Fabula de Petro Cuniculo

The Tale of Peter Rabbit

Olim quattuor cuniculi parvi erant, quorum nomina erant Flopsy, Mopsy, Cauda Lanea et Petrus.

Once upon a time there were four little rabbits, and their names were Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail, and Peter.

Cum matre in ripa arenosa habitabant, sub radice arboris abietis magnae.

They lived with their mother in a sand-bank, underneath the root of a very big fir-tree.

Quadam mane mater eorum dixit:

One morning their mother said:

"Nunc, carissimi, licet vobis in agros ire vel per viam, sed ne in hortum Domini McGregor eatis. Pater vester ibi casu affectus est; a Domina McGregor in crustulum positus est."

"Now, my dears, you may go into the fields or down the lane, but don't go into Mr. McGregor's garden. Your Father had an accident there; he was put in a pie by Mrs. McGregor."

Deinde calathum arripuit et per silvam ad pistorem exiit.

Then she took a basket and went through the wood to the baker's.

Flopsy, Mopsy et Cauda Lanea, qui boni cuniculi erant, per viam processerunt ut moras colligerent.

Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail, who were good little bunnies, went down the lane to gather blackberries.

Petrus autem, qui valde improbus erat, recta ad hortum Domini McGregor cucurrit et sub porta se insinuavit.

But Peter, who was very naughty, ran straight to Mr. McGregor's garden and squeezed under the gate.

Primo lactucas et fabas comedit, deinde raphanos.

First he ate some lettuces and some French beans, and then he ate some radishes.

Iam nauseare incipiebat, itaque apium quaerere ivit.

And then, feeling rather sick, he went to look for some parsley.

Sed circa finem cancellos cucumeris, cui occurrit nisi Domino McGregor ipsi!

But round the end of a cucumber frame, whom should he meet but Mr. McGregor himself!

Dominus McGregor exsiluit et post Petrum cucurrit, rastrum vibrans et clamans:

Mr. McGregor jumped up and ran after Peter, waving a rake and calling out:

"Sta, fur!"

"Stop, thief!"

Petrus valde perterritus erat.

Peter was most dreadfully frightened.

Per totum hortum cucurrit, quia viam ad portam oblitus erat.

He rushed all over the garden, for he had forgotten the way back to the gate.

Unam solulam inter caules amisit, alteram inter tubera.

He lost one of his shoes among the cabbages, and the other shoe amongst the potatoes.

Petrus cucurrit et cucurrit, et tandem in rete uvae crispae magnis fibulae lacernae suae haesit.

Peter ran and ran, and at last ran into a gooseberry net, and got caught by the large buttons on his jacket.

Desperavit et lacrimis magnis flevit.

He gave himself up for lost, and shed big tears.

Sed passeres amici eum audiverunt et eum rogaverunt ut iterum temptaret.

But some friendly sparrows heard him and implored him to exert himself.

Petrus e lacerna vix tempore se extricavit et aufugit.

Peter wriggled out of his jacket just in time and escaped.

Ianuam in muro invenit, sed clausa erat.

He found a door in a wall, but it was locked.

Tandem ad portam pervenit, sub ea se insinuavit, et domum quam celerrime cucurrit.

At last he reached the gate, slipped underneath it, and ran home as fast as he could.

Tam fessus erat ut in pavimentum cuniculi prolapsum oculos clausit.

He was so tired that he flopped down upon the floor of the rabbit-hole and shut his eyes.

Mater occupata coquebat.

His mother was busy cooking.

Mirabatur quid de vestimentis fecisset.

She wondered what he had done with his clothes.

Erat altera lacernula et par solularum quas Petrus intra duas septimanas amiserat!

It was the second little jacket and pair of shoes that Peter had lost in a fortnight!

Petrus eo vespere non bene valebat, itaque mater eum dormitum misit et chamomillae potionem dedit.

Peter was not very well during the evening, so his mother put him to bed, and gave him a dose of chamomile tea.

Sed Flopsy, Mopsy et Cauda Lanea panem et lac et moras ad cenam habuerunt.

But Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail had bread and milk and blackberries for supper.