Oh! Mother, Mother, there has been an old man rat in the dairy—a dreadful ‘normous big rat, mother; and he’s stolen a pat of butter and the rolling-pin.”

It was a judge of knots because it had a habit of tying up unfortunate blue-bottles. It did not offer to assist him. Tom Kitten bit and spat, and mewed and wriggled; and the rolling-pin went roly-poly, roly; roly, poly, roly. The rats each held an end. Anna Maria! Anna Maria!" squeaked the rat. There was a pattering noise and an old woman rat poked her head round a rafter. Oh! Mother, Mother, there has been an old man rat in the dairy—a dreadful 'normous big rat, Mother; and he's stolen a pat of butter and the rolling-pin." Helen Beatrix Potter was an English author, illustrator, mycologist, and conservationist who is best known for her children's books, which featured animal characters such as Peter Rabbit.

He scrambled up and up; but before he reached the chimney top he came to a place where somebody had loosened a stone in the wall. There were some mutton bones lying about— Poor Tom even as an adult never fully recovers his ordeal, forever fearing “anything that is bigger than a rat”, making him unable to share in his brothers' success as popular professional rat-catchers. The moral being never to disobey mother! There were no more rats for a long time at Tabitha Twitchit’s house after that - though the same could not be said for the house of poor Farmer Potatoes. But no matter, for Moppet and Mittens became very good at catching rats when they got bigger. The Tale of Samuel Whiskers or the Roly Poly Pudding" is another beautifully done episode and adaptation, with the stories being shown complete respect with clever merging of the stories and nice references to other Beatrix Potter stories. But his mouth was full of soot and cob- webs, and he was tied up in such very tight knots, he could not make anybody hear him.

Someone or something has discovered us!’ replied Samuel Whiskers. ‘I fear we must leave our pudding behind - though I wouldn’t have been able to eat the string in any case. I think it’s time to move home. We’ll go to Farmer Potatoes’ barn,’ he continued. While they were gone Tom wriggled and tried to call for help, but his mouth was full of soot and cobwebs and he felt very tired. Anna Maria was about to argue the point, when all at once there began to be other sounds up above—the rasping noise of a saw; and the noise of a little dog, scratching and yelping! He squeezed through the hole in the wall, and dragged himself along a most uncomfortably tight passage where there was scarcely any light. And they are all descended from Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Whiskers—children and grand-children and great great grand-children.

Vintage children’s book illustrations by Beatrix Potter

It was a very small stuffy fusty room, with boards, and rafters, and cobwebs, and lath and plaster. What do you mean by tumbling into my bed all covered with smuts?” said the rat, chattering his teeth. But his mouth was full of soot and cobwebs, and he was tied up in such very tight knots, he could not make anybody hear him. Once upon a time there was an old cat, called Mrs. Tabitha Twitchit, who was an anxious parent. She used to lose her kittens continually, and whenever they were lost they were always in mischief! He jumped right up into the fire-place, balancing himself upon the iron bar where the kettle hangs.

A rolling pin?’ said Ribby. ‘Didn’t we hear a roly-poly noise? I think it was coming from under the attic floor...’ I do not think”—said Samuel Whiskers, pausing to take a look at Tom Kitten—”I do not think it will be a good pudding. It smells sooty.”

She caught Moppet and Mittens...but Tom was no-where to be found. The house was full of mysterious passages, with strange noises coming from behind the walls, and even things disappearing at night...Tom could be anywhere! And when I was going to the post late in the afternoon—I looked up the lane from the corner, and I saw Mr. Samuel Whiskers and his wife on the run, with big bundles on a little wheel-barrow, which looked very like mine. I remember reading this book as a child and watching the animated adaptations in trepidation. Although some children might find this book too distressing, others will enjoy the anticipation of what happens to Tom kitten. This seems funny," said Tom Kitten. "Who has been gnawing bones up here in the chimney? I wish I had never come! And what a funny smell! It is something like mouse; only dreadfully strong. It makes me sneeze," said Tom Kitten. A rolling-pin?" said Ribby. "Did we not hear a roly-poly noise in the attic when we were looking into that chest?"