The Tale of the Pie and the Patty Pan features the houses, gardens and streets of the village of Sawrey, where Beatrix Potter lived, at Hill Top, her first farm. The inhabitants, however, are animals rather than people, and problems arise when Ribby the cat invites Duchess the dog to tea. A pussycat named Ribby invites a dog called Duchess to tea, and this is the start of a story involving two pies, two ovens, and two unusual friends.