker 1: It was plastered all over with mud, and he was
• 1:14:48
  Speaker 1: a sorry sight indeed. Bobby Coon appeared very much astonished
• 1:14:53
  Speaker 1: to see Reddy in such a condition. though of course
• 1:14:57
  Speaker 1: johnny chuck had told him all about how reddy had
• 1:15:00
  Speaker 1: run headfirst into the home of old mrs hornet and
• 1:15:02
  Speaker 1: her family the day before bobby stepped out into the
• 1:15:06
  Speaker 1: lone little path why reddy fox what has happened to
• 1:15:10
  Speaker 1: you he exclaimed reddy didn't see the others hiding in
• 1:15:15
  Speaker 1: the long grass he didn't want bobby coon to know
• 1:15:20
  Speaker 1: that he had been so careless as to run his
• 1:15:22
  Speaker 1: head into a hornet's nest so he told a wrong
• 1:15:25
  Speaker 1: story he put on a long face that is it
• 1:15:31
  Speaker 1: was as long as he could make it considering that
• 1:15:34
  Speaker 1: it was so swelled i've i've had a most terrible
• 1:15:39
  Speaker 1: accident bobby coon said reddy sighing pitifully ah it happened
• 1:15:47
  Speaker 1: yesterday as i was returning from an errand over beyond
• 1:15:51
  Speaker 1: the hill just as i was coming through the deepest
• 1:15:55
  Speaker 1: part of the wood i heard someone crying of course
• 1:15:59
  Speaker 1: i stopped to find out what the matter was of
• 1:16:03
  Speaker 1: course interrupted bobby coon certainly to be sure of course
• 1:16:09
  Speaker 1: reddy looked at him suspiciously but went on with his
• 1:16:13
  Speaker 1: tale right down in the thickest blackest place i found
• 1:16:18
  Speaker 1: one of unc billy possum's children being worried to death
• 1:16:22
  Speaker 1: by digger the badger i couldn't see that little possum
• 1:16:26
  Speaker 1: hurt of course not broke in bobby So, I jumped
• 1:16:32
  Speaker 1: in and tackled Old Man Badger, and I had him
• 1:16:35
  Speaker 1: almost whipped, when I slept over the edge of a
• 1:16:39
  Speaker 1: big rock on the side of the hill. It took
• 1:16:41
  Speaker 1: the skin off my face and bruised me something terrible.
• 1:16:45
  Speaker 1: But I don't care, so long as I save that little,
• 1:16:48
  Speaker 1: awesome child, concluded Reddy, as he started on. Johnny Chuck
• 1:16:55
  Speaker 1: stole up behind him and thrust a sharp briar into
• 1:16:58
  Speaker 1: the seat of Reddy's pants. At the same time, Johnny
• 1:17:02
  Speaker 1: made a noise like a whole family of hornets. Reddy
• 1:17:06
  Speaker 1: Fox forgot his limp. He never even turned his head
• 1:17:09
  Speaker 1: to look behind. Instead, he started off at his best speed,
• 1:17:14
  Speaker 1: and it wasn't until he heard a roar of laughter
• 1:17:17
  Speaker 1: behind him that he realized that he had been fooled again.
• 1:17:25
  Speaker 1: End of chapter sixteen.
• 1:17:32
  Speaker 2: CHAPTER XVII. Reddy almost gets Peter Rabbit. Reddy Fox really
• 1:18:11
  Speaker 2: was almost ill from the effects of the stings which
• 1:18:15
  Speaker 2: old Mrs. Hornet and her family had given him when
• 1:18:18
  Speaker 2: he knocked in the side of their house. For several
• 1:18:23
  Speaker 2: days he limped around, his head badly swollen. Yes, sir,
• 1:18:30
  Speaker 2: Reddy Fox was in a dreadful bad way. The worst
• 1:18:35
  Speaker 2: of it was that none of the other little meadow
• 1:18:38
  Speaker 2: and forest people seemed to be the least bit sorry
• 1:18:42
  Speaker 2: for him. Some of them actually laughed at him. Peter
• 1:18:49
  Speaker 2: Rabbit did. Reddy Fox had made life very uncomfortable for
• 1:18:54
  Speaker 2: Peter for a long time, and now Peter was actually
• 1:18:59
  Speaker 2: enjoying Reddy's discomfort. Now, while he was laid up this way,
• 1:19:06
  Speaker 2: Reddy had plenty of time to think. He noticed, that
• 1:19:10
  Speaker 2: when he went out to walk, all those who kept
• 1:19:13
  Speaker 2: at a safe distance when he was well now hardly
• 1:19:17
  Speaker 2: got out of his way. They knew that he felt
• 1:19:21
  Speaker 2: too sore and mean to try to catch them. Peter
• 1:19:26
  Speaker 2: Rabbit hardly turned out of his path. A bright idea
• 1:19:31
  Speaker 2: came to Reddy. He would continue to appear to feel badly,
• 1:19:38
  Speaker 2: even after he was well. he would keep his head
• 1:19:42
  Speaker 2: bound up and would limp down to the smiling pool
• 1:19:46
  Speaker 2: for some mud every day. Then, when Peter Rabbit came
• 1:19:51
  Speaker 2: near enough, Greti would catch him. So day after day,
• 1:19:57
  Speaker 2: Greti limped down to the smiling pool. He kept his
• 1:20:02
  Speaker 2: head tied up as if it was as bad as ever.
• 1:20:06
  Speaker 2: And as he walked, he groaned as if in great pain.
• 1:20:12
  Speaker 2: even some of those who hated him most, began to
• 1:20:15
  Speaker 2: feel a little bit sorry for Ready Fox. Peter has
• 1:20:20
  Speaker 2: a very soft heart, and although he knew that Ready
• 1:20:24
  Speaker 2: Fox would like nothing better than to gobble him up,
• 1:20:28
  Speaker 2: he began to feel sorry for Ready. One morning, Peter
• 1:20:33
  Speaker 2: sat just outside the old briar patch, when Ready came
• 1:20:38
  Speaker 2: limping along. HE LOOKED MORE MISERABLE THAN USUAL. JUST AS
• 1:20:45
  Speaker 2: IT HAD BEEN FOR SEVERAL DAYS, ONE OF REDDY'S EYES
• 1:20:48
  Speaker 2: WAS CLOSED. IT MUST BE HARD WORK TO SEE WITH
• 1:20:52
  Speaker 2: ONLY ONE EYE, SAID PETER RABBIT. IT IS, REPLIED REDDY
• 1:20:59
  Speaker 2: WITH A GREAT SIGH. IT IS VERY HARD WORK, INDEED.
• 1:21:05
  Speaker 2: I DON'T SEE HOW YOU MANAGE TO GET ENOUGH TO EAT,
• 1:21:08
  Speaker 2: CONTINUED PETER. in his most sympathetic voice. Reddy sighed again.
• 1:21:15
  Speaker 2: I don't, Peter Rabbit. I don't get enough to eat,
• 1:21:20
  Speaker 2: and I'm nearly starved this very minute. When he said this,
• 1:21:26
  Speaker 2: such a note of longing crept into his voice that
• 1:21:30
  Speaker 2: Peter instantly grew suspicious. While he was sorry for Freddy,
• 1:21:36
  Speaker 2: he had no desire to make Freddy feel better, by
• 1:21:39
  Speaker 2: furnishing himself for a meal. Peter hopped around to the
• 1:21:44
  Speaker 2: blind side of Reddy and turned his back to him,
• 1:21:47
  Speaker 2: as he inquired for the health of old Granny Fox.
• 1:21:52
  Speaker 2: Now you know that Peter's eyes are so placed in
• 1:21:56
  Speaker 2: his head that he can see behind him without turning
• 1:21:59
  Speaker 2: his head. Reddy Fox did not know this, or if
• 1:22:05
  Speaker 2: he did, he had forgotten it. Very slowly and craftily,
• 1:22:11
  Speaker 2: the closed eye opened a wee bit, and in that
• 1:22:15
  Speaker 2: line of yellow was a hungry look. Peter Rabbit saw it,
• 1:22:20
  Speaker 2: and with a great jump landed behind a friendly bramble
• 1:22:24
  Speaker 2: bush in the old briar patch.
• 1:22:28
  Speaker 7: Ha-ha! shouted Peter.
• 1:22:31
  Speaker 2: I'd rather talk with you, Ready Fox, when you haven't
• 1:22:34
  Speaker 2: got a closed eye with such a hungry look in it. Ta-ta!
• 1:22:41
  Speaker 2: Reddy Fox just shook his fist at Peter Rabbit and
• 1:22:45
  Speaker 2: started home, pulling the bandage from his head as he went.
• 1:22:51
  Speaker 2: End of Chapter 17 Chapter 18 of The Adventures of
• 1:23:01
  Speaker 2: Peter Cottontail This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings
• 1:23:09
  Speaker 2: are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer,
• 1:23:15
  Speaker 2: please visit LibriVox.org. The Adventures of Peter Cottontail by Thornton W.
• 1:23:23
  Speaker 2: Burgess Chapter 18 Johnny Truck Prepares for Winter There was
• 1:23:32
  Speaker 2: something in the air that Peter Rabbit couldn't understand. It
• 1:23:37
  Speaker 2: made him feel frisky and happy. and ready to run
• 1:23:41
  Speaker 2: a race or have a frolic with anyone who might
• 1:23:44
  Speaker 2: happen along. He couldn't understand why it didn't make all
• 1:23:49
  Speaker 2: his friends and neighbors on the green meadows and in
• 1:23:52
  Speaker 2: the green forest feel the same way. But it didn't. No, sir,
• 1:23:59
  Speaker 2: it didn't. Some of those with whom he best liked
• 1:24:03
  Speaker 2: to play wouldn't play at all, not even for a
• 1:24:07
  Speaker 2: few minutes, said they had in time. Peter was puzzling
• 1:24:12
  Speaker 2: over it as he scampered down the lone little path,
• 1:24:17
  Speaker 2: kicking his heels and trying to jump over his shadow.
• 1:24:22
  Speaker 2: Just ahead of him, sitting on his own doorstep, sat
• 1:24:26
  Speaker 2: Johnny Chuck. My goodness, how fat Johnny Chuck is getting,
• 1:24:32
  Speaker 2: thought Peter Rabbit. Then he shouted, Come on and play hide-and-seek,
• 1:24:38
  Speaker 2: Johnny Chuck. but Johnny Chuck shook his head. Can't, said he.
• 1:24:46
  Speaker 2: I've got to get ready for winter. Peter Rabbit sat
• 1:24:50
  Speaker 2: down and looked at Johnny Chuck curiously. He couldn't understand
• 1:24:57
  Speaker 2: why anybody should take the trouble to get ready for winter.
• 1:25:01
  Speaker 2: He didn't, expecting that he put on a warmer coat.
• 1:25:07
  Speaker 2: So he couldn't imagine why Johnny Chuck should have to
• 1:25:10
  Speaker 2: get ready for winter. How do you do it? he asked.
• 1:25:17
  Speaker 5: Do what?
• 1:25:18
  Speaker 2: Johnny Chuck looked up in surprise. Why, get ready for winter,
• 1:25:24
  Speaker 2: of course, Peter replied, just a wee bit impatiently. Johnny
• 1:25:30
  Speaker 2: Chuck looked at Peter as if he thought Peter very
• 1:25:34
  Speaker 2: stupid indeed. Why, I eat, of course. said he shortly,
• 1:25:40
  Speaker 2: and began to stuff himself as if he hadn't had
• 1:25:43
  Speaker 2: anything to eat for a week, when all the time
• 1:25:47
  Speaker 2: he was so fat and roly-poly that he could hardly wallow.
• 1:25:54
  Speaker 2: Peter's eyes twinkled. I should think you did, he exclaimed.
• 1:26:00
  Speaker 2: I wouldn't mind getting ready for winter that way myself.
• 1:26:05
  Speaker 2: You know Peter thinks a very great deal of his stomach.
• 1:26:10
  Speaker 2: Then he added, I should think you were trying to
• 1:26:13
  Speaker 2: eat enough to last you all winter. Johnny Chuck yawned
• 1:26:19
  Speaker 2: sleepily and then once more began to eat. I am,
• 1:26:25
  Speaker 2: he said briefly, talking with his mouth full. What's that?
• 1:26:31
  Speaker 2: cried Peter Rabbit, his big eyes popping out. I said,
• 1:26:37
  Speaker 2: I'm trying to eat enough to last me all winter.
• 1:26:41
  Speaker 2: That's the way I get ready for winter, replied Johnny Chuck,
• 1:26:45
  Speaker 2: dressed a wee bit crossly. I think I've got enough now,
• 1:26:51
  Speaker 2: he added. How cool it is getting. I think I'll
• 1:26:57
  Speaker 2: go down and go to sleep. I'll see you in
• 1:27:00
  Speaker 2: the spring, Peter Rabbit. What's that? exclaimed Peter Rabbit, looking
• 1:27:07
  Speaker 2: as if he thought he hadn't heard it right. but
• 1:27:11
  Speaker 2: Johnny Chuck had disappeared inside his house. This is a
• 1:27:31
  Speaker 2: LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
• 1:27:38
  Speaker 2: For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org The
• 1:27:46
  Speaker 2: Adventures of Peter Cottontail by Thornton W. Burgess Chapter 19
• 1:27:54
  Speaker 2: Peter Rabbit Gets Another Surprise Peter Rabbit sat on Johnny
• 1:28:00
  Speaker 2: Chuck's doorstep for five long minutes, scratching his head first
• 1:28:05
  Speaker 2: with one hand, then the other. Now, what did Johnny
• 1:28:10
  Speaker 2: Chuck mean by saying that he would see me in
• 1:28:13
  Speaker 2: the spring, said Peter Rabbit to himself. Here it isn't
• 1:28:19
  Speaker 2: winter yet, and it will be a long, long time
• 1:28:22
  Speaker 2: before spring. Yet Johnny Chuck spoke just as if he
• 1:28:26
  Speaker 2: didn't expect to see me until winter has passed. Is
• 1:28:31
  Speaker 2: he going away somewhere? If he isn't, why won't I
• 1:28:35
  Speaker 2: see him all winter, just as I have all summer?
• 1:28:40
  Speaker 2: The more Peter thought about it, the more puzzled he became.
• 1:28:46
  Speaker 2: At last he had a happy thought. I'll just run
• 1:28:50
  Speaker 2: down to the smiling pool and ask Grandfather Frog. He
• 1:28:56
  Speaker 2: is very old and very wise, and he will surely
• 1:28:59
  Speaker 2: know what Johnny Chuck meant. So, kicking up his heels,
• 1:29:06
  Speaker 2: Peter Rabbit started down the lone little path, liberty, liberty, lip,
• 1:29:12
  Speaker 2: across the green meadows to the smiling pool. There he
• 1:29:16
  Speaker 2: found Grandfather Frog sitting as usual on his big lily pad.
• 1:29:22
  Speaker 2: But the lily pad wasn't as green as it used
• 1:29:24
  Speaker 2: to be, and Grandfather Frog didn't look as smart as usual.
• 1:29:31
  Speaker 2: His big, goggly eyes looked heavy and dull, just as
• 1:29:36
  Speaker 2: if they didn't see much of anything at all. Grandfather
• 1:29:41
  Speaker 2: Frog nodded sleepily and once nearly fell off the big
• 1:29:45
  Speaker 2: lily pad. Good morning, Grandfather Frog. Shall it be the rabbit?
• 1:29:53
  Speaker 6: Eh?
• 1:29:54
  Speaker 5: What?
• 1:29:55
  Speaker 2: Said Grandfather Frog, blinking his eyes and putting one hand
• 1:30:00
  Speaker 2: behind an ear. as if he were hard of hearing.
• 1:30:05
  Speaker 2: I said good morning, Grandfather Frog, shouted Peter Rabbit, a
• 1:30:10
  Speaker 2: little louder than before. No, replied Grandfather Frog grumpily. It
• 1:30:18
  Speaker 2: isn't a good morning.
• 1:30:19
  Speaker 4: It's too chilly.
• 1:30:21
  Speaker 2: He shivered as he spoke. Peter Rabbit pretended not to
• 1:30:27
  Speaker 2: notice how grumpy Grandfather Frog was. In his most polite way,
• 1:30:33
  Speaker 2: he asked, Can you tell me, Grandfather Frog, where Johnny
• 1:30:38
  Speaker 2: Chuck spends the winter? Spends it at home, of course.
• 1:30:44
  Speaker 2: Don't bother me with such foolish questions, snapped Grandfather Frog.
• 1:30:50
  Speaker 2: But if he is going to spend the winter at home,
• 1:30:53
  Speaker 2: what did he mean by saying that he would see
• 1:30:56
  Speaker 2: me in the spring, just as if he didn't expect
• 1:30:59
  Speaker 2: to see me before then? persisted Peter Rabbit. Grandfather Frog yawned,
• 1:31:06
  Speaker 2: shook himself, yawned again, and said, Johnny Chuck probably meant
• 1:31:14
  Speaker 2: just what he said, and I think I'll follow his example.
• 1:31:19
  Speaker 2: It's getting too cold for an old fellow like me.
• 1:31:24
  Speaker 2: I begin to feel it in my bones. I'm getting
• 1:31:27
  Speaker 2: so sleepy. that I guess the sooner I hunt up
• 1:31:30
  Speaker 2: my bed in the mud at the bottom of the
• 1:31:33
  Speaker 2: smiling pool, the better. Chug-a-rum. Johnny Chuck is wise. I'll
• 1:31:41
  Speaker 2: see you in the spring, Peter Rabbit, and tell you
• 1:31:44
  Speaker 2: all about it. And with that, Grandfather Frog dived with
• 1:31:51
  Speaker 2: a great splash into the smiling pond. End of chapter
• 1:31:57
  Speaker 2: 19 CHAPTER XX. Peter Trice all missed a buzzard. Peter
• 1:32:37
  Speaker 2: Rabbit sat on the edge of the smiling pool and
• 1:32:41
  Speaker 2: stared at a place where Grandfather Frog had disappeared with
• 1:32:45
  Speaker 2: a great splash. He watched the tiny waves spread out
• 1:32:50
  Speaker 2: in rings that grew bigger and bigger and then finally
• 1:32:54
  Speaker 2: disappeared too. Now what did Grandfather Frog mean when he said,
• 1:33:01
  Speaker 2: I'll see you in the spring, Peter Rabbit. Johnny Chuck
• 1:33:06
  Speaker 2: had said that very same thing as he had gone
• 1:33:09
  Speaker 2: down the long hall of his snug house. Yet it
• 1:33:13
  Speaker 2: would be a long, long time before spring, for it
• 1:33:17
  Speaker 2: was not winter yet. Where did they expect to be
• 1:33:21
  Speaker 2: all winter? And what did they expect to do? The
• 1:33:26
  Speaker 2: more Peter puzzled over it, the less he could understand.
• 1:33:31
  Speaker 2: My head is whirling round and round, so many funny
• 1:33:35
  Speaker 2: things I've found. Folks say it grows too cold to stay,
• 1:33:39
  Speaker 2: yet do not seem to go away. They talk of
• 1:33:42
  Speaker 2: meeting in the spring, but don't explain a single thing.
• 1:33:48
  Speaker 2: They just go into their houses and say goodbye. I
• 1:33:52
  Speaker 2: don't understand it at all, at all, said Peter Rabbit,
• 1:33:57
  Speaker 2: staring at the big lily pad. on which Grandfather Frog
• 1:34:01
  Speaker 2: had sat all summer, watching for foolish green flies to
• 1:34:05
  Speaker 2: come his way. Somehow, that big lily pad made Peter
• 1:34:11
  Speaker 2: Rabbit feel terribly lonely. Then he had a happy thought.
• 1:34:18
  Speaker 2: I'll just run over and ask old Mr. Buzzard what
• 1:34:21
  Speaker 2: it all means. He'll be sure to know, said Peter Rabbit,
• 1:34:27
  Speaker 2: and off he started. Liberty, liberty, lip, for the green forest.
• 1:34:34
  Speaker 2: When Peter got where he could see the tall dead
• 1:34:37
  Speaker 2: tree that old Mr. Buzzard had made his favorite resting place,
• 1:34:42
  Speaker 2: he could see old Mr. Buzzard stretching his big wings
• 1:34:47
  Speaker 2: as if he was getting ready to fly. Peter hurried faster.
• 1:34:53
  Speaker 2: He didn't want Mr. Buzzard to get away before he
• 1:34:56
  Speaker 2: could ask him what Johnny Chuck and Grandfather Frog had meant.
• 1:35:02
  Speaker 2: Peter couldn't shout, because he hasn't much of a voice,
• 1:35:06
  Speaker 2: you know, and then he was out of breath anyway.
• 1:35:11
  Speaker 2: So he just made those long legs of his go
• 1:35:14
  Speaker 2: as fast as ever they could, which is very fast indeed.
• 1:35:20
  Speaker 2: Just as Peter Rabbit almost reached the dull dead tree,
• 1:35:25
  Speaker 2: old Mr. Buzzard, jumped off the branch he had been
• 1:35:28
  Speaker 2: sitting on, gave two or three flaps with his great wings,
• 1:35:33
  Speaker 2: and then, spreading them out wide, began to sail round
• 1:35:38
  Speaker 2: and round and up and up as only old Mr.
• 1:35:42
  Speaker 2: Buzzard can. Wait, wait, please wait, panted Peter Rabbit. But
• 1:35:52
  Speaker 2: his voice was so weak that old Mr. Buzzard didn't
• 1:35:55
  Speaker 2: hear him He saw Peter, however, but of course he
• 1:36:01
  Speaker 2: didn't know that Peter wanted to talk with him. With
• 1:36:06
  Speaker 2: a long swoop, old Mr. Buzzard sailed off right over
• 1:36:10
  Speaker 2: Peter's head. Goodbye, Br'er Rabbit. I'll see you in the spring,
• 1:36:17
  Speaker 2: said old Mr.
• 1:36:18
  Speaker 1: Buzzard.
• 1:36:19
  Speaker 2: And before Peter could say a word, he was out
• 1:36:22
  Speaker 2: of hearing, up in the sky. Peter watched him go
• 1:36:27
  Speaker 2: up and up. until he was just a speck in
• 1:36:30
  Speaker 2: the blue, blue sky. Now what did he mean by that?
• 1:36:36
  Speaker 2: Is he going to stay up in the sky until spring,
• 1:36:39
  Speaker 2: asked Peter Rabbit of himself? But not knowing, of course,
• 1:36:45
  Speaker 2: he couldn't answer.
• 1:36:57
  Speaker 1: CHAPTER XXI.
• 1:37:21
  Speaker 8: Happy Jack Squirrel is too busy to talk. Peter Rabbit
• 1:37:24
  Speaker 8: sat with his mouth wide open, staring up into the blue,
• 1:37:27
  Speaker 8: blue sky, where all Mr. Buzzard was growing smaller and smaller. Finally,
• 1:37:33
  Speaker 8: he was just a teeny, weeny speck, and then Peter
• 1:37:36
  Speaker 8: couldn't see him at all. Peter hitched up his trousers
• 1:37:40
  Speaker 8: and sat for a long time, looking very thoughtful. He
• 1:37:43
  Speaker 8: was troubled in his mind, was Peter Rabbit. First Johnny
• 1:37:47
  Speaker 8: Chuck had said,' I' ll see you in the spring,' and
• 1:37:50
  Speaker 8: had disappeared underground. Then Grandfather Frog had said,' I' ll see
• 1:37:54
  Speaker 8: you in the spring,' and had disappeared in the smiling pool.
• 1:37:59
  Speaker 8: Now old Mr. Buzzard had said,' I' ll see you in
• 1:38:02
  Speaker 8: the spring,' and had disappeared up in the blue, blue sky.'
• 1:38:06
  Speaker 8: And they all spoke just as if they meant it,'
• 1:38:09
  Speaker 8: said Peter to himself.' I believe I'll go over and
• 1:38:12
  Speaker 8: see Happy Jack Squirrel. Perhaps he can tell me what
• 1:38:15
  Speaker 8: it all means.' so off started peter rabbit lipperty lipperty
• 1:38:20
  Speaker 8: lip through the green forest looking for happy jack squirrel
• 1:38:24
  Speaker 8: pretty soon he caught a glimpse of happy jack's gray
• 1:38:27
  Speaker 8: coat hi happy jack called peter hurrying as fast as
• 1:38:30
  Speaker 8: he could hello peter rabbit don't bother me this morning
• 1:38:34
  Speaker 8: i've got too much to do to be bothered said
• 1:38:36
  Speaker 8: happy jack digging a little hole in the ground while
• 1:38:39
  Speaker 8: he talked peter grew curious at once so curious that
• 1:38:43
  Speaker 8: he forgot all about what he was going to ask
• 1:38:45
  Speaker 8: happy jack he sat down and watched happy jack put
• 1:38:48
  Speaker 8: a nut in the hole and cover it up Then
• 1:38:50
  Speaker 8: Happy Jack hurried to dig another hole and do the
• 1:38:53
  Speaker 8: same thing over again.' What are you doing that for?'
• 1:38:56
  Speaker 8: asked Peter Rabbit.' Doing it for— why, I'm getting ready for winter,
• 1:39:00
  Speaker 8: of course, stupid,' said Happy Jack as he paused for breath.'
• 1:39:03
  Speaker 8: But I thought you stored your nuts and corn in
• 1:39:05
  Speaker 8: a hollow tree,' exclaimed Peter Rabbit.' So I do,' replied
• 1:39:09
  Speaker 8: Happy Jack,' but I would be foolish to put all
• 1:39:11
  Speaker 8: my supplies in one place, so I bury some of them.''
• 1:39:14
  Speaker 8: But how do you remember where you bury them?' persisted Peter.
• 1:39:19
  Speaker 8: I don't, always, but when I forget, my nose helps
• 1:39:21
  Speaker 8: me out. Then I just dig down and get them,
• 1:39:24
  Speaker 8: said Happy Jack. Now I can't stop to talk any more,
• 1:39:27
  Speaker 8: for I am late this year, and the first thing
• 1:39:29
  Speaker 8: I know, winter will be here. Then Peter remembered what
• 1:39:33
  Speaker 8: he had come for. Oh, Happy Jack, what did Johnny
• 1:39:36
  Speaker 8: Chuck and Grandfather Frog and old Mr. Buzzard mean by
• 1:39:39
  Speaker 8: saying that they would see me in the spring, he cried.
• 1:39:43
  Speaker 8: Can't stop to tell you now, replied Happy Jack. running
• 1:39:46
  Speaker 8: this way and that way and pulling over the fallen
• 1:39:48
  Speaker 8: leaves to hunt for another nut. Winter's coming and I've
• 1:39:51
  Speaker 8: got to be ready for it. Can't stop to talk.
• 1:39:55
  Speaker 8: And that was all Peter Rabbit could get out of him,
• 1:39:57
  Speaker 8: although he followed Happy Jack about and bothered him with
• 1:40:00
  Speaker 8: questions until Happy Jack quite lost his temper. Peter sighed.
• 1:40:05
  Speaker 8: He saw Chatterer the Red Squirrel and Striped Chipmunk both
• 1:40:09
  Speaker 8: quite as busy as Happy Jack. It's of no use
• 1:40:12
  Speaker 8: to ask them, for they are doing the same thing
• 1:40:14
  Speaker 8: that Happy Jack is, thought Peter. I don't see the
• 1:40:18
  Speaker 8: use of all this fuss about winter anyway. I don't
• 1:40:20
  Speaker 8: have to get ready for it. I believe I'll go
• 1:40:23
  Speaker 8: down to the smiling pool again and see if maybe
• 1:40:26
  Speaker 8: Grandfather Frog has come up. End of Chapter Twenty-One Recording
• 1:40:31
  Speaker 8: by Sandra.
• 1:40:31
  Speaker 4: Knight Chapter Twenty-Two CHAPTER XXII. UNCLE BILLY POSSUM EXPLAINS THINGS.
• 1:41:09
  Speaker 4: Peter Rabbit had sat still all day long in his
• 1:41:12
  Speaker 4: safe hiding place in the middle of the dear old
• 1:41:14
  Speaker 4: briar patch. Jolly, round, red Mr. Sun had gone to
• 1:41:19
  Speaker 4: bed behind the purple hills, and the black shadows had
• 1:41:22
  Speaker 4: raced out across the green meadows and into the green forest.
• 1:41:26
  Speaker 4: Now the moonlight was driving them back a little way.
• 1:41:30
  Speaker 4: Peter hopped out of the old briar patch into the
• 1:41:32
  Speaker 4: moonlight and stretched first one leg and then another. Then
• 1:41:37
  Speaker 4: he jumped up and down three or four times to
• 1:41:39
  Speaker 4: get the kinks out of his long hind legs, and
• 1:41:42
  Speaker 4: finally started off up the lone little path, lippity-lippity-lip. Halfway
• 1:41:48
  Speaker 4: up the lone little path, Peter almost ran headlong into
• 1:41:52
  Speaker 4: Uncle Billy Possum.' My goodness, Br'er Rabbit, y'all don't give
• 1:41:57
  Speaker 4: me a powerful start!' exclaimed Uncle Billy.' What y'all in
• 1:42:01
  Speaker 4: such a right smart hurry for?' Peter Rabbit grinned as
• 1:42:05
  Speaker 4: he stopped running. I didn't mean to frighten you, Uncle Billy.
• 1:42:10
  Speaker 4: The fact is, I was on my way up to
• 1:42:12
  Speaker 4: your house to see how you and old Mrs. Possum
• 1:42:15
  Speaker 4: and all the children do this fine fall weather, said
• 1:42:18
  Speaker 4: Peter Rabbit. Uncle Billy Possum looked at Peter Rabbit sharply.
• 1:42:23
  Speaker 4: Seems to me that y'all have taken a powerful sudden
• 1:42:26
  Speaker 4: interest in we alls. I don't remember seeing you up
• 1:42:29
  Speaker 4: our way for a long time, Brother Rabbit, said he.
• 1:42:34
  Speaker 4: Peter looked a little foolish. for it was true that
• 1:42:37
  Speaker 4: he hadn't been near Uncle Billy's hollow tree for a
• 1:42:39
  Speaker 4: long time. You see, I've been very busy getting ready
• 1:42:44
  Speaker 4: for winter, said Peter, by way of an excuse. Uncle
• 1:42:48
  Speaker 4: Billy began to chuckle and then to laugh. He rested
• 1:42:52
  Speaker 4: both hands on his knees and laughed and laughed. Peter
• 1:42:56
  Speaker 4: Rabbit couldn't see anything to laugh at, and he began
• 1:42:59
  Speaker 4: to get just a wee bit provoked. What's the joke?
• 1:43:03
  Speaker 4: he demanded. The very idea of Bear Rabbit getting ready
• 1:43:07
  Speaker 4: for winter, or being busy about anything but other people's affairs,
• 1:43:11
  Speaker 4: cried Uncle Billy, wiping his eyes. Peter tried to feel
• 1:43:16
  Speaker 4: and to look very angry, but he couldn't. No, sir,
• 1:43:19
  Speaker 4: he couldn't. The very twinkle in Uncle Billy Possum's eyes
• 1:43:23
  Speaker 4: made Peter want to laugh, too. In fact, Peter just
• 1:43:26
  Speaker 4: had to laugh. Finally, they both stopped laughing, and Peter
• 1:43:31
  Speaker 4: told Uncle Billy all about the things that had troubled him.
• 1:43:35
  Speaker 4: Johnny Chuck disappeared down in his house and said he
• 1:43:37
  Speaker 4: would see me in the spring. What did he mean
• 1:43:40
  Speaker 4: by that? asked Peter. Just what it said, replied Uncle Billy.
• 1:43:46
  Speaker 4: He done gone down to his bed and gone asleep,
• 1:43:49
  Speaker 4: and he's gone stay asleep until next spring. Peter's eyes
• 1:43:53
  Speaker 4: looked as if they would pop right out of his head.
• 1:43:55
  Speaker 4: And Grandfather Frog? What has become of him? he asked. Oh,
• 1:44:02
  Speaker 4: Grandfather Frog, He done gone to sleep, too, down in
• 1:44:06
  Speaker 4: the mud at the bottom of the smiling pool. I
• 1:44:09
  Speaker 4: reckon you'll see Grandfather Frog come up right put in
• 1:44:12
  Speaker 4: the spring, said Uncle Billy. And old Mr. Buzzard, he
• 1:44:17
  Speaker 4: shouted down from the blue, blue sky that he would
• 1:44:20
  Speaker 4: see me in the spring. Has he gone to sleep
• 1:44:22
  Speaker 4: up there? asked Peter. Uncle Billy Possum threw back his
• 1:44:27
  Speaker 4: head and laughed fit to kill himself. Bless your long ears. No,
• 1:44:33
  Speaker 4: Br'er Rabbit. No, indeed. Oh, my, no. Br'er Buzzard done
• 1:44:38
  Speaker 4: fly way down south to old Virginia to stay through
• 1:44:41
  Speaker 4: the cold winter. And I most wish I was right
• 1:44:44
  Speaker 4: along with him, added Uncle Billy, suddenly growing sober. Then
• 1:44:49
  Speaker 4: Peter Rabbit had a sudden thought. You aren't going away
• 1:44:53
  Speaker 4: to sleep all winter, are you, Uncle Billy? he asked anxiously.
• 1:44:58
  Speaker 4: The grin came back to Uncle Billy's face. No, Br'er Rabbit,
• 1:45:02
  Speaker 4: I reckon y'all can find me right in my holler
• 1:45:05
  Speaker 4: tree most any time this winter, if you're not loud enough.
• 1:45:09
  Speaker 4: But I don't reckon on going out much, and I
• 1:45:12
  Speaker 4: do reckon I'm going to have a right smart lot
• 1:45:14
  Speaker 4: of sleep, replied Uncle Billy. End of Chapter Twenty-Two Recording
• 1:45:20
  Speaker 4: by James K. White Chula Vista.
• 1:45:28
  Speaker 5: Chapter Twenty-Three The Adventures of Peter Cottontail 23. Peter Rabbit
• 1:46:02
  Speaker 5: Has a Bright Idea Peter Rabbit had a bright idea.
• 1:46:09
  Speaker 5: At least Peter thought it was, and he chuckled over
• 1:46:12
  Speaker 5: it a great deal. The more he thought about it,
• 1:46:15
  Speaker 5: the better it seemed.
• 1:46:17
  Speaker 7: What was it?
• 1:46:18
  Speaker 5: Why, to follow the plan of Johnny Chuck and Grandfather
• 1:46:23
  Speaker 5: Frog to avoid the cold stormy weather by sleeping all winter.
• 1:46:28
  Speaker 7: Yes, sir.
• 1:46:30
  Speaker 5: That was Peter Rabbit's bright idea. If Johnny Chuck can
• 1:46:34
  Speaker 5: sleep and sleep the whole long stormy winter through, it
• 1:46:38
  Speaker 5: ought to be, it seems to me, the very thing
• 1:46:41
  Speaker 5: for me to do. Peter Rabbit said this to himself
• 1:46:45
  Speaker 5: as he sat in the middle of the old briar patch,
• 1:46:48
  Speaker 5: chewing the end of a straw. If Johnny Chuck could
• 1:46:52
  Speaker 5: do it, of course he could do it. All he
• 1:46:54
  Speaker 5: would have to do would be to find a snug,
• 1:46:57
  Speaker 5: warm house which nobody else was using, fix himself a
• 1:47:01
  Speaker 5: comfortable bed, curl up and go to sleep. Peter tried
• 1:47:05
  Speaker 5: to picture himself sleeping away while the snow laid deep
• 1:47:09
  Speaker 5: all over the green meadows and the smiling pool could
• 1:47:12
  Speaker 5: smile no more because the ice, the hard black ice,
• 1:47:16
  Speaker 5: would not let it. Finally, Peter could sit still no longer.
• 1:47:21
  Speaker 5: He just had to tell someone about his bright idea and, and, well,
• 1:47:26
  Speaker 5: he wasn't quite sure of just the way to go
• 1:47:29
  Speaker 5: to sleep and sleep so long. For never in his
• 1:47:33
  Speaker 5: life had Peter Rabbit slept more than a very, very
• 1:47:36
  Speaker 5: short time without waking to see that no danger was near.
• 1:47:40
  Speaker 5: I'll just run up and see Uncle Billy Possum, said Peter.
• 1:47:44
  Speaker 5: Uncle Billy Possum was sitting in his doorway in his
• 1:47:48
  Speaker 5: big hollow tree in the green forest when Peter Rabbit
• 1:47:52
  Speaker 5: came hurrying up. Lippity, lippity, lip. Peter hardly waited to
• 1:47:56
  Speaker 5: say good morning. before he began to tell Uncle Billy
• 1:48:00
  Speaker 5: all about his bright idea. Uncle Billy listened gravely, although
• 1:48:04
  Speaker 5: there was a twinkle in his eye. The first thing
• 1:48:07
  Speaker 5: you must do is find a warm place to sleep,
• 1:48:10
  Speaker 5: Bear Rabbit, said Uncle Billy. Oh, that's easy enough, said Peter.
• 1:48:17
  Speaker 5: And then you must get fat, Bear Rabbit. Rabbit, continued
• 1:48:21
  Speaker 5: Uncle Billy. What's that? exclaimed Peter Rabbit, looking very much puzzled.
• 1:48:28
  Speaker 5: I say you must get fat, repeated Uncle Billy, slapping
• 1:48:32
  Speaker 5: his own fat sides. For what? asked Peter. To keep
• 1:48:36
  Speaker 5: you warm while you sleep, replied Uncle Billy. Must I
• 1:48:42
  Speaker 5: get very fat? Peter asked. Yes, sir, you must get
• 1:48:47
  Speaker 5: very fat indeed, said Uncle Billy and smiled, for it
• 1:48:52
  Speaker 5: was hard to think of Peter Rabbit as very fat. How,
• 1:48:58
  Speaker 5: how can I get fat? asked Peter and looked up
• 1:49:02
  Speaker 5: just a bit worried. By eating and eating and eating,
• 1:49:07
  Speaker 5: And in between times, sitting still, replied Uncle Billy Possum.
• 1:49:12
  Speaker 5: That's easy. At least the eating is, said Peter, who,
• 1:49:16
  Speaker 5: you know, thinks a great deal of his stomach. Is
• 1:49:20
  Speaker 5: that all, Uncle Billy? That's about all, excepting you mustn't
• 1:49:25
  Speaker 5: have anything on your mind when you're trying to go
• 1:49:27
  Speaker 5: to sleep, Brat Rabbit. You mustn't get to worrying for
• 1:49:30
  Speaker 5: fair Brat Fox going to find you while you sleep,
• 1:49:33
  Speaker 5: said Uncle Billy, and grinned. When Peter happened to turn
• 1:49:37
  Speaker 5: his head, Peter thanked Uncle Billy and hurried back to
• 1:49:41
  Speaker 5: the old briar patch to think over all that Uncle
• 1:49:44
  Speaker 5: Billy had told him. I certainly will try it, said Peter.
• 1:50:05
  Speaker 8: All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
• 1:50:09
  Speaker 8: information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. The Adventures of
• 1:50:16
  Speaker 8: Peter Cottontail by Thornton W. Burgess Chapter 24 Peter Prepares
• 1:50:23
  Speaker 8: for a Long Sleep Day after day Peter Rabbit ran
• 1:50:27
  Speaker 8: about this way and that, over the green meadows and
• 1:50:30
  Speaker 8: through the green forest, as if he had something on
• 1:50:32
  Speaker 8: his mind. Jimmy Skunk noticed it, So did Billy Mink
• 1:50:36
  Speaker 8: and Bobby Coon. But Peter wouldn't stop to explain. Indeed,
• 1:50:40
  Speaker 8: he was always in such a hurry that he wouldn't
• 1:50:43
  Speaker 8: stop at all. But when he met them, would shout, Hello!
• 1:50:46
  Speaker 8: over his shoulder and keep right on running. Lipperty, lipperty, lip.
• 1:50:51
  Speaker 8: Unk Possum was the only one who guessed what it meant.
• 1:50:54
  Speaker 8: Unk Billy grinned as he watched Peter running about with
• 1:50:57
  Speaker 8: such a serious, important air. Br'er Rabbit is trying dreadful
• 1:51:02
  Speaker 8: hard to fool hisself. I reckon he's looking for a
• 1:51:06
  Speaker 8: place to curl up and try to sleep all winter,
• 1:51:09
  Speaker 8: said Unk Billy. Unk Billy had guessed just right. Peter
• 1:51:13
  Speaker 8: was looking for a place to curl up to sleep
• 1:51:15
  Speaker 8: all winter. Peter was too lazy to dig a new
• 1:51:18
  Speaker 8: house for himself. Then it was too late in the
• 1:51:21
  Speaker 8: fall anyway. He would just find some old deserted house
• 1:51:25
  Speaker 8: that some of Jimmy Skunk's relatives or Johnny Chuck's relations
• 1:51:29
  Speaker 8: had given up using. So Peter went poking into every
• 1:51:32
  Speaker 8: old house he knew of. trying to find one that
• 1:51:35
  Speaker 8: wasn't so tumbled down that it wouldn't do. At last
• 1:51:38
  Speaker 8: he found one that he thought would be just the place,
• 1:51:41
  Speaker 8: and Peter chuckled to himself as he planned how he
• 1:51:44
  Speaker 8: would curl up in the bedchamber way down at the
• 1:51:47
  Speaker 8: end of the long hall. Nobody'll ever guess where I am,
• 1:51:52
  Speaker 8: he said to himself and laughed aloud. Then Peter remembered
• 1:51:55
  Speaker 8: that Unk Billy Possum had told him that it was
• 1:51:58
  Speaker 8: necessary to eat a great deal so as to be
• 1:52:00
  Speaker 8: very fat before going to sleep. for that was the
• 1:52:04
  Speaker 8: only way to keep warm all winter. So Peter started
• 1:52:07
  Speaker 8: out to grow fat. This would be fun, the very
• 1:52:11
  Speaker 8: best kind of fun, for there is nothing Peter Rabbit
• 1:52:13
  Speaker 8: loves more than to fill his stomach, unless it is
• 1:52:17
  Speaker 8: to satisfy his curiosity. Peter Rabbit's stomach is a thing
• 1:52:22
  Speaker 8: that's most amazing. It takes so long to fill it up,
• 1:52:25
  Speaker 8: his time is short for lazing. Perhaps this is the
• 1:52:29
  Speaker 8: reason why, when Peter isn't eating, He wants to loaf
• 1:52:33
  Speaker 8: around and watch other people work. Anyway, Peter is a
• 1:52:37
  Speaker 8: tremendous eater, and now that he wanted to grow fat,
• 1:52:40
  Speaker 8: he felt that he must eat more than ever. So
• 1:52:42
  Speaker 8: he began, at once, to eat and eat and eat.
• 1:52:46
  Speaker 8: But there was only one important thing that Peter had forgotten.
• 1:52:50
  Speaker 8: He had quite forgotten that it was now late in
• 1:52:52
  Speaker 8: the fall, and the tender, young, green things which Peter
• 1:52:56
  Speaker 8: dearly loves to eat were gone. He would no longer
• 1:52:59
  Speaker 8: go down to the sweet clover patch and fill himself
• 1:53:02
  Speaker 8: up to bursting. Farmer Brown had taken away all the
• 1:53:06
  Speaker 8: cabbages and carrots and turnips that had made his garden
• 1:53:09
  Speaker 8: so attractive to Peter. So now Peter had to hunt
• 1:53:13
  Speaker 8: for what he had to eat. That made a great
• 1:53:15
  Speaker 8: deal of running about, and it is very hard work
• 1:53:18
  Speaker 8: to grow fat when one runs about. The more Peter ate,
• 1:53:22
  Speaker 8: the more he had to hunt for his food. and
• 1:53:24
  Speaker 8: the more he had to hunt for his food, the
• 1:53:26
  Speaker 8: more he had to run about, and the more he
• 1:53:28
  Speaker 8: had to run about, the more he hurried and the
• 1:53:31
  Speaker 8: faster he ran. Now, of course, running takes fat off.
• 1:53:36
  Speaker 1: Oh, dear!
• 1:53:37
  Speaker 8: Cried Peter Rabbit. Getting fat is not as easy as
• 1:53:40
  Speaker 8: I thought.
• 1:53:53
  Speaker 4: CHAPTER XXV. UNCLE BILLY POSSUM PLAYS A JOKE. Some folks
• 1:54:22
  Speaker 4: never seemed to be satisfied or quite content, always wanting
• 1:54:27
  Speaker 4: something more that for them was never meant. Uncle Billy
• 1:54:32
  Speaker 4: Possum said this to himself as he watched Peter Rabbit
• 1:54:35
  Speaker 4: hurrying about through the green forest and over the green meadows,
• 1:54:39
  Speaker 4: eating as fast as ever he could so as to
• 1:54:42
  Speaker 4: grow fat that he might keep warm while he slept
• 1:54:44
  Speaker 4: all winter. Now, Uncle Billy Possum knew perfectly well that
• 1:54:49
  Speaker 4: Peter Rabbit couldn't sleep all winter, as Johnny Chuck does,
• 1:54:53
  Speaker 4: for old Mother Nature had never planned that Peter should.
• 1:54:57
  Speaker 4: But Uncle Billy knew that it was of no use
• 1:54:59
  Speaker 4: to tell Peter that, for Peter wouldn't believe him. So
• 1:55:03
  Speaker 4: he chuckled as he watched Peter rush around hunting for
• 1:55:05
  Speaker 4: food and actually running off what little fat he did have,
• 1:55:09
  Speaker 4: instead of putting on more. Of course, it just happened
• 1:55:13
  Speaker 4: that Uncle Billy Possum was right over near the old
• 1:55:15
  Speaker 4: house built by Grandfather Skunk a long time ago. which
• 1:55:19
  Speaker 4: Peter Rabbit had decided to sleep in all winter. It
• 1:55:23
  Speaker 4: just happened that he saw Peter when he finally went
• 1:55:26
  Speaker 4: down to the little bedchamber at the end of the
• 1:55:28
  Speaker 4: long haul to curl up and try to go to sleep.
• 1:55:32
  Speaker 4: Uncle Billy grinned. Then he chuckled. Finally, he laughed until
• 1:55:37
  Speaker 4: his fat sides shook.' I reckon I'm going to have
• 1:55:41
  Speaker 4: some fun with Br'er Rabbit,' said Uncle Billy, still chuckling
• 1:55:45
  Speaker 4: as he trotted off through the green forest. He went
• 1:55:48
  Speaker 4: over to Bobby Coon's house and found Bobby, who had
• 1:55:51
  Speaker 4: been out all night, just getting ready for bed. But
• 1:55:55
  Speaker 4: Bobby is always ready to play a joke. And when
• 1:55:58
  Speaker 4: Uncle Billy told him about Peter Rabbit and what fun
• 1:56:00
  Speaker 4: it would be to give Peter a scare, Bobby scrambled
• 1:56:03
  Speaker 4: down from his hollow tree right away. Then they hunted
• 1:56:07
  Speaker 4: up Jimmy Skunk, and the three started for the old
• 1:56:10
  Speaker 4: house of Grandfather Skunk, where Peter Rabbit was trying to
• 1:56:13
  Speaker 4: go to sleep for the winter. I done tell Peter
• 1:56:16
  Speaker 4: that when he tried to go to sleep, HE MUSTN'T
• 1:56:19
  Speaker 4: GET TO THINKING ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF BRAIL FOX
• 1:56:21
  Speaker 4: SHOULD JUST HAPPEN ALONG AND FIND HIM ASLEEP. I RECKON
• 1:56:26
  Speaker 4: THAT THAT IS THE VERY FIRST THING PETER DID THINK
• 1:56:28
  Speaker 4: OF AS SOON AS HE CURLED HIMSELF UP, AND THAT
• 1:56:31
  Speaker 4: IS THINKING OF IT MORE NEVER RIGHT THIS BLESSED MINUTE.
• 1:56:35
  Speaker 4: Y'ALLS WAIT WHILE I LISTEN AT THE DOOR. UNCLE BILLY
• 1:56:39
  Speaker 4: STOLE VERY SOFTLY TO THE DOOR OF THE OLD HOUSE.
• 1:56:43
  Speaker 4: THEN HE BEGAN TO GRIN AND BECKON TO BOBBY COON
• 1:56:45
  Speaker 4: AND JIMMY SKUNK TO COME LISTEN. They could hear long
• 1:56:49
  Speaker 4: sighs from way down in the bedchamber at the end
• 1:56:52
  Speaker 4: of the long hall. They heard Peter twist and turn
• 1:56:56
  Speaker 4: as he tried to make himself comfortable, but when they
• 1:56:58
  Speaker 4: heard him saying a verse over and over to try
• 1:57:01
  Speaker 4: to make himself go to sleep, they had to clap
• 1:57:03
  Speaker 4: their hands over their mouths to keep from laughing out loud.
• 1:57:08
  Speaker 4: When they grew tired of listening, Uncle Billy whispered to
• 1:57:11
  Speaker 4: Jimmy Skunk. Jimmy Skunk grinned, and then he crept a
• 1:57:14
  Speaker 4: little way down the long hall and began to scratch
• 1:57:17
  Speaker 4: with his stout claws, as if he were digging. When
• 1:57:21
  Speaker 4: he stopped, Uncle Billy put his mouth down close to
• 1:57:24
  Speaker 4: the doorway, and barked as nearly like Reddy Fox as
• 1:57:27
  Speaker 4: he could. Then Jimmy began to dig again, and pretty
• 1:57:32
  Speaker 4: soon Uncle Billy barked again. Then all three stole softly
• 1:57:37
  Speaker 4: away and hid behind some bushes. I reckon Br'er Rabbit
• 1:57:41
  Speaker 4: is right smart wide awake, instead of going to sleep
• 1:57:45
  Speaker 4: for the winna. chuckled Uncle Billy. CHAPTER XXVI.
• 1:58:01
  Speaker 8: OF THE ADVENTURES OF PETER COTTONTALE This is a LibriVox recording.
• 1:58:06
  Speaker 8: All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. curled up
• 1:58:26
  Speaker 8: in the little bedchamber at the end of the long
• 1:58:28
  Speaker 8: hall in the old house made a long time ago
• 1:58:31
  Speaker 8: by Grandfather Skunk, twisted and turned and tried to make
• 1:58:35
  Speaker 8: himself feel sleepy. But the harder he tried, the more
• 1:58:39
  Speaker 8: wide awake he seemed to feel. Then he began to
• 1:58:42
  Speaker 8: think of Reddy and Granny Fox and what would happen
• 1:58:45
  Speaker 8: if by any chance they should find him there fast asleep,
• 1:58:48
  Speaker 8: and right while he was thinking about it, he heard
• 1:58:50
  Speaker 8: a noise that made him jump so that he bumped
• 1:58:53
  Speaker 8: his head. Peter didn't think anything about the bump on
• 1:58:56
  Speaker 8: his head. No, sir. Peter didn't even notice it. He
• 1:59:00
  Speaker 8: was too frightened. He held his breath and listened, while
• 1:59:03
  Speaker 8: his heart went pit-a-pat, pit-a-pat. There it was again. That
• 1:59:08
  Speaker 8: noise he had heard before. Someone was in the long,
• 1:59:11
  Speaker 8: dark hall. There was no doubt about it. He could
• 1:59:15
  Speaker 8: hear claws scratching. Whoever it was was digging.
• 1:59:19
  Speaker 1: Digging!
• 1:59:20
  Speaker 8: The very thought made every hair on Peter Rabbit stand
• 1:59:23
  Speaker 8: on end. He knew that Johnny Chuck had gone to
• 1:59:26
  Speaker 8: sleep for the winter. He knew that Jimmy Skunk could
• 1:59:28
  Speaker 8: walk right in without any trouble, and that Jimmy never
• 1:59:32
  Speaker 8: takes any trouble he can avoid. He knew that Bobby
• 1:59:35
  Speaker 8: Coon and Unc Billy Possum don't go into houses underground
• 1:59:38
  Speaker 8: unless they have to, to get away from danger, and
• 1:59:41
  Speaker 8: very seldom then. If someone was digging in the long,
• 1:59:45
  Speaker 8: dark hall, it could mean but one thing, that it
• 1:59:49
  Speaker 8: must be someone too big to get in without making
• 1:59:52
  Speaker 8: the hall larger. and the only ones he could think
• 1:59:55
  Speaker 8: of were Bowser the Hound and Reddy and Granny Fox.
• 1:59:59
  Speaker 8: Peter shivered and shook, for unlike Johnny Chuck's house, this
• 2:00:03
  Speaker 8: one had no back door. If it's Bowser the Hound,
• 2:00:07
  Speaker 8: he may get tired and go away. Anyway, I can
• 2:00:10
  Speaker 8: soon tell, for he will sniff and snuff and blow
• 2:00:12
  Speaker 8: the sand out of his nose, thought Peter, and strained
• 2:00:16
  Speaker 8: his ears to hear the first sniff. But there were
• 2:00:19
  Speaker 8: no sniffs or snuffs. Instead, Peter heard a sound that
• 2:00:23
  Speaker 8: made his heart almost stop beating again. It was a bark,
• 2:00:27
  Speaker 8: a bark that sounded very much like the bark of
• 2:00:30
  Speaker 8: Reddy Fox, and it came from just outside the door.
• 2:00:34
  Speaker 8: That could mean but one thing, that old Granny Fox
• 2:00:37
  Speaker 8: was digging her way into the little bedchamber, while Reddy
• 2:00:41
  Speaker 8: kept watch outside. Oh dear, oh dear, why wasn't I
• 2:00:46
  Speaker 8: content to live as I always have lived? Whatever did
• 2:00:49
  Speaker 8: I try to do something I never was intended to
• 2:00:52
  Speaker 8: do for, cried Peter to himself, and shook with fright
• 2:00:56
  Speaker 8: harder than ever. There was nothing to do but to
• 2:00:59
  Speaker 8: sit still and wait. Peter sat as still as ever
• 2:01:03
  Speaker 8: he could. After a little while, the noise in the
• 2:01:06
  Speaker 8: long dark hall stopped. Peter waited and waited, but all
• 2:01:10
  Speaker 8: was still, and he began to feel better. Perhaps old
• 2:01:14
  Speaker 8: Granny Fox didn't know that he was there at all
• 2:01:17
  Speaker 8: and had grown tired of digging and had gone away.
• 2:01:20
  Speaker 8: Peter waited a long time and then peeped out into
• 2:01:23
  Speaker 8: the long hall. Way up at the end he could
• 2:01:26
  Speaker 8: see light where the doorway was, and by this he
• 2:01:29
  Speaker 8: knew that no one was in the hall. Little by little,
• 2:01:32
  Speaker 8: his heart going pitter-pat, Peter crept up until he could
• 2:01:36
  Speaker 8: peep outside. No one was to be seen. With his
• 2:01:40
  Speaker 8: heart almost in his mouth, Peter sprang out and started
• 2:01:43
  Speaker 8: for the dear old briar patch as fast as his
• 2:01:45
  Speaker 8: long legs could take him, and then he heard a
• 2:01:48
  Speaker 8: sound that made him stop suddenly and sit up.
• 2:01:51
  Speaker 5: Ha, ha, ha!
• 2:01:52
  Speaker 1: Ho, ho, ho!
• 2:01:54
  Speaker 4: Hee, hee, hee!
• 2:01:56
  Speaker 8: There, behind some bushes, Unk Billy Possum, Bobby Coon, and
• 2:02:02
  Speaker 8: Jimmy Skunk were laughing fit to kill themselves. Then Peter
• 2:02:06
  Speaker 8: knew that they had played a joke on him, and
• 2:02:08
  Speaker 8: he shook his fist at them, but down in his
• 2:02:11
  Speaker 8: heart HE WAS GLAD, FOR HE KNEW THAT HE HAD
• 2:02:13
  Speaker 8: LEARNED HIS LESSON, THAT HE HAD NO BUSINESS TO TRY
• 2:02:17
  Speaker 8: TO DO WHAT OLD MOTHER NATURE HAD NEVER INTENDED THAT
• 2:02:20
  Speaker 8: HE SHOULD DO. OF COURSE THESE ARE NOT ALL OF
• 2:02:23
  Speaker 8: PETER RABBIT'S ADVENTURES, OH MY NO, BUT THERE ARE SO
• 2:02:27
  Speaker 8: MANY OTHER LITTLE PEOPLE WHO LIVE ON THE GREEN MEADOWS
• 2:02:30
  Speaker 8: AND IN THE GREEN FOREST WHO HAVE ADVENTURES TOO AND
• 2:02:33
  Speaker 8: GET INTO FUNNY SCRAPES THAT I'M SURE YOU WILL BE
• 2:02:35
  Speaker 8: WILLING TO SAY GOOD NIGHT TO PETER FOR A LITTLE
• 2:02:38
  Speaker 8: WHILE AND HEAR ABOUT THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED TO
• 2:02:40
  Speaker 8: SOME OF THE OTHERS. And so, in the next book,
• 2:02:43
  Speaker 8: I am going to tell you about the worries and
• 2:02:45
  Speaker 8: troubles and exciting escapes of one of Peter's friends, Unc.
• 2:02:49
  Speaker 8: Billy Possum.