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Il racconto di uno dei conigli più famosi della letteratura, Peter Rabbit, creato dalla fervida immaginazione di Beatrix Potter (1866 –1943)
The Tale of Peter Rabbit
Once upon a time (= c’erano una volta ) there were four little Rabbits, and their names were: Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail, and Peter.
They lived with their Mother in a sandbank (=banco di sabbia), underneath (= sotto) the root (= radice) of a very big fir tree (= abete).
“Now, my dears,” said old Mrs. Rabbit one morning, “you may go into the fields or down the lane (=giù per la via), but don’t go into Mr. McGregor’s garden – your Father had an accident there, he was put in a pie (= torta salata) by Mrs. McGregor.”
“Now run along, and don’t get into mischief (= problemi) . I am going out.”
Then old Mrs. Rabbit took a basket (= cesto) and her umbrella, to the baker’s. She bought a loaf (= pagnotta) of brown bread and five currant buns.
Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail, who were good little bunnies, went down the lane to gather (= raccogliere) blackberries (= more).
But Peter, who was very naughty (= birichino) , ran straight away to Mr. McGregor’s garden and squeezed (= passò sotto) under the gate!
First he ate some lettuces and some French beans (= fagiolini), and then he ate some radishes (= ravanelli).
And then, feeling rather sick (= non sentendosi troppo bene) , he went to look for some parsley (= prezzemolo).
But round the end of a cucumber frame (= fila di cetrioli), whom should he meet but Mr. McGregor!
Mr. McGregor was on his hands and knees (= ginocchia) planting out young cabbages (= cavoli), but he jumped up and ran after Peter, waving (= brandendo) a rake (= rastrello)and calling out, “Stop thief (= ladro)!”
Peter was most dreadfully frightened ( = tremendamente spaventato)- he rushed all over the garden(= corse per tutto il giardino), for (because = perché) he had forgotten the way back (= la strada del
He lost one of his shoes among the cabbages, and the other shoe amongst the potatoes.
After losing them, he ran on four legs and went faster, so that I think he might have got away altogether (= del
Peter gave himself up for lost (= si diede perso) , and shed big tears (= versò grandi lacrime) – but his sobs (= singhiozzi) were overheard (= sentiti) by some friendly sparrows (= passeri) , who flew (= volarono) to him in great excitement, and implored him to exert (= farsi forza) himself.
Mr. McGregor came up with a sieve (= setaccio) , which he intended to pop upon the top (= sulla testa) of Peter – but Peter wriggled (= sgusciò) out just in time, leaving his jacket behind him.
And rushed into the toolshed (= corse nella casetta per gli attrezzi) , and jumped into a can (= barattolo). 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 toolshed, perhaps hidden underneath a flower-pot (= vaso di fiori) . He began to turn (= rovesciarli) them over carefully, looking under each.
Presently Peter sneezed (= starnutì) , “Kertyschoo!” Mr. McGregor was after him in no time, and tried to put his foot upon Peter, who jumped out of a window, upsetting (= rovesciando) three plants. The window was too small for Mr. McGregor, and he was tired of running after Peter. He went back to his work.
Peter sat down to rest – he was out of breath (= senza fiato) and trembling with fright (= spavento), and he had not the least idea which way to go. Also he was very damp (= umido)with sitting in that can.
After a time he began to wander about, going lippity (= balzellando)- lippity – not very fast, and looking all around.
He found a door in a wall – but it was locked (= chiusa a chiave), and there was no room for a fat little rabbit to squeeze underneath.
An old mouse (= topo) was running in and out over the stone doorstep (= gradino di pietra) , carrying peas (= piselli) and beans (= fagioli) to her family in the wood. Peter asked her the way to the gate, but she had such a large pea in her mouth that she could not answer. She only shook her head (= scosse la testa) at him. Peter began to cry.
Then he tried to find his way straight across the garden, but he became more and more puzzled (= sempre più perplesso) . Presently, he came to a pond (= pozza d’acqua) where Mr. McGregor filled his water cans. A white cat was staring at some goldfish (= pesci rossi) – she sat very, very still, but now and then the tip of her tail (= cima della coda) twitched (= vibrava) as if it were alive (= come se avesse vita propria) . Peter thought it best to go away without speaking to her (“ in genere si usa
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 (= sgattaiolò) underneath the bushes ( = cespugli) . But presently, as nothing happened, he came out, and climbed upon a wheelbarrow (= salì su una carriola), and peeped over (= sbirciò) . The first thing he saw was Mr. McGregor hoeing onions (= zappava le cipolle) . His back (= schiena) was turned towards Peter, and beyond (=oltre) him was the gate!
Peter got down very quietly off the wheelbarrow, and started running as fast as he could go, along a straight walk behind some black currant bushes (= cespugli di ribes).
Mr. McGregor caught sight of him (= lo vide) at the corner, but Peter did not care. He slipped underneath (= scivolò sotto ) the gate, and was safe (= salvo) at last in the wood outside the garden.
Mr. McGregor hung up (= appese) the little jacket and the shoes for a scare-crow (= spaventapasseri) to frighten the blackbirds (= merli).
Peter never stopped running or looked behind him till he got home to the big fir tree.
He was so tired that he flopped down (= crollò) upon the nice soft sand on the floor of the rabbit-hole, and shut his eyes. His mother was busy (= indaffarata) cooking – she wondered what he had done with his clothes (= so domandò cosa avesse fatto dei suoi vestiti). It was the second little jacket and pair of shoes that Peter had lost in a fortnight (= quindici giorni)!
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 (= dose) of it to Peter!
“One tablespoonful (= cucchiaio)) to be taken (= da prendere) at bedtime.”
But Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail had bread and milk and blackberries, for supper.