The Tale of Tom Kitten is a delightful story about three mischievous kittens—Tom Kitten and his sisters, Moppet and Mittens. Their mother, Tabitha Twitchit, wants them to look neat and tidy for a tea party she is hosting, so she dresses them in clean, fancy clothes. However, as soon as the kittens are sent outside to play, they quickly get into trouble.

Tom Kitten, in particular, is very restless, and as they romp around the garden, their clothes become dirty and start falling off. Eventually, they lose their outfits completely! When their mother sees the mess, she scolds them and hides them upstairs while she tells her guests that the kittens are too naughty to be seen.

Meanwhile, three ducks—Jemima Puddle-Duck, Rebeccah, and Drakey—find the kittens' clothes and waddle off wearing them, much to Tabitha Twitchit's frustration. The story ends humorously, as Tom Kitten never really learns to behave, leaving open the possibility of more mischief in the future.

This charming tale highlights the playful, carefree nature of kittens and the humorous struggle of a mother trying to keep them tidy!

Episode Eight from The Little Library of Beatrix Potter

The Tale of Tom Kitten by Beatrix Potter is public domain.

Once Upon a Storytime Podcast is owned and operated by Julie Boston.

The song used in this episode is “Happy Go Lucky” by Victor Lundberg with permission from Epidemic Sound.

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