The Tale of Benjamin Bunny in Modern English

This is a modern-English version of The Tale of Benjamin Bunny, 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

BENJAMIN BUNNY

BEATRIX POTTER

AUTHOR OF "THE TAIL OF PETER RABBIT," &C.

AUTHOR OF "THE TALE OF PETER RABBIT," &C.

FREDERICK WARNE & CO., INC.

NEW YORK

NYC

FREDERICK WARNE & Co.

FOR THE CHILDREN OF SAWREY

FOR SAWREY'S KIDS

FROM

from

OLD MR. BUNNY

One morning a little rabbit sat on a bank.

One morning, a small rabbit sat on a riverbank.

He pricked his ears and listened to the trit-trot, trit-trot of a pony.

He perked up and listened to the clip-clop, clip-clop of a pony.

A gig was coming along the road; it was driven by Mr. McGregor, and beside him sat Mrs. McGregor in her best bonnet.

A cart was coming down the road; it was being driven by Mr. McGregor, and next to him sat Mrs. McGregor in her nicest hat.

As soon as they had passed, little Benjamin Bunny slid down into the road, and set off—with a hop, skip, and a jump—to call upon his relations, who lived in the wood at the back of Mr. McGregor's garden.

As soon as they passed by, little Benjamin Bunny hopped down into the road and set off—with a hop, skip, and a jump—to visit his family, who lived in the woods behind Mr. McGregor's garden.

That wood was full of rabbit holes; and in the neatest, sandiest hole of all lived Benjamin's aunt and his cousins—Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail, and Peter.

That woods was full of rabbit holes, and in the tidiest, sandiest hole of all lived Benjamin's aunt and his cousins—Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail, and Peter.

Old Mrs. Rabbit was a widow; she earned her living by knitting rabbit-wool mittens and muffatees (I once bought a pair at a bazaar). She also sold herbs, and rosemary tea, and rabbit-tobacco (which is what we call lavender).

Old Mrs. Rabbit was a widow; she made her living by knitting rabbit-wool mittens and muffatees (I once bought a pair at a fair). She also sold herbs, rosemary tea, and rabbit-tobacco (which is what we call lavender).

Little Benjamin did not very much want to see his Aunt.

Little Benjamin didn’t really want to see his Aunt.

He came round the back of the fir-tree, and nearly tumbled upon the top of his Cousin Peter.

He came around to the back of the fir tree and nearly tripped over his Cousin Peter.

Peter was sitting by himself. He looked poorly, and was dressed in a red cotton pocket-handkerchief.

Peter was sitting alone. He looked unwell and was wearing a red cotton handkerchief.

"Peter," said little Benjamin, in a whisper, "who has got your clothes?"

"Peter," whispered little Benjamin, "who took your clothes?"

Peter replied, "The scarecrow in Mr. McGregor's garden," and described how he had been chased about the garden, and had dropped his shoes and coat.

Peter replied, "The scarecrow in Mr. McGregor's garden," and explained how he had been chased around the garden, losing his shoes and coat in the process.

Little Benjamin sat down beside his cousin and assured him that Mr. McGregor had gone out in a gig, and Mrs. McGregor also; and certainly for the day, because she was wearing her best bonnet.

Little Benjamin sat down next to his cousin and told him that Mr. McGregor had left in a carriage, and Mrs. McGregor was out too; definitely for the day, since she was wearing her best hat.

Peter said he hoped that it would rain.

Peter said he hoped it would rain.

At this point old Mrs. Rabbit's voice was heard inside the rabbit hole, calling: "Cotton-tail! Cotton-tail! fetch some more camomile!"

At this point, old Mrs. Rabbit's voice came from inside the rabbit hole, calling out: "Cotton-tail! Cotton-tail! Bring me some more chamomile!"

Peter said he thought he might feel better if he went for a walk.

Peter said he thought he might feel better if he took a walk.

They went away hand in hand, and got upon the flat top of the wall at the bottom of the wood. From here they looked down into Mr. McGregor's garden. Peter's coat and shoes were plainly to be seen upon the scarecrow, topped with an old tam-o'-shanter of Mr. McGregor's.

They walked away holding hands and climbed up onto the flat top of the wall at the edge of the woods. From there, they looked down into Mr. McGregor's garden. Peter's coat and shoes were clearly visible on the scarecrow, topped with an old tam-o'-shanter that belonged to Mr. McGregor.

Little Benjamin said: "It spoils people's clothes to squeeze under a gate; the proper way to get in is to climb down a pear-tree."

Little Benjamin said, "It ruins people's clothes to squeeze under a gate; the right way to get in is to climb down a pear tree."

Peter fell down head first; but it was of no consequence, as the bed below was newly raked and quite soft.

Peter fell down head first, but it didn't matter because the bed below was freshly made and very soft.

It had been sown with lettuces.

It had been planted with lettuce.

They left a great many odd little footmarks all over the bed, especially little Benjamin, who was wearing clogs.

They left a lot of strange little footprints all over the bed, especially little Benjamin, who was wearing clogs.

Little Benjamin said that the first thing to be done was to get back Peter's clothes, in order that they might be able to use the pocket-handkerchief.

Little Benjamin said that the first thing to do was to get Peter's clothes back so they could use the pocket handkerchief.

They took them off the scarecrow. There had been rain during the night; there was water in the shoes, and the coat was somewhat shrunk.

They took them off the scarecrow. It had rained overnight; there was water in the shoes, and the coat had shrunk a bit.

Benjamin tried on the tam-o'-shanter, but it was too big for him.

Then he suggested that they should fill the pocket-handkerchief with onions, as a little present for his Aunt.

Then he suggested that they should fill the handkerchief with onions as a small gift for his aunt.

Peter did not seem to be enjoying himself; he kept hearing noises.

Peter didn’t seem to be having a good time; he kept hearing sounds.

Benjamin, on the contrary, was perfectly at home, and ate a lettuce leaf. He said that he was in the habit of coming to the garden with his father to get lettuces for their Sunday dinner.

Benjamin, on the other hand, felt completely at home and ate a lettuce leaf. He said that he liked to come to the garden with his dad to pick lettuces for their Sunday dinner.

(The name of little Benjamin's papa was old Mr. Benjamin Bunny.)

(The name of little Benjamin's dad was old Mr. Benjamin Bunny.)

The lettuces certainly were very fine.

The lettuces were definitely really nice.

Peter did not eat anything; he said he should like to go home. Presently he dropped half the onions.

Peter didn't eat anything; he said he wanted to go home. Soon, he dropped half the onions.

Little Benjamin said that it was not possible to get back up the pear-tree with a load of vegetables. He led the way boldly towards the other end of the garden. They went along a little walk on planks, under a sunny, red brick wall.

Little Benjamin said that it wasn’t possible to climb back up the pear tree with a load of vegetables. He confidently headed toward the other end of the garden. They walked along a small path on planks, under a sunny, red brick wall.

The mice sat on their doorsteps cracking cherry-stones; they winked at Peter Rabbit and little Benjamin Bunny.

The mice sat on their doorsteps cracking cherry pits; they winked at Peter Rabbit and little Benjamin Bunny.

Presently Peter let the pocket-handkerchief go again.

Right now, Peter let the pocket handkerchief slip again.

They got amongst flower-pots, and frames, and tubs. Peter heard noises worse than ever; his eyes were as big as lolly-pops!

They got among flower pots, frames, and tubs. Peter heard sounds worse than ever; his eyes were as big as lollipops!

He was a step or two in front of his cousin when he suddenly stopped.

He was a step or two ahead of his cousin when he suddenly stopped.

This is what those little rabbits saw round that corner!

This is what those little rabbits saw around that corner!

Little Benjamin took one look, and then, in half a minute less than no time, he hid himself and Peter and the onions underneath a large basket....

Little Benjamin took one look, and then, in no time at all, he hid himself, Peter, and the onions underneath a large basket....

The cat got up and stretched herself, and came and sniffed at the basket.

The cat stood up, stretched, and came over to sniff at the basket.

Perhaps she liked the smell of onions!

Anyway, she sat down upon the top of the basket.

Anyway, she sat down on top of the basket.

She sat there for five hours.

She sat there for 5 hours.

I cannot draw you a picture of Peter and Benjamin underneath the basket, because it was quite dark, and because the smell of onions was fearful; it made Peter Rabbit and little Benjamin cry.

I can't give you a picture of Peter and Benjamin under the basket because it was really dark, and the smell of onions was overwhelming; it made Peter Rabbit and little Benjamin cry.

The sun got round behind the wood, and it was quite late in the afternoon; but still the cat sat upon the basket.

The sun had dipped behind the trees, and it was getting late in the afternoon; but the cat still sat on the basket.

At length there was a pitter-patter, pitter-patter, and some bits of mortar fell from the wall above.

Finally, there was a pitter-patter, pitter-patter, and some pieces of mortar fell from the wall above.

The cat looked up and saw old Mr. Benjamin Bunny prancing along the top of the wall of the upper terrace.

The cat looked up and saw Mr. Benjamin Bunny, the old one, hopping along the edge of the wall on the upper terrace.

He was smoking a pipe of rabbit-tobacco, and had a little switch in his hand.

He was smoking a pipe filled with rabbit tobacco and had a small twig in his hand.

He was looking for his son.

He was searching for his son.

Old Mr. Bunny had no opinion whatever of cats.

Old Mr. Bunny didn't think much of cats at all.

He took a tremendous jump off the top of the wall on to the top of the cat, and cuffed it off the basket, and kicked it into the greenhouse, scratching off a handful of fur.

He jumped off the top of the wall onto the cat, swatted it out of the basket, and kicked it into the greenhouse, pulling off a handful of fur.

The cat was too much surprised to scratch back.

The cat was too surprised to scratch back.

When old Mr. Bunny had driven the cat into the greenhouse, he locked the door.

When old Mr. Bunny had chased the cat into the greenhouse, he locked the door.

Then he came back to the basket and took out his son Benjamin by the ears, and whipped him with the little switch.

Then he returned to the basket, grabbed his son Benjamin by the ears, and gave him a spanking with a little stick.

Then he took out his nephew Peter.

Then he took his nephew Peter out.

Then he took out the handkerchief of onions, and marched out of the garden.

Then he pulled out the handkerchief filled with onions and walked out of the garden.

When Mr. McGregor returned about half an hour later he observed several things which perplexed him.

When Mr. McGregor came back about half an hour later, he noticed several things that puzzled him.

It looked as though some person had been walking all over the garden in a pair of clogs—only the footmarks were too ridiculously little!

It looked like someone had been walking all over the garden in a pair of clogs—except the footprints were way too absurdly tiny!

Also he could not understand how the cat could have managed to shut herself up inside the greenhouse, locking the door upon the outside.

Also, he couldn’t understand how the cat had managed to lock herself inside the greenhouse, shutting the door from the outside.

When Peter got home his mother forgave him, because she was so glad to see that he had found his shoes and coat. Cotton-tail and Peter folded up the pocket-handkerchief, and old Mrs. Rabbit strung up the onions and hung them from the kitchen ceiling, with the bunches of herbs and the rabbit-tobacco.

When Peter got home, his mom forgave him because she was so happy to see that he had found his shoes and coat. Cotton-tail and Peter folded up the handkerchief, and old Mrs. Rabbit strung up the onions and hung them from the kitchen ceiling with the bunches of herbs and the rabbit-tobacco.

THE END

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