Once upon a time there were four little rabbits. Their names were: Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail, and Peter. They lived with their Mother under the root of a very big fir tree. "Now, children," said old Mrs. Rabbit one morning, "you may go into the fields or down the road. But don't go into Mr. McGregor's garden. Your father had an accident there. Mrs. McGregor put him in a pie." The children gasped. Mrs. Rabbit picked up her basket and her umbrella. She gave them all a big smile. "Now run along, children, and don't get into mischief. I am going out." Then she went out the door. She went to the baker's. She bought a loaf of brown bread and five sweet buns. They would have a nice dinner. Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail were good little bunnies. They went down the lane to find some blackberries. But Peter was very naughty. He ran right away to Mr. McGregor's garden and squeezed under the gate! First he ate some lettuce and some carrots. Then he nibbled on some radishes. And then, feeling rather sick, he went to look for some parsley. But when he came to the end of a cucumber frame, whom should he meet but Mr. McGregor! Mr. McGregor was on his hands and knees planting young cabbages, but he jumped up and ran after Peter, waving a rake and calling out, "Stop thief!" Peter was very scared. He rushed all over the garden. He had forgotten the way back to the gate. He lost one of his shoes among the cabbages, and the other shoe near the potatoes. Without shoes, he dropped to all four legs so he could run faster. He might have gotten completely away if he had not unfortunately run into a gooseberry fence. He was wearing a blue jacket with brass buttons, and the buttons got caught in the net. Peter gave himself up for lost, and he shed big tears. But some friendly sparrows heard him crying. They flew down to him and begged him to keep trying to escape. "You can do it, Peter," they said. Mr. McGregor had a big butterfly net in his hands. He came up behind Peter and tried to scoop him up. But Peter wriggled out just in time, leaving his jacket behind him. He rushed into the toolshed and saw a large watering can. It looked big and beautiful and a great place in which to hide. He jumped inside. It wasn't until he had that he realized it had water in it. Mr. McGregor was quite sure Peter was somewhere in the shed. Perhaps he was hidden underneath a flower pot. He turned each one over carefully, looking under them one by one. It was then that Peter sneezed, "Ahchoo!" Mr. McGregor was after him in no time. The net was no good in such a small space, so he tried to step on Peter. Peter was fast, though, and he jumped out of a window, upsetting three plants. The window was too small for Mr. McGregor to fit through. And he was tired of running after Peter. Outside, Peter sat down to rest. He was out of breath and trembling with fright. And he still didn't have any idea which way to go. Also, he was very damp from sitting in that can. His fur was matted. He sat for a while, then he began to wander about, going hop-hop-hop. He didn't go very fast, and he looked all around to see where he was. He found a door in a wall, but it was locked. There was no room for a fat little rabbit to squeeze. An old mouse was running in and out over the stone doorstep, carrying peas and beans to her family in the woods. 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 at him. Peter began to cry again. Then he tried to find his way straight across the garden. But he became more and more confused. He didn't know this garden, and he didn't know which trail led out. After a while, he came to a pond where Mr. McGregor filled his watering cans. A white cat was staring at some goldfish in the pond. 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. He had heard about cats from his cousin, little Benjamin Bunny. He didn't think she'd be very friendly. He went back the way he came, towards the toolshed. Suddenly, quite close to him, he heard the noise of a hoe -- scr-r-ritch, scr-r-ratch. Peter dove under the bushes, shaking with fear. He waited and waited, but nothing happened. He poked his nose out, then his front paws, then his back paws. He climbed on top of a wheelbarrow and peeped over. The first thing he saw was Mr. McGregor hoeing onions. His back was turned towards Peter and beyond him was the gate! Oh, how wonderful! Peter got down very quietly off the wheelbarrow. He started running as fast as he could go, along a straight walk behind some berry bushes. Mr. McGregor caught sight of him at the corner, but Peter did not care. He slipped underneath the gate and out into the wood outside the garden. Peter never stopped running or looked behind him till he got home. He was so tired that he flopped down on 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. She didn't know that Mr. McGregor hung up the little jacket and the shoes as a scarecrow. Peter did not feel very well during the rest of the evening. His mother put him to bed, made him a hot cut of tea, and gave him a spoonful of bad-tasting medicine. "Drink it up, Peter." Then she kissed him goodnight. But Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail felt just fine. They had bread, and milk, and blackberries for supper. Benjamin Franklin was not only one of the Founding Fathers of Colonial America, but he was one of the premier thinkers and statesmen of that time. It is interesting, therefore, to take a look at some of his thoughts and opinions -- in his own words: Good works and their reward. -- For my own part, when I am employed in serving others, I do not look upon myself as conferring favors, but as paying debts. Once upon a time there were four little rabbits. Their names were: Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail, and Peter. They lived with their Mother under the root of a very big fir tree. "Now, children," said old Mrs. Rabbit one morning, "you may go into the fields or down the road. But don't go into Mr. McGregor's garden. Your father had an accident there. Mrs. McGregor put him in a pie." The children gasped. Mrs. Rabbit picked up her basket and her umbrella. She gave them all a big smile. "Now run along, children, and don't get into mischief. I am going out." Then she went out the door. She went to the baker's. She bought a loaf of brown bread and five sweet buns. They would have a nice dinner. Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail were good little bunnies. They went down the lane to find some blackberries. But Peter was very naughty. He ran right away to Mr. McGregor's garden and squeezed under the gate! Once upon a time there were four little rabbits. Their names were: Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail, and Peter. They lived with their Mother under the root of a very big fir tree. "Now, children," said old Mrs. Rabbit one morning, "you may go into the fields or down the road. But don't go into Mr. McGregor's garden. Your father had an accident there. Mrs. McGregor put him in a pie." The children gasped. Mrs. Rabbit picked up her basket and her umbrella. She gave them all a big smile. "Now run along, children, and don't get into mischief. I am going out." Then she went out the door. She went to the baker's. She bought a loaf of brown bread and five sweet buns. They would have a nice dinner. Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail were good little bunnies. They went down the lane to find some blackberries. But Peter was very naughty. He ran right away to Mr. McGregor's garden and squeezed under the gate! First he ate some lettuce and some carrots. Then he nibbled on some radishes. And then, feeling rather sick, he went to look for some parsley. But when he came to the end of a cucumber frame, whom should he meet but Mr. McGregor! Mr. McGregor was on his hands and knees planting young cabbages, but he jumped up and ran after Peter, waving a rake and calling out, "Stop thief!" Peter was very scared. He rushed all over the garden. He had forgotten the way back to the gate.