A Collection of Beatrix Potter StoriesPotter, Beatrix
General
A Collection of Beatrix Potter Stories
Potter, Beatrix
Animals -- Juvenile fiction; Children's stories, English; Short stories
THEY caught him and dragged him up the very same tree, where there was
the little round hole, and they pushed him in. The hole was much too
small for Timmy Tiptoes' figure. They squeezed him dreadfully, it was a
wonder they did not break his ribs. "We will leave him here till he
confesses," said Silvertail Squirrel, and he shouted into the hole--
"Who's-been-digging-up MY-nuts?"
TIMMY TIPTOES made no reply; he had tumbled down inside the tree, upon
half a peck of nuts belonging to himself. He lay quite stunned and
still.
GOODY TIPTOES picked up the nut bags and went home. She made a cup of
tea for Timmy; but he didn't come and didn't come.
Goody Tiptoes passed a lonely and unhappy night. Next morning she
ventured back to the nut-bushes to look for him; but the other unkind
squirrels drove her away.
She wandered all over the wood, calling--
"Timmy Tiptoes! Timmy Tiptoes! Oh, where is Timmy Tiptoes?"
IN the meantime Timmy Tiptoes came to his senses. He found himself
tucked up in a little moss bed, very much in the dark, feeling sore; it
seemed to be under ground. Timmy coughed and groaned, because his ribs
hurted him. There was a chirpy noise, and a small striped Chipmunk
appeared with a night light, and hoped he felt better?
It was most kind to Timmy Tiptoes; it lent him its nightcap; and the
house was full of provisions.
THE Chipmunk explained that it had rained nuts through the top of the
tree--"Besides, I found a few buried!" It laughed and chuckled when it
heard Timmy's story. While Timmy was confined to bed, it 'ticed him to
eat quantities--"But how shall I ever get out through that hole unless I
thin myself? My wife will be anxious!" "Just another nut--or two nuts;
let me crack them for you," said the Chipmunk. Timmy Tiptoes grew fatter
and fatter!
NOW Goody Tiptoes had set to work again by herself. She did not put any
more nuts into the woodpecker's hole, because she had always doubted how
they could be got out again. She hid them under a tree root; they
rattled down, down, down. Once when Goody emptied an extra big bagful,
there was a decided squeak; and next time Goody brought another bagful,
a little striped Chipmunk scrambled out in a hurry.
"IT is getting perfectly full-up down-stairs; the sitting-room is full,
and they are rolling along the passage; and my husband, Chippy Hackee,
has run away and left me. What is the explanation of these showers of
nuts?"
"I am sure I beg your pardon; I did not not know that anybody lived
here," said Mrs. Goody Tiptoes; "but where is Chippy Hackee? My husband,
Timmy Tiptoes, has run away too." "I know where Chippy is; a little bird
told me," said Mrs. Chippy Hackee.
SHE led the way to the woodpecker's tree, and they listened at the hole.
Down below there was a noise of nut crackers, and a fat squirrel voice
and a thin squirrel voice were singing together--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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