This is a modern-English version of The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin, 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

SQUIRREL NUTKIN

BY

BEATRIX POTTER

Author of "The Tale of Peter Rabbit"

Emblem

FREDERICK WARNE

1903 by Frederick Warne & Co.

Printed and bound in Great Britain by William Clowes Limited, Beccles and London

A STORY FOR NORAH

This is a Tale about a tail—a tail that belonged to a little red squirrel, and his name was Nutkin.

This is a story about a tail—a tail that belonged to a little red squirrel named Nutkin.

He had a brother called Twinkleberry, and a great many cousins: they lived in a wood at the edge of a lake.

He had a brother named Twinkleberry and a lot of cousins. They lived in a forest by the edge of a lake.

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.

In the middle of the lake, there’s an island covered with trees and nut bushes, and among those trees stands a hollow oak tree that is home to an owl named Old Brown.

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.

One autumn when the nuts were ripe and the leaves on the hazel bushes were golden and green, Nutkin, Twinkleberry, and all the other little squirrels came out of the woods and down to the edge of the lake.

They made little rafts out of twigs, and they paddled away over the water to Owl Island to gather nuts.

They made small rafts out of twigs and paddled across the water to Owl Island to collect nuts.

Each squirrel had a little sack and a large oar, and spread out his tail for a sail.

Each squirrel had a small bag and a big oar, and they spread their tails out like sails.

They also took with them an offering of three fat mice as a present for Old Brown, and put them down upon his door-step.

They also brought an offering of three plump mice as a gift for Old Brown and placed them on his doorstep.

Then Twinkleberry and the other little squirrels each made a low bow, and said politely—

Then Twinkleberry and the other little squirrels each gave a slight bow and said politely—

"Old Mr. Brown, will you favour us with permission to gather nuts upon your island?"

"Old Mr. Brown, can you please give us permission to pick nuts on your island?"

But Nutkin was excessively impertinent in his manners. He bobbed up and down like a little red cherry, singing—

But Nutkin was incredibly rude in his behavior. He bounced 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."

"Please guess this riddle for me!"
A little man, dressed entirely in red!
A stick in his hand and a stone in his mouth;
"If you solve this riddle, I'll give you a coin."

Now this riddle is as old as the hills; Mr. Brown paid no attention whatever to Nutkin.

Now this riddle is as old as time; Mr. Brown didn’t pay any attention to Nutkin at all.

He shut his eyes obstinately and went to sleep.

He stubbornly closed his eyes and fell asleep.

The squirrels filled their little sacks with nuts, and sailed away home in the evening.

The squirrels packed their little bags with nuts and headed home in the evening.

But next morning they all came back again to Owl Island; and Twinkleberry and the others brought a fine fat mole, and laid it on the stone in front of Old Brown's doorway, and said—

But the next morning, they all returned to Owl Island; Twinkleberry and the others brought a nice, plump mole and placed it on the stone in front of Old Brown's doorway, and said—

"Mr. Brown, will you favour us with your gracious permission to gather some more nuts?"

"Mr. Brown, could you please give us your kind permission to collect some more nuts?"

But Nutkin, who had no respect, began to dance up and down, tickling old Mr. Brown with a nettle and singing—

But Nutkin, who had no respect, started dancing up and down, tickling old Mr. Brown with a nettle and singing—

"Old Mr. B! Riddle-me-ree!
Hitty Pitty within the wall,
Hitty Pitty without the wall;
If you touch Hitty Pitty,
Hitty Pitty will bite you!"

"Hey, Old Mr. B! Tell me a riddle!"
Hitty Pitty in the wall,
Hitty Pitty beyond the wall;
If you touch Hitty Pitty,
"Hitty Pitty will bite you!"

Mr. Brown woke up suddenly and carried the mole into his house.

Mr. Brown woke up abruptly and brought the mole into his house.

He shut the door in Nutkin's face. Presently a little thread of blue smoke from a wood fire came up from the top of the tree, and Nutkin peeped through the key-hole and sang—

He closed the door in Nutkin's face. Soon, a little wisp of blue smoke from a wood fire rose from the top of the tree, and Nutkin peeked through the keyhole and sang—

"A house full, a hole full!
And you cannot gather a bowl-full!"

"A house is full, a hole is full!"
"And you still can't fill a bowl!"

The squirrels searched for nuts all over the island and filled their little sacks.

The squirrels looked for nuts all over the island and filled their small bags.

But Nutkin gathered oak-apples—yellow and scarlet—and sat upon a beech-stump playing marbles, and watching the door of old Mr. Brown.

But Nutkin collected oak-apples—yellow and red—and sat on a beech stump playing marbles while watching the door of old Mr. Brown.

On the third day the squirrels got up very early and went fishing; they caught seven fat minnows as a present for Old Brown.

On the third day, the squirrels woke up really early and went fishing; they caught seven plump minnows as a gift for Old Brown.

They paddled over the lake and landed under a crooked chestnut tree on Owl Island.

They paddled across the lake and landed under a twisted chestnut tree on Owl Island.

Twinkleberry and six other little squirrels each carried a fat minnow; but Nutkin, who had no nice manners, brought no present at all. He ran in front, singing—

Twinkleberry and six other little squirrels each carried a fat minnow, but Nutkin, who had no manners, brought nothing at all. He dashed ahead, singing—

"The man in the wilderness said to me,
'How many strawberries grow in the sea?'
I answered him as I thought good—
'As many red herrings as grow in the wood.'"

"The guy in the wilderness said to me,
'How many strawberries grow in the ocean?'
I responded the way I believed was correct—
'As many distractions as there are in the woods.'

But old Mr. Brown took no interest in riddles—not even when the answer was provided for him.

But old Mr. Brown had no interest in riddles—not even when the answer was given to him.

On the fourth day the squirrels brought a present of six fat beetles, which were as good as plums in plum-pudding for Old Brown. Each beetle was wrapped up carefully in a dock-leaf, fastened with a pine-needle pin.

On the fourth day, the squirrels brought a gift of six plump beetles, which were as tasty as plums in plum-pudding for Old Brown. Each beetle was carefully wrapped in a dock leaf and secured with a pine needle pin.

But Nutkin sang as rudely as ever—

But Nutkin sang as obnoxiously as always—

"Old Mr. B! riddle-me-ree
Flour of England, fruit of Spain,
Met together in a shower of rain;
Put in a bag tied round with a string,
If you'll tell me this riddle, I'll give you a ring!"

"Hey Old Mr. B! I've got a riddle for you:
Flour from England, fruit from Spain,
Gathering in a rain shower;
Place it in a bag and tie it with a string.
"If you can solve this riddle, I'll buy you a ring!"

Which was ridiculous of Nutkin, because he had not got any ring to give to Old Brown.

Which was ridiculous of Nutkin because he didn’t have any ring to give to Old Brown.

The other squirrels hunted up and down the nut bushes; but Nutkin gathered robin's pincushions off a briar bush, and stuck them full of pine-needle pins.

The other squirrels searched the nut bushes, but Nutkin picked robin's pincushions from a briar bush and filled them with pine-needle pins.

On the fifth day the squirrels brought a present of wild honey; it was so sweet and sticky that they licked their fingers as they put it down upon the stone. They had stolen it out of a bumble bees' nest on the tippitty top of the hill.

On the fifth day, the squirrels brought a gift of wild honey; it was so sweet and sticky that they licked their fingers after setting it down on the stone. They had taken it from a bumble bees' nest at the very top of the hill.

But Nutkin skipped up and down, singing—

But Nutkin hopped up and down, singing—

"Hum-a-bum! buzz! buzz! Hum-a-bum buzz!
As I went over Tipple-tine
I met a flock of bonny swine;
Some yellow-nacked, some yellow backed!
They were the very bonniest swine
That e'er went over Tipple-tine."

"Buzz! Buzz! Hum-a-bum!"
As I crossed over Tipple-tine
I found a group of adorable pigs;
Some have yellow necks, while others have yellow backs!
They were the cutest pigs
That ever crossed over Tipple-tine.

Old Mr. Brown turned up his eyes in disgust at the impertinence of Nutkin.

Old Mr. Brown rolled his eyes in disgust at Nutkin's rude behavior.

But he ate up the honey!

But he gobbled up the honey!

The squirrels filled their little sacks with nuts.

The squirrels stuffed their tiny bags with nuts.

But Nutkin sat upon a big flat rock, and played ninepins with a crab apple and green fir-cones.

But Nutkin sat on a big flat rock and played ninepins with a crab apple and green fir cones.

On the sixth day, which was Saturday, the squirrels came again for the last time; they brought a new-laid egg in a little rush basket as a last parting present for Old Brown.

On the sixth day, which was Saturday, the squirrels came again for the last time; they brought a freshly laid egg in a small rush basket as a final farewell gift for Old Brown.

But Nutkin ran in front laughing, and shouting—

But Nutkin ran ahead, laughing and shouting—

"Humpty Dumpty lies in the beck,
With a white counterpane round his neck,
Forty doctors and forty wrights,
Cannot put Humpty Dumpty to rights!"

"Humpty Dumpty is lying in the stream,
With a white blanket draped around his neck,
Forty doctors and forty tradespeople,
"Can't put Humpty Dumpty back together again!"

Now old Mr. Brown took an interest in eggs; he opened one eye and shut it again. But still he did not speak.

Now old Mr. Brown was interested in eggs; he opened one eye and then closed it again. But still, he didn't say anything.

Nutkin became more and more impertinent—

Nutkin got more and more cheeky—

"Old Mr. B! Old Mr. B!
Hickamore, Hackamore, on the King's kitchen door;
All the King's horses, and all the King's men,
Couldn't drive Hickamore, Hackamore,
Off the King's kitchen door."

"Hey, Old Mr. B! Hey, Old Mr. B!"
Hickamore, Hackamore, at the King’s kitchen door;
All the King's horses and all the King's men,
Couldn't get Hickamore, Hackamore,
"By the King's kitchen door."

Nutkin danced up and down like a sunbeam; but still Old Brown said nothing at all.

Nutkin danced up and down like a sunbeam, but Old Brown still didn’t say a word.

Nutkin began again—

Nutkin started again—

"Arthur O'Bower has broken his band,
He comes roaring up the land!
The King of Scots with all his power,
Cannot turn Arthur of the Bower!"

"Arthur O'Bower is free now,"
"He's racing across the land!"
"The King of Scotland with all his power,"
"Can't stop Arthur of the Bower!"

Nutkin made a whirring noise to sound like the wind, and he took a running jump right onto the head of Old Brown!...

Nutkin made a whirring noise to mimic the wind, and he took a running leap right onto Old Brown's head!...

Then all at once there was a flutterment and a scufflement and a loud "Squeak!"

Then suddenly there was a flurry, a shuffle, and a loud "Squeak!"

The other squirrels scuttered away into the bushes.

The other squirrels scampered off into the bushes.

When they came back very cautiously, peeping round the tree—there was Old Brown sitting on his door-step, quite still, with his eyes closed, as if nothing had happened.

When they returned very carefully, glancing around the tree—there was Old Brown sitting on his doorstep, completely still, with his eyes closed, as if nothing had happened.

But Nutkin was in his waistcoat pocket!

But Nutkin was in his jacket pocket!

This looks like the end of the story; but it isn't.

This seems like the end of the story, but it’s not.

Old Brown carried Nutkin into his house, and held him up by the tail, intending to skin him; but Nutkin pulled so very hard that his tail broke in two, and he dashed up the staircase and escaped out of the attic window.

Old Brown took Nutkin into his house and held him up by the tail, planning to skin him; but Nutkin pulled so hard that his tail broke in two, and he rushed up the stairs and escaped through the attic window.

And to this day, if you meet Nutkin up a tree and ask him a riddle, he will throw sticks at you, and stamp his feet and scold, and shout—

And even now, if you see Nutkin in a tree and ask him a riddle, he'll throw sticks at you, stomp his feet, scold, and shout—

THE TALE OF

SQUIRREL NUTKIN

BY

BEATRIX POTTER

THE END