English KS1: Beatrix Potter. The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin

This is a tale about a red squirrel. His name was Squirrel Nutkin.

Squirrel Nutkin had a brother called Twinkle-berry and lots and lots of cousins and they all lived in a wood at the edge of a lake. In the middle of the lake was an island covered in nut trees. One tree was hollow and inside this hollow tree lived an owl called Old Brown.

Old Brown liked to be treated with respect, so every autumn, when the nuts were ripe for picking, the squirrels made sure they always asked his permission.

One morning the squirrels got ready to sail across the lake to Nut Island. They each had a raft made of twigs and a paddle. For a sail they fanned out their bushy tails to catch the breeze. They had a little sack to put the nuts in and, as a thank-you to Old Brown, they took a present of three fat mice.

When they arrived, Old Brown was waiting for them. The squirrels bowed and gave him the present. ‘Will you allow us to pick some of your nuts, Mr Old Brown,’ they asked politely.

Only Squirrel Nutkin wasn’t so polite. He began dancing round Old Brown, flicking him with his tail and singing:

‘Riddle me ree, riddle me ree.
The mouse went out with a bumble bee.
When the bumble bee flew off all alone,
How did the mouse get home on his own?’

Old Brown wasn’t interested in riddles. He closed his eyes and ignored Squirrel Nutkin. The other squirrels filled their sacks with nuts and sailed home.

The next day they returned with another present for Old Brown. This time it was a fat juicy mole.

‘Would you be so kind, Mr Old Brown,’ they asked, ‘to grant us permission to pick some more of your fine nuts?’

Again Squirrel Nutkin misbehaved. He danced round Old Brown, tickling him with a nettle and singing…

‘Old Mr B - old Mr B,
If you’re as wise as you can be,
Think of an answer and tell it to me
How many shells are there in the sea?’

Old Brown picked up the juicy mole, carried it into the house and shut the door.

On the third day the squirrels got up early and went fishing. They caught seven fat minnows to give to Old Brown.

Before they reached the owl’s house Twinkle-berry spoke to Squirrel Nutkin. ‘I beg of you, brother,’ he asked, ‘be polite to Old Brown and treat him with the respect he deserves.’

But Squirrel Nutkin took no notice. He began dancing and singing as usual…

‘If there were seven fat minnows swimming in the sea,
And one fat minnow was caught by me
How many fat minnows would there be?’

Old Brown closed his eyes and ignored him.

Each day the squirrels took a different present to Nut Island. On the fourth day they took six fat beetles, beautifully wrapped in dock leaves and fastened with pine needles. On the fifth day they took some wild honey they had found in a bumblebee’s nest. It was so sticky and sweet the squirrels had to lick it off their fingers before they gave it to Old Brown.

Old Brown liked all his presents and if the behaviour of Squirrel Nutkin did annoy him, he didn’t show it. The most he did was roll his eyes and mutter quietly under his breath.

On the sixth day the squirrels went to the island for the last time. They took a newly laid egg in a basket as a parting gift for Mr Old Brown.

Squirrel Nutkin’s behaviour was worse than usual. He made faces at Old Brown and flicked him, over and over again, with his tail. He made rude remarks and taunted him with songs and riddles.

Old Brown remained calm. ‘I’ll close my eyes and count to ten,’ he said to himself, ‘and when I open them, this annoying squirrel will have gone away.’

But Squirrel Nutkin didn’t go away. He just got naughtier. He ran at Old Brown and jumped on his head. This was too much for Old Brown. He grabbed Squirrel Nutkin with his powerful claw. There was a scuffle followed by a loud ‘Squeak!’

Frightened, the other squirrels hid behind a bush. When they peeped out they saw Old Brown sitting on his doorstep looking as though nothing had happened. Squirrel Nutkin was nowhere to be seen…

Then, they noticed a small head poking out of Old Brown’s waistcoat pocket. It was Squirrel Nutkin!

Old Brown took the naughty squirrel out of his pocket, held him up by his tail and carried him into the house.

Squirrel Nutkin tried to wriggle free, but the owl’s grip was too tight. The harder he wriggled the tighter the owl’s grip became. Nutkin was getting tired. He made one last big effort. He wriggled so hard he broke free, leaving part of his tail in the owl’s claw. Quick as a flash he ran up the stairs and escaped out of the window.

Squirrel Nutkin no longer goes to Nut Island. He spends his time sitting at the tops of trees throwing sticks at anyone who comes by.

And, he still hasn’t learnt any manners…