a very big fir-tree.

"Now, my dears," said old Mrs. Rabbit, one morning, "you may go into
the fields or down the lane, but don't go into Mr. McGregor's garden:
your Father had an accident there; he was put in a pie by Mrs.
McGregor."

"Now run along, and don't get into mischief. I am going out."

Then old Mrs. Rabbit took a basket and her umbrella and went through
the wood to the baker's. She bought a loaf of brown bread and five
currant buns.

Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail, who were good little bunnies, went
down the lane to gather blackberries.

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

First he ate some lettuces and some French beans, and then he ate
some radishes; and then, feeling rather sick, he went to look for some
parsley.

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

Mr. McGregor was on his hands and knees planting out young cabbages,
but he jumped up and ran after Peter, waving a rake and calling out,
"Stop, thief!"

Peter was most dreadfully frightened; he rushed all over the garden,
for he had forgotten the way back to the gate. He lost one of his
shoes among the cabbages, and the other shoe amongst the potatoes.

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

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

Mr. McGregor came up with a sieve, which he intended to pop upon the
top of Peter, but Peter wriggled out just in time, leaving his jacket
behind him; and rushed into the tool-shed, and jumped into a can. It
would have been a beautiful thing to hide in, if it had not had so
much water in it.

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

Presently Peter sneezed--"Kerty-schoo!" Mr. McGregor was after him
in no time, and tried to put his foot upon Peter, who jumped out of
a window, upsetting three plants. The window was too small for Mr.
McGregor, and he was tired of running after Peter. He went back to his
work.

Peter