The Tale of Mr. Tod: The original and authorized edition: 14 (Beatrix Potter Originals)

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And Mr. Bouncer laughed and coughed, and shut his eyes because of the cabbage smoke . . . . . . . . . . The story features Peter Rabbit who first appeared in The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny and his father Mr. Bouncer Bunny from The Tale of Benjamin Bunny as well as Flopsy and the bunnies from The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies. Peter's sister Cottontail, who first appeared in The Tale of Peter Rabbit, also appears in a minor role, now married as well. Benjamin Bunny came out of the dark tunnel shaking the sand from his ears; he cleaned his face with his paws. Every minute the sun shone warmer on the top of the hill. In the valley there was a sea of white mist, with golden tops of trees showing through. But what absorbed Mr. Tod’s attention was a noise—a deep slow regular snoring grunting noise, coming from his own bed.

All through the night they wore down their claws with digging and by sunrise they were under Mr Tod’s kitchen floor. Even the animation adheres very closely to Potter's illustrations. As said in my review summary, there is a preference for the more quaint and charming "The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny" and "The Tailor of Gloucester", 'The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends' is one of those rarities where all the episodes/stories are great. In the introduction to The Tale of Mr Tod, the darker sequel to The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Potter writes:

Poaching plantation stories

But there were preparations upon the kitchen table which made him shudder. There was an immense empty pie-dish of blue willow pattern, and a large carving knife and fork, and a chopper. 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. As usual, when out of humour, he determined to move house. First he tried the pollard willow, but it was damp; and the otters had left a dead fish near it. Mr. Tod likes nobody's leavings but his own. warming-pan — A bed warmer was a common household item in countries with cold winters, especially in Europe. It consisted of a metal container, usually fitted with a handle and shaped somewhat like a modern frying pan, with a solid or finely perforated lid.

The music is equally memorable, prefer the incidental music to "The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny" and "The Tailor of Gloucester", which were more quaint, understated and melodic musically but the music still suits the darker nature of "The Tale of Mr Tod's" story. The music to the live introduction and the as ever ethereal rendition of "Perfect Day" particularly stand out. Beatrix Potter was not amused. She had, she wrote to him sharply, merely been suffering from the after-effects of flu. She did not like ‘the Freudian school’ of criticism. The Tale of Mr. Tod by Beatrix Potter (1912) is a child-in-jeopardy crime thriller. See my post on thrillers and also my post on secrets and scams. But, naturally, being a thin-legged person (though vindictive and sandy whiskered)—he was quite unable to lift the heavy weight to the level of the hook and rope. He very nearly overbalanced himself.

‘Pretence of absolute originality’

Benjamin Bunny’s babies! But how to rescue them? Benjamin and Peter could not open the window nor the strong, heavy door. There was only one way in - through the floor - and that meant digging a tunnel.