22 TOMMY TART

One day the Queen of Hearts was making some tarts.
While she was making them she said to herself, “I will make a nice little boy out of these tarts.”
So she made Tommy Tart and put him into the oven to bake.
The Knave of Hearts saw Tommy Tart put into the oven.
He said, “I will open the oven door and steal Tommy Tart.”
So he opened the oven door, and out jumped Tommy Tart.
Tommy Tart ran across the floor and out of the door.
“Stop running! I wish to eat you,” called the Knave of Hearts.
But Tommy Tart ran down the road.
The Knave of Hearts ran after him.
Tommy Tart laughed and shouted,


   “Run, run!
    You’ll be smart,
   If you can catch
    Tommy Tart.”


And the Knave of Hearts could not catch him.
Tommy Tart ran down the road till he met Peter Rabbit. “Stop running! ” called Peter Rabbit. “I wish to eat you.”
Tommy Tart said, “I have run away from the Queen of Hearts, and the Knave of Hearts, and I can run away from you, too, if you give me a start.
   Run, run!
    You’ll be smart,
   If you can catch
    Tommy Tart.”


“We’ll see about that,” said Peter Rabbit.
And he ran after Tommy Tart.
But Peter Rabbit could not catch him.
By and by he met Frisky Lamb.
“Stop running!” called Frisky Lamb. “I wish to eat you.”
Tommy Tart said, “I have run away from the Queen of Hearts, the Knave of Hearts, and Peter Rabbit, and I can run away from you, too, if you give me a start.


   Run, run!
    You’ll be smart,
   If you can catch
    Tommy Tart.”


“Indeed!” cried Frisky Lamb.
And he ran after Tommy Tart. Frisky Lamb could not catch him.
On and on ran Tommy Tart till he met Bruin Bear.
“Stop running!” called Bruin Bear. “You look so sweet I wish to eat you.”
Tommy Tart said, “I have run away from the Queen of Hearts, the Knave of Hearts, Peter Rabbit, and Frisky Lamb, and I can run away from you, too, if you give me a start.


   Run, run!
    You’ll be smart,
   If you can catch
    Tommy Tart.”
“Are you sure?” asked Bruin Bear.
And he ran after Tommy Tart.
Bruin Bear could not catch him.
“Nobody can ever catch me,” said Tommy Tart.
In the tall grass sat Red Fox.
“Hello, hello!” called Red Fox, as Tommy Tart rushed by.
Tommy Tart stopped running.
He went back to talk to Red Fox.
He said, “I have run away from the Queen of Hearts, the Knave of Hearts, Peter Rabbit, Frisky Lamb, and Bruin Bear, and I can run away from you, too, if you give me a start.

   Run, run!
    You’ll be smart,
   If you can catch
    Tommy Tart.”

“I do not wish to catch you,” said Red Fox. “Come and rest in this cool grass.”
“I am afraid that you will eat me,” said Tommy Tart.
“Why should I?” said Red Fox. “You are too sweet.”
Tommy Tart came a little nearer.
“Come and have a drink of water. You must be thirsty,” said Red Fox.
“Thank you, I will,” said Tommy Tart.
But as he stooped to drink the water, snap went Red Fox’s teeth, and Tommy Tart was gone.