The Tale of Benjamin Bunny

5C Beatrix Potter, London: F. Warne & Co., Likely Second Edition. 1904.

Notes

Beatrix Potter’s The Tale of Benjamin Bunny was published in 1904 as a direct sequel to her immensely popular The Tale of Peter Rabbit (1902). The story follows Benjamin Bunny, Peter Rabbit’s cousin, as the two young rabbits return to Mr. McGregor’s garden to retrieve Peter’s lost clothes from the previous adventure.

In this tale, Benjamin is portrayed as a bit more confident—perhaps overly so—and he leads Peter back into danger. They manage to gather Peter’s clothes and some onions to take home, but soon they are caught under a basket by the family cat. Eventually, Old Mr. Bunny (Benjamin’s father) comes to the rescue, chasing off the cat and punishing Benjamin with a spanking using a switch—adding a dose of humor and gentle discipline to the story.

Unlike some of Potter’s later, more complex works, Benjamin Bunny is straightforward and full of rich illustrations of the English countryside and garden life. It reinforces themes of obedience, bravery, and the perils of venturing where one shouldn’t. Potter’s combination of realistic animal behavior, detailed natural settings, and gentle moral storytelling helped make The Tale of Benjamin Bunny a lasting favorite in her “Peter Rabbit universe.”

Description

Tan cloth bound with oval paper inlaid illustration with green lettering on upper board and spine. Illustrated endpapers with charming illustrations throughout. Separating of the spine from binding though pages are still bound and intact. Some fraying to upper and lower of the spine. Misspelling of “muffatees” for “muffetees” on page 15. Very good condition overall.