This is a modern-English version of The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies, originally written by Potter, Beatrix. It has been thoroughly updated, including changes to sentence structure, words, spelling, and grammar—to ensure clarity for contemporary readers, while preserving the original spirit and nuance. If you click on a paragraph, you will see the original text that we modified, and you can toggle between the two versions.

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THE TALE OF THE FLOPSY BUNNIES

BY

BEATRIX POTTER

Author of
The Tale of Peter Rabbit," &c.

FREDERICK WARNE & CO., INC.

NEW YORK

1909

BY

FREDERICK WARNE & Co.

FOR ALL LITTLE FRIENDS
OF
MR. MCGREGOR & PETER & BENJAMIN

It is said that the effect of eating too much lettuce is "soporific."

It’s said that eating too much lettuce makes you sleepy.

I have never felt sleepy after eating lettuces; but then I am not a rabbit.

I have never felt sleepy after eating lettuce; but then I am not a rabbit.

They certainly had a very soporific effect upon the Flopsy Bunnies!

They definitely had a very sleepy effect on the Flopsy Bunnies!

When Benjamin Bunny grew up, he married his Cousin Flopsy. They had a large family, and they were very improvident and cheerful.

When Benjamin Bunny grew up, he married his cousin Flopsy. They had a big family and were very carefree and happy.

I do not remember the separate names of their children; they were generally called the "Flopsy Bunnies."

I don't remember the individual names of their kids; they were usually called the "Flopsy Bunnies."

As there was not always quite enough to eat,—Benjamin used to borrow cabbages from Flopsy's brother, Peter Rabbit, who kept a nursery garden.

As there wasn't always quite enough to eat, Benjamin would borrow cabbages from Flopsy's brother, Peter Rabbit, who took care of a garden.

Sometimes Peter Rabbit had no cabbages to spare.

Sometimes Peter Rabbit had no cabbages to share.

When this happened, the Flopsy Bunnies went across the field to a rubbish heap, in the ditch outside Mr. McGregor's garden.

When this happened, the Flopsy Bunnies went across the field to a trash pile in the ditch outside Mr. McGregor's garden.

Mr. McGregor's rubbish heap was a mixture. There were jam pots and paper bags, and mountains of chopped grass from the mowing machine (which always tasted oily), and some rotten vegetable marrows and an old boot or two. One day—oh joy!—there were a quantity of overgrown lettuces, which had "shot" into flower.

Mr. McGregor's junk pile was a mess. There were jam jars and paper bags, piles of cut grass from the mower (which always tasted greasy), some decayed vegetable marrows, and a couple of old boots. One day—oh joy!—there was a bunch of oversized lettuces that had "bolted" into flowers.

The Flopsy Bunnies simply stuffed lettuces. By degrees, one after another, they were overcome with slumber, and lay down in the mown grass.

The Flopsy Bunnies just stuffed themselves with lettuce. Gradually, one by one, they got drowsy and lay down in the cut grass.

Benjamin was not so much overcome as his children. Before going to sleep he was sufficiently wide awake to put a paper bag over his head to keep off the flies.

Benjamin wasn’t as affected as his kids. Before heading to bed, he was alert enough to put a paper bag over his head to keep the flies away.

The little Flopsy Bunnies slept delightfully in the warm sun. From the lawn beyond the garden came the distant clacketty sound of the mowing machine. The bluebottles buzzed about the wall, and a little old mouse picked over the rubbish among the jam pots.

The little Flopsy Bunnies slept peacefully in the warm sun. From the lawn outside the garden came the distant, clattering sounds of the lawnmower. The bluebottles buzzed around the wall, and a little old mouse rummaged through the trash among the jam jars.

(I can tell you her name, she was called Thomasina Tittlemouse, a woodmouse with a long tail.)

(I can tell you her name; she was called Thomasina Tittlemouse, a woodmouse with a long tail.)

She rustled across the paper bag, and awakened Benjamin Bunny.

She rustled the paper bag, waking up Benjamin Bunny.

The mouse apologized profusely, and said that she knew Peter Rabbit.

The mouse apologized a lot and mentioned that she knew Peter Rabbit.

While she and Benjamin were talking, close under the wall, they heard a heavy tread above their heads; and suddenly Mr. McGregor emptied out a sackful of lawn mowings right upon the top of the sleeping Flopsy Bunnies! Benjamin shrank down under his paper bag. The mouse hid in a jam pot.

While she and Benjamin were talking, right against the wall, they heard a loud thud above them; and suddenly Mr. McGregor dumped a sack full of grass clippings right on top of the sleeping Flopsy Bunnies! Benjamin shrank down under his paper bag. The mouse hid in a jam jar.

The little rabbits smiled sweetly in their sleep under the shower of grass; they did not awake because the lettuces had been so soporific.

The little rabbits smiled gently in their sleep under the cascade of grass; they didn't wake up because the lettuces were so soothing.

They dreamt that their mother Flopsy was tucking them up in a hay bed.

They dreamed that their mom, Flopsy, was tucking them into a bed of hay.

Mr. McGregor looked down after emptying his sack. He saw some funny little brown tips of ears sticking up through the lawn mowings. He stared at them for some time.

Mr. McGregor looked down after emptying his sack. He noticed some strange little brown tips of ears sticking up through the grass clippings. He stared at them for a while.

Presently a fly settled on one of them and it moved.

Presently, a fly landed on one of them, and it moved.

Mr. McGregor climbed down on to the rubbish heap—

Mr. McGregor climbed down onto the garbage heap—

"One, two, three, four! five! six leetle rabbits!" said he as he dropped them into his sack. The Flopsy Bunnies dreamt that their mother was turning them over in bed. They stirred a little in their sleep, but still they did not wake up.

"One, two, three, four! five! six little rabbits!" he said as he dropped them into his bag. The Flopsy Bunnies dreamed that their mom was turning them over in bed. They stirred a bit in their sleep, but they still didn't wake up.

Mr. McGregor tied up the sack and left it on the wall.

Mr. McGregor tied up the bag and left it on the wall.

He went to put away the mowing machine.

He went to put away the lawnmower.

While he was gone, Mrs. Flopsy Bunny (who had remained at home) came across the field.

While he was away, Mrs. Flopsy Bunny (who had stayed at home) crossed the field.

She looked suspiciously at the sack and wondered where everybody was?

She looked suspiciously at the sack and wondered where everyone was.

Then the mouse came out of her jam pot, and Benjamin took the paper bag off his head, and they told the doleful tale.

Then the mouse came out of her jam jar, and Benjamin took the paper bag off his head, and they shared their sad story.

Benjamin and Flopsy were in despair, they could not undo the string.

Benjamin and Flopsy were feeling hopeless; they couldn't untie the string.

But Mrs. Tittlemouse was a resourceful person. She nibbled a hole in the bottom corner of the sack.

But Mrs. Tittlemouse was a clever person. She nibbled a hole in the bottom corner of the sack.

The little rabbits were pulled out and pinched to wake them.

The little rabbits were taken out and pinched to wake them up.

Their parents stuffed the empty sack with three rotten vegetable marrows, an old blacking-brush and two decayed turnips.

Their parents filled the empty sack with three rotten zucchini, an old shoe brush, and two spoiled turnips.

Then they all hid under a bush and watched for Mr. McGregor.

Then they all hid under a bush and waited for Mr. McGregor.

Mr. McGregor came back and picked up the sack, and carried it off.

Mr. McGregor came back, grabbed the sack, and carried it away.

He carried it hanging down, as if it were rather heavy.

He carried it down, as if it were pretty heavy.

The Flopsy Bunnies followed at a safe distance.

The Flopsy Bunnies trailed behind at a safe distance.

They watched him go into his house.

They watched him walk into his house.

And then they crept up to the window to listen.

And then they sneaked over to the window to eavesdrop.

Mr. McGregor threw down the sack on the stone floor in a way that would have been extremely painful to the Flopsy Bunnies, if they had happened to have been inside it.

Mr. McGregor dropped the sack onto the stone floor in a way that would have been really painful for the Flopsy Bunnies, if they had been inside it.

They could hear him drag his chair on the flags, and chuckle—

They could hear him drag his chair across the stones and laugh—

"One, two, three, four, five, six leetle rabbits!" said Mr. McGregor.

"One, two, three, four, five, six little rabbits!" said Mr. McGregor.

"Eh? What's that? What have they been spoiling now?" enquired Mrs. McGregor.

"Eh? What's that? What are they messing up now?" asked Mrs. McGregor.

"One, two, three, four, five, six leetle fat rabbits!" repeated Mr. McGregor, counting on his fingers—"one, two, three—"

"One, two, three, four, five, six little fat rabbits!" Mr. McGregor said as he counted on his fingers—"one, two, three—"

"Don't you be silly; what do you mean, you silly old man?"

"Don't be ridiculous; what do you mean, you silly old man?"

"In the sack! one, two, three, four, five, six!" replied Mr. McGregor.

"In the bag! One, two, three, four, five, six!" replied Mr. McGregor.

(The youngest Flopsy Bunny got upon the window-sill.)

(The youngest Flopsy Bunny climbed onto the window sill.)

Mrs. McGregor took hold of the sack and felt it. She said she could feel six, but they must be old rabbits, because they were so hard and all different shapes.

Mrs. McGregor grabbed the sack and checked it. She said she could feel six, but they had to be old rabbits because they were so stiff and all different shapes.

"Not fit to eat; but the skins will do fine to line my old cloak."

"Not good for eating; but the skins will work well to line my old cloak."

"Line your old cloak?" shouted Mr. McGregor—"I shall sell them and buy myself baccy!"

"Line your old cloak?" shouted Mr. McGregor—"I’m going to sell those and buy myself some tobacco!"

"Rabbit tobacco! I shall skin them and cut off their heads."

"Rabbit tobacco! I’m going to skin them and take off their heads."

Mrs. McGregor untied the sack and put her hand inside.

Mrs. McGregor untied the bag and reached her hand inside.

When she felt the vegetables she became very very angry. She said that Mr. McGregor had "done it a purpose."

When she touched the vegetables, she got really, really angry. She said that Mr. McGregor had "done it on purpose."

And Mr. McGregor was very angry too. One of the rotten marrows came flying through the kitchen window, and hit the youngest Flopsy Bunny.

And Mr. McGregor was really angry too. One of the bad marrows flew through the kitchen window and hit the youngest Flopsy Bunny.

It was rather hurt.

It was quite hurtful.

Then Benjamin and Flopsy thought that it was time to go home.

Then Benjamin and Flopsy decided it was time to head home.

So Mr. McGregor did not get his tobacco, and Mrs. McGregor did not get her rabbit skins.

So Mr. McGregor didn’t get his tobacco, and Mrs. McGregor didn’t get her rabbit skins.

But next Christmas Thomasina Tittlemouse got a present of enough rabbit-wool to make herself a cloak and a hood, and a handsome muff and a pair of warm mittens.

But next Christmas, Thomasina Tittlemouse received a gift of enough rabbit fur to make herself a cloak and a hood, along with a nice muff and a pair of warm mittens.