First edition cover.
The Tale of Peter Rabbit is the first and most famous children's book written and illustrated by Beatrix Potter.
PLOT[]
Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottonitail, and Peter Rabbit all live together with their mother in a sand bank under a big fir tree. As Old Mrs. Rabbit is going out, she warns her children not to go into Mr. McGregor's Garden, the one place where peter was told not to go because their Father had been caught by Mrs. McGregor' and put into a pie. But while Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail go out to pick blackberries, Peter goes to Mr. McGregor’s Garden anyway. There he gorges on vegetables until Mr. McGregor spies him. Peter tries to escape but gets lost in the garden. He lost his shoes among the vegetables, and his jacket in a net. He does escape from the garden after a while, but the clothes are used to dress a scarecrow. When Peter comes home, he gets sick in bed with a tablespoon of chamomile tea, his well-behaved sisters have a supper of bread, milk, and blackberries.
QUOTES[]
- (After Old Mrs. Rabbit says to Cotton Tail that she --Cotton Tail-- should worry about her own problems and continues that Peter is going to talk about his loss of the jacket and shoes after he washes up for supper, Peter looks sick. And Old Mrs. Rabbit turns to him.)
- Old Mrs. Rabbit: (to Peter) Peter? Late again? (becomes cross) WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?! NOT IN MR. MCGREGOR'S GARDEN I HOPE! AND WHERE ARE YOUR CLOTHES?! I SUPPOSE YOU ARE GOING TO SAY THAT YOU HAVE LOST THEM AGAIN!
- (Peter's three younger/little sisters --Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-Tail-- all laugh.)
- Old Mrs. Rabbit: (before bed-riding Peter) Do you realize!? That is the second jacket and pair of shoes you have lost in a fortnight! You are to go straight to bed without any supper!