Opening of the book
THE TALE OF
SQUIRREL NUTKIN
Squirrel Nutkin
BY
BEATRIX POTTER
Author of "The Tale of Peter Rabbit"
Emblem
FREDERICK WARNE
FREDERICK WARNE
1903 by Frederick Warne & Co.
Printed and bound in Great Britain by William Clowes
Limited, Beccles and London
A STORY FOR NORAH
Nutkin and his tail
This is a Tale about a tail—a tail that belonged to a
little red squirrel, and his name was Nutkin.
He had a brother called Twinkleberry, and a great many
cousins: they lived in a wood at the edge of a lake.
Old Brown Flying Home
In the middle of the lake there is an island covered with trees and nut bushes; and amongst those trees stands a hollow oak-tree, which is the house of an owl who is called Old Brown.
At the Edge of the Lake
One autumn when the nuts were ripe, and the leaves on the hazel bushes were golden and green—Nutkin and Twinkleberry and all the other little squirrels came out of the wood, and down to the edge of the lake.
Rafting to the Island
They made little rafts out of twigs, and they paddled away over the water to Owl Island to gather nuts.
Each squirrel had a little sack and a large oar, and spread out his tail for a sail.
The First Offering
They also took with them an offering of three fat mice as a present for Old Brown, and put them down upon his doorstep.
Then Twinkleberry and the other little squirrels each made a low bow, and said politely—
"Old Mr. Brown, will you favour us with permission to gather nuts upon your island?"
Nutkin Bobbing Like a Cherry
But Nutkin was excessively impertinent in his manners. He bobbed up and down like a little red cherry, singing—
"Riddle me, riddle me, rot-tot-tote!
A little wee man, in a red red coat!
A staff in his hand, and a stone in his throat;
If you'll tell me this riddle, I'll give you a groat."
Now this riddle is as old as the hills; Mr. Brown paid no attention whatever to Nutkin.
He shut his eyes obstinately and went to sleep.
Filling the Sacks
The squirrels filled their little sacks with nuts, and
Keep listening free
Readnara
