Once upon a time there were four little rabbits, and their names were James, John, Jane, and Peter. They lived with their mother called Mrs. Rabbit in a sand-bank, underneath the root of a very big tree. One day their mother decided to go shopping. “You may go into the fields or down the lane, but do not go into Mr. Aggrey’s garden,” she warned. “Now run along, and do not get into trouble. I am going out,” their mother said. 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 buns. James, John, and Jane, who were good, went down the lane to gather red berries. But Peter, who was very naughty and stubborn, ran straight to Mr. Aggrey’s garden and squeezed under the gate. While in the garden, Peter ate some cabbages, some potatoes and some greens. It became time to go back home but around the end of the garden Peter met Mr. Aggrey. Mr. Aggrey was on his hands and knees pulling out young cabbages, but he jumped up and ran after Peter, waving a rake and calling out, “Stop thief!” Peter was frightened, he rushed all over the garden, but he had forgotten the way back to the gate. Mr. Aggrey came up with a sieve, which he intended to pop upon Peter, but the little rabbit wriggled out just in time, leaving his jacket behind him. He rushed into the tool shed, and jumped into a can. But the can had water in it and Peter became wet. Mr. Aggrey was quite sure that Peter was somewhere in the tool shed. He thought Peter was perhaps hidden underneath a flower pot so he began to turn them over carefully, looking under each. Mr. Aggrey soon found Peter in the can but the rabbit jumped out of a window. The window was too small for Mr. Aggrey and he was tired of running after Peter. He went back to his work. Peter sat down to rest, he was out of breath and trembling with fright and he had no idea which way to go. He found a door in a wall, but it was locked, and there was no room for a fat little rabbit to squeeze underneath. Then he tried to find his way straight across the garden, but he became more and more puzzled. Peter gave himself up for lost and shed big tears.Just then, he heard Mrs. Rabbit calling, “Peter! Where are you?” Peter ran towards the sound of his mother’s voice.Mrs. Rabbit rushed him back home, and out of harm’s way. “You have been a naughty little rabbit, Peter,” scolded Mrs. Rabbit, as she made him a big cup of tea. “I will never do it again,” promised Peter. He was a good little rabbit after that. Ends
