The Tale of Ginger and Pickles

The Tale of Ginger and Pickles

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Title: The Tale of Ginger and Pickles
Author: Beatrix Potter
Release Date: February 2, 2005 [EBook #14877]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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THE TALE OF GINGER AND PICKLES

DEDICATED

WITH VERY KIND REGARDS TO OLD MR. JOHN TAYLOR,
WHO "THINKS HE MIGHT PASS AS A DORMOUSE!" ( THREE
YEARS IN BED AND NEVER A GRUMBLE!)
[Illustration]
THE TALE OF GINGER & PICKLES
BY BEATRIX POTTER
Author of "The Tale of Peter Rabbit," &c.
[Illustration]
FREDERICK WARNE

1909 by Frederick Warne & Co.
Printed and bound in Great Britain by William Clowes Limited,
Beccles and London

[Illustration]
Once upon a time there was a village shop. The name over the window
was "Ginger and Pickles."
It was a little small shop just the right size for Dolls--Lucinda and Jane
Doll-cook always bought their groceries at Ginger and Pickles.
The counter inside was a convenient height for rabbits. Ginger and
Pickles sold red spotty pocket-handkerchiefs at a penny three farthings.
They also sold sugar, and snuff and galoshes.
In fact, although it was such a small shop it sold nearly

everything--except a few things that you want in a hurry--like bootlaces,
hair-pins and mutton chops.
Ginger and Pickles were the people who kept the shop. Ginger was a
yellow tom-cat, and Pickles was a terrier.
The rabbits were always a little bit afraid of Pickles.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
The shop was also patronized by mice--only the mice were rather afraid
of Ginger.
Ginger usually requested Pickles to serve them, because he said it made
his mouth water.
"I cannot bear," said he, "to see them going out at the door carrying
their little parcels."
"I have the same feeling about rats," replied Pickles, "but it would
never do to eat our own customers; they would leave us and go to
Tabitha Twitchit's."
"On the contrary, they would go nowhere," replied Ginger gloomily.
(Tabitha Twitchit kept the only other shop in the village. She did not
give credit.)
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
Ginger and Pickles gave unlimited credit.
Now the meaning of "credit" is this--when a customer buys a bar of
soap, instead of the customer pulling out a purse and paying for it--she
says she will pay another time.

And Pickles makes a low bow and says, "With pleasure, madam," and
it is written down in a book.
The customers come again and again, and buy quantities, in spite of
being afraid of Ginger and Pickles.
But there is no money in what is called the "till."
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
The customers came in crowds every day and bought quantities,
especially the toffee customers. But there was always no money; they
never paid for as much as a pennyworth of peppermints.
But the sales were enormous, ten times as large as Tabitha Twitchit's.
[Illustration]
As there was always no money, Ginger and Pickles were obliged to eat
their own goods.
Pickles ate biscuits and Ginger ate a dried haddock.
They ate them by candle-light after the shop was closed.
[Illustration]
When it came to Jan. 1st there was still no money, and Pickles was
unable to buy a dog licence.
"It is very unpleasant, I am afraid of the police," said Pickles.
"It is your own fault for being a terrier; I do not require a licence, and
neither does Kep, the Collie dog."
"It is very uncomfortable, I am afraid I shall be summoned. I have tried
in vain to get a licence upon credit at the Post Office;" said Pickles.

"The place is full of policemen. I met one as I was coming home."
"Let us send in the bill again to Samuel Whiskers, Ginger, he owes
22/9 for bacon."
"I do not believe that he intends to pay at all," replied Ginger.
[Illustration]
"And I feel sure that Anna Maria pockets things--Where are all the
cream crackers?"
"You have eaten them yourself," replied Ginger.
[Illustration]
Ginger and Pickles retired into the back parlour.
They did accounts. They added up sums and sums, and sums.
"Samuel Whiskers has run up a bill as long as his tail; he has had an
ounce and three-quarters of snuff since October."
"What is seven pounds of butter at 1/3, and a stick of sealing wax and
four matches?"
"Send in all the bills again to everybody