This is a modern-English version of The Tale of Tom Kitten, 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.
Scroll to the bottom of this page and you will find a free ePUB download link for this book.
THE TALE OF TOM KITTEN
THE TALE OF
TOM KITTEN
BY
BEATRIX POTTER
Author of
"The Tale of Peter Rabbit", &c.
Author of
"The Tale of Peter Rabbit," etc.
FREDERICK WARNE
FREDERICK WARNE
First published 1907
First published 1907
1907 by Frederick Warne & Co.
1907 by Frederick Warne & Co.
Printed and bound in Great Britain by
William Clowes Limited, Beccles and London
Printed and bound in Great Britain by
William Clowes Limited, Beccles and London
DEDICATED
TO ALL
PICKLES,
—ESPECIALLY TO THOSE THAT
GET UPON MY GARDEN WALL
DEDICATED
TO ALL
PICKLES,
—ESPECIALLY TO THOSE THAT
CLIMB MY GARDEN WALL
Once upon a time there were three little kittens, and their names were Mittens, Tom Kitten, and Moppet.
Once upon a time, there were three little kittens named Mittens, Tom Kitten, and Moppet.
They had dear little fur coats of their own; and they tumbled about the doorstep and played in the dust.
They had cute little fur coats of their own; and they rolled around on the doorstep and played in the dirt.
But one day their mother—Mrs. Tabitha Twitchit—expected friends to tea; so she fetched the kittens indoors, to wash and dress them, before the fine company arrived.
But one day their mother—Mrs. Tabitha Twitchit—was expecting friends for tea; so she brought the kittens inside to wash and dress them before the guests arrived.
First she scrubbed their faces (this one is Moppet).
First, she scrubbed their faces (this one is Moppet).
Then she brushed their fur, (this one is Mittens).
Then she brushed their fur; this one is Mittens.
Then she combed their tails and whiskers (this is Tom Kitten).
Then she brushed their tails and whiskers (this is Tom Kitten).
Tom was very naughty, and he scratched.
Tom was really mischievous, and he scratched.
Mrs. Tabitha dressed Moppet and Mittens in clean pinafores and tuckers; and then she took all sorts of elegant uncomfortable clothes out of a chest of drawers, in order to dress up her son Thomas.
Mrs. Tabitha dressed Moppet and Mittens in clean pinafores and collars; then she took all sorts of fancy, uncomfortable clothes out of a dresser to dress up her son Thomas.
Tom Kitten was very fat, and he had grown; several buttons burst off. His mother sewed them on again.
Tom Kitten was really chubby, and he had gotten bigger; several buttons popped off. His mom sewed them back on.
When the three kittens were ready, Mrs. Tabitha unwisely turned them out into the garden, to be out of the way while she made hot buttered toast.
When the three kittens were ready, Mrs. Tabitha foolishly let them outside into the garden to keep them out of her way while she made hot buttered toast.
"Now keep your frocks clean, children! You must walk on your hind legs. Keep away from the dirty ash-pit, and from Sally Henny Penny, and from the pig-stye and the Puddle-Ducks."
"Now keep your dresses clean, kids! You need to walk on your back legs. Stay away from the dirty ash pit, and from Sally Henny Penny, and from the pigsty and the Puddle-Ducks."
Moppet and Mittens walked down the garden path unsteadily. Presently they trod upon their pinafores and fell on their noses.
Moppet and Mittens walked down the garden path wobbly. Soon, they stepped on their dresses and fell on their faces.
When they stood up there were several green smears!
When they stood up, there were several green smudges!
"Let us climb up the rockery, and sit on the garden wall," said Moppet.
"Let's climb up the rockery and sit on the garden wall," said Moppet.
They turned their pinafores back to front, and went up with a skip and a jump; Moppet's white tucker fell down into the road.
They turned their aprons inside out and skipped up happily; Moppet's white collar fell onto the road.
Tom Kitten was quite unable to jump when walking upon his hind legs in trousers. He came up the rockery by degrees, breaking the ferns, and shedding buttons right and left.
Tom Kitten was really struggling to jump while walking on his hind legs in his trousers. He climbed the rockery slowly, crushing the ferns and losing buttons left and right.
He was all in pieces when he reached the top of the wall.
He was completely broken when he reached the top of the wall.
Moppet and Mittens tried to pull him together; his hat fell off, and the rest of his buttons burst.
Moppet and Mittens tried to pull him together; his hat fell off, and the rest of his buttons popped off.
While they were in difficulties, there was a pit pat paddle pat! and the three Puddle-Ducks came along the hard high road, marching one behind the other and doing the goose step—pit pat paddle pat! pit pat waddle pat!
While they were in trouble, there was a pit pat paddle pat! and the three Puddle-Ducks came along the hard high road, marching one behind the other and doing the goose step—pit pat paddle pat! pit pat waddle pat!
They stopped and stood in a row, and stared up at the kittens. They had very small eyes and looked surprised.
They stopped and lined up, staring up at the kittens. The kittens had very tiny eyes and looked surprised.
Then the two duck-birds, Rebeccah and Jemima Puddle-Duck, picked up the hat and tucker and put them on.
Then the two ducks, Rebeccah and Jemima Puddle-Duck, picked up the hat and apron and put them on.
Mittens laughed so that she fell off the wall. Moppet and Tom descended after her; the pinafores and all the rest of Tom's clothes came off on the way down.
Mittens laughed so hard that she fell off the wall. Moppet and Tom climbed down after her; the pinafores and all of Tom's clothes came off on the way down.
"Come! Mr. Drake Puddle-Duck," said Moppet—"Come and help us to dress him! Come and button up Tom!"
"Come on! Mr. Drake Puddle-Duck," said Moppet—"Come help us get him dressed! Come button up Tom!"
Mr. Drake Puddle-Duck advanced in a slow sideways manner, and picked up the various articles.
Mr. Drake Puddle-Duck moved sideways slowly and picked up the various items.
But he put them on himself! They fitted him even worse than Tom Kitten.
But he put them on himself! They fit him even worse than Tom Kitten.
"It's a very fine morning!" said Mr. Drake Puddle-Duck.
"It's a really nice morning!" said Mr. Drake Puddle-Duck.
And he and Jemima and Rebeccah Puddle-Duck set off up the road, keeping step—pit pat, paddle pat! pit pat, waddle pat!
And he, Jemima, and Rebeccah Puddle-Duck started down the road, walking in sync—pit pat, paddle pat! pit pat, waddle pat!
Then Tabitha Twitchit came down the garden and found her kittens on the wall with no clothes on.
Then Tabitha Twitchit came into the garden and saw her kittens sitting on the wall without any clothes on.
She pulled them off the wall, smacked them, and took them back to the house.
She took them off the wall, slapped them, and brought them back to the house.
"My friends will arrive in a minute, and you are not fit to be seen; I am affronted," said Mrs. Tabitha Twitchit.
"My friends will be here any minute, and you’re not presentable; I'm offended," said Mrs. Tabitha Twitchit.
She sent them upstairs; and I am sorry to say she told her friends that they were in bed with the measles; which was not true.
She sent them upstairs, and I'm sorry to say she told her friends they were in bed with measles, which wasn't true.
Quite the contrary; they were not in bed: not in the least.
Quite the opposite; they were not in bed: not at all.
Somehow there were very extraordinary noises over-head, which disturbed the dignity and repose of the tea party.
Somehow, there were some really unusual noises coming from above that disturbed the calm and elegance of the tea party.
And I think that some day I shall have to make another, larger, book, to tell you more about Tom Kitten!
And I think that someday I’ll need to write another, bigger book to tell you more about Tom Kitten!
As for the Puddle-Ducks—they went into a pond.
As for the Puddle-Ducks—they waddled into a pond.
The clothes all came off directly, because there were no buttons.
The clothes all came off right away, because there were no buttons.
And Mr. Drake Puddle-Duck, and Jemima and Rebeccah, have been looking for them ever since.
And Mr. Drake Puddle-Duck, along with Jemima and Rebeccah, have been searching for them ever since.
Download ePUB
If you like this ebook, consider a donation!