The Tale of Peter Rabbit in Modern English

This is a modern-English version of The Tale of Peter Rabbit, 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

Peter Rabbit

THE SAALFIELD PUB. Co.
1916

The Tale

of

Peter Rabbit

Once upon a time there were four little rabbits, and their names were Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail and Peter.

Once upon a time, there were four little rabbits named Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail, and Peter.

They lived with their mother in a sand-bank, underneath the root of a very big fir tree. "Now, my dears," said old Mrs. Rabbit one morning, "You may

They lived with their mom in a sandy bank, under the roots of a huge fir tree. "Now, my dears," said old Mrs. Rabbit one morning, "You may

go into the fields or down the lane, but don't go into Mr. McGregor's garden.

Your father had an accident there; he was put in a pie by Mrs. McGregor."

Your dad had an accident there; he got caught in a pie by Mrs. McGregor.

Now run along and don't get into mischief. I am going out."

Now go ahead and don’t get into trouble. I’m stepping out.

Then old Mrs. Rabbit took a basket and her umbrella and went through the wood to the baker's.

Then Mrs. Rabbit grabbed a basket and her umbrella and headed through the woods to the bakery.

She bought a loaf of brown bread and five currant buns.

Flopsy, Mopsy and Cotton-tail who were good little bunnies went down the lane together

Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail, who were well-behaved little bunnies, walked down the lane together.

To gather blackberries.

To pick blackberries.

But Peter who was very naughty, ran straight away to Mr. McGregor's garden and

But Peter, who was very mischievous, ran right over to Mr. McGregor's garden and

Squeezed under the gate!

Stuck under the gate!

First he ate some lettuces and some French beans

First, he ate some lettuce and some green beans.

And then
He
Ate
Some
Radishes

	And then, feeling rather sick, he went to look for some parsley. And then, feeling pretty unwell, he went to find some parsley.
	But round the end of a cucumber frame, whom should he meet but Mr. McGregor! But around the end of a cucumber frame, who should he run into but Mr. McGregor!

Mr. McGregor was on his hands and knees planting out young cabbages, but he jumped up and ran after Peter, waving a rake and calling out "Stop thief!"

Peter was most dreadfully frightened; he rushed all over the garden, for he had forgotten the way back to the gate.

Mr. McGregor was on his hands and knees planting young cabbages, but he jumped up and ran after Peter, waving a rake and shouting, "Stop thief!"

Peter was extremely scared; he ran all over the garden because he had forgotten how to get back to the gate.

He lost one shoe among the cabbages, and the other amongst the potatoes.

He lost one shoe in the cabbages and the other one in the potatoes.

After losing them, he ran on four legs and went faster

After losing them, he ran on all fours and went faster.

So that I think he might have got away altogether if he had not unfortunately run into a gooseberry net

So I think he could have made a clean getaway if he hadn’t accidentally run into a gooseberry net.

And got caught by the large buttons on his jacket.

And got caught by the big buttons on his jacket.

It was a blue jacket with brass buttons, quite new.

It was a blue jacket with brass buttons, really new.

Peter gave himself up for lost and shed big tears;

Peter felt hopeless and cried hard;

But his sobs were overheard by some friendly sparrows.

But some friendly sparrows overheard his sobs.

Who flew to him in great excitement and implored him to exert himself.

Who rushed to him in great excitement and begged him to try harder.

Mr. McGregor came up with a sieve which he intended to pop on the top of Peter, but Peter wriggled out just in time.

Mr. McGregor came up with a sieve that he planned to put on top of Peter, but Peter managed to wiggle out just in time.

Leaving his jacket behind him.

Leaving his jacket behind.

He rushed into the tool-shed and—

He rushed into the tool shed and—

Jumped into a can.

Jumped into a car.

It would have been a beautiful thing to hide in, if it had not had so much water in it. Mr. McGregor was quite sure that Peter was somewhere in the tool-shed, perhaps hidden underneath a flower-pot.

He began to turn them over carefully, looking under each.

Presently Peter sneezed "Kertyschoo!"

It would have been a lovely place to hide if it didn't have so much water in it. Mr. McGregor was pretty sure that Peter was somewhere in the tool shed, maybe hidden under a flower pot.

He started to turn them over carefully, checking underneath each one.

Soon, Peter sneezed, "Kertyschoo!"

Mr. McGregor was after him in no time, and tried to put his foot upon Peter, who

Mr. McGregor was after him quickly and tried to step on Peter, who

Jumped out of a window, upsetting three plants.

Jumped out of a window, knocking over three plants.

	Peter sat down to rest; he was out of breath and trembling with fright, and he had not the least idea which way to go. Also he was very damp with sitting in that can. Peter sat down to catch his breath; he was out of breath and shaking with fear, and he had no clue which direction to take. Also, he was really wet from sitting in that can.
After a time he began to wander about, going lippity— lippity— not very fast and looking all around. After a while, he started to wander around, going lippity— lippity— not very fast and looking all around.

He found a door in a wall; but it was locked and there was no room for a fat little rabbit to squeeze underneath.

He found a door in the wall, but it was locked and there wasn't enough space for a chubby little rabbit to squeeze under it.

An old mouse was running in and out over the stone doorstep, carrying peas and beans to her family in the wood. Peter asked her the way to the gate but she had such a large pea in her mouth she could not answer. She only shook her head at him.

An old mouse was darting in and out over the stone doorstep, carrying peas and beans to her family in the woods. Peter asked her for directions to the gate, but she had such a big pea in her mouth that she couldn’t respond. She just shook her head at him.

Peter began to cry.

Peter started to cry.

Then he tried to find his way straight across the garden, but he became more and more puzzled. Presently he came to a pond where Mr. McGregor filled his water-cans. A white cat was staring at some gold-fish; she sat very, very still, but now and then the tip of her tail twitched as if it were alive. Peter thought it best to go away without speaking to her.

Then he tried to make his way straight across the garden, but he got more and more confused. Soon, he reached a pond where Mr. McGregor filled his watering cans. A white cat was watching some goldfish; she sat perfectly still, but every now and then, the tip of her tail flicked as if it were alive. Peter thought it would be best to leave without talking to her.

He had heard about cats from his cousin, little Benjamin Bunny.

He heard about cats from his cousin, little Benjamin Bunny.

He went back towards the tool-shed, but suddenly, quite close to him, he heard the noise of a hoe—scr-r-ritch, scratch, scratch, scritch.

Peter scuttered underneath the bushes, but presently as nothing happened, he came out and

He headed back toward the tool shed, but suddenly, very close to him, he heard the sound of a hoe—scr-r-ritch, scratch, scratch, scritch.

Peter hid under the bushes, but after a while, since nothing happened, he came out and

Climbed
upon a
wheelbarrow,
and
peeped
over.

Climbed on a wheelbarrow and peeked over.

The first thing he saw was Mr. McGregor hoeing onions. His back was turned towards Peter and beyond him was the gate!

The first thing he saw was Mr. McGregor digging up onions. His back was turned to Peter, and behind him was the gate!

Peter got down very quietly off the wheel-barrow and started running as fast as he could go, along a straight walk behind some black currant bushes. Mr. McGregor caught sight of him at the corner, but Peter did not care. He slipped underneath the gate and was safe at last in the wood outside the garden.

Peter quietly climbed down from the wheelbarrow and started running as fast as he could along a straight path behind some blackcurrant bushes. Mr. McGregor spotted him at the corner, but Peter didn’t care. He slipped under the gate and was finally safe in the woods outside the garden.

Mr. McGregor
hung up
the little
jacket and
the shoes
for a
scare-crow
to frighten
the blackbirds.

Mr. McGregor
hung up
the small
jacket and
the shoes
for a
scarecrow
to scare
the blackbirds.

Peter never stopped running or looked behind him

Peter never stopped running or looked back.

Till he got home to the big fir-tree.

Till he got home to the big fir tree.

He was so tired that he flopped down upon the nice soft sand on the floor of the rabbit hole, and shut his eyes. His mother was busy cooking; she wondered what he had done with his clothes.

It was the second little jacket and pair of shoes that Peter had lost in a fortnight!

He was so tired that he collapsed onto the nice soft sand on the floor of the rabbit hole and closed his eyes. His mother was busy cooking; she wondered what he had done with his clothes.

It was the second little jacket and pair of shoes that Peter had lost in two weeks!

I am sorry to say that Peter was not very well during the evening. His mother put him to bed and made some camomile tea; and she gave a dose of it to Peter! "One teaspoonful to be taken at bedtime." But—

I’m sorry to say that Peter wasn’t feeling very well during the evening. His mom put him to bed and made some chamomile tea, and she gave a dose of it to Peter! “One teaspoonful to take at bedtime.” But—

Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail had bread and milk and blackberries for supper.

Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail had bread, milk, and blackberries for dinner.

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The Tale

of

Peter Rabbit

THE SAALFIELD PUB. Co. 1916

The Tale

of

Peter Rabbit

THE SAALFIELD PUB. Co.
1916