Part 6

ADVENŤURÈŚ OF^UV TOM THUMB

A LONG tîmè ágô, a wōōdcutter livèd with hiś wîfè in a småll cottáĝè not far fróm a grèât forést. They had sevén childrén—åll boyś; and thé yòuñgést wáś^woś thé smållést littlè fellôw ever seen. Hê wáś^woś cållèd Tom thumb. But thôùgh hê wáś^woś sô småll, hê wáś^woś far cleverer than ãný of^uv hiś brőtherś, and hê hèàŕd a grèât deal morè than ãnýbodý ever imaĝínèd.

It happénèd that just at this tîmè theŕè wáś^woś a famínè in thé land, and thé wōōdcutter and hiś wîfè bėcâmè sô pōōr that they cōūld nô loñger givè their boyś enough^ėnòuf tó^tö eat.

One^wőnè night—after thé boyś had gonè tó^tö bed—thé huśbánd sighing deeplý, sãìd—

"Wê cannot feed õυŕ childrén ãný loñger, and tó^tö see them starvè bėforè õυŕ èŷèś iś morè than Î can beár. Tó^tö-morrôw morning, theŕèforè, wê will tâkè them intö thé forést and leavè them in thé thickėst part of^uv it, sô that they will not bê âblè tó^tö fînd their way back."

Hiś wîfè wept bitterlý at thé thøùght of^uv leaving their childrén tó^tö perish in thé forést; but shê, töö, thøùght it better than tó^tö see them dîè bėforè her èŷèś. Sô shê cónsentėd tó^tö her huśbánd's plan.

But åll this tîmè Tom thumb had bėèn-been áwâkè, and hê had ôverhèàŕd åll thé conversâtion. Hê lay áwâkè a long whîlè thiñking whåt tó^tö dö. Then, slipping qυîétlý out of^uv bed, hê ran down tó^tö thé river and fillèd hiś pockét with småll whîtè pebblèś fróm thé river's briñk.

In thé morning thé pãrénts cållèd thé childrén, and, after giving them a crust of^uv breàd, they åll set out for thé wōōd. Tom thumb did not say a wòŕd tó^tö hiś brőtherś of^uv whåt hê had ôverhèàŕd; but, liñgéring bėhînd, hê droppèd thé pebblèś fróm hiś pockét one^wőnè bŷ one^wőnè, aś they wålkèd, sô that hê shōūld bê âblè tó^tö fînd hiś way hômè. When they reachèd a verý thick part of^uv thé forést, thé fāther and mőther tôld thé childrén tó^tö wait whîlè they went a littlè farther tó^tö cut wōōd, but aś söön aś they werè out of^uv sight they turnèd and went hômè bŷ ánőther way.

When darknéss fell, thé childrén bėgan tó^tö rêálîzè that they werè dėśertėd, and they bėgan tó^tö crŷ loudlý. Tom thumb, however, did not crŷ.

"Dö not weep, mŷ brőtherś," hê sãìd ėncòuráĝiñglý. "Ônlý wait until thé möön rîśėś, and wê shall söön bê âblè tó^tö fînd õυŕ way hômè."

When at length thé möön rôśè, it shonè down upon thé whîtè pebblèś which Tom thumb had scatterèd; and, follôwing this path, thé childrén söön reachèd their fāther's housè.

But at first they werè áfraid tó^tö gô in, and waitėd outsîdè thé dòor tó^tö hėàŕ whåt their pãrénts werè tålking ábout.

Now, it happénèd that when thé fāther and mőther reachèd hômè, they found a rich ĝentlèmán had sent them ten crownś, in paymént for wòŕk which had bėèn-been dőnè long bėforè. Thé wîfè went out at őnçè^wőnçè and bøùght breàd and meat, and shê and her huśbánd sat down tó^tö mâkè a hèartý meal. But thé mőther cōūld not fòŕget her littlè ones^wőnèś; and at last shê crîèd tó^tö her huśbánd:

"Álas! Wheŕè arè õυŕ pōōr childrén? How they wōūld havè enjoyèd this gōōd feast!"

Thé childrén, listéning at thé dòor, hèàŕd this and crîèd out, "Hėŕè wê arè, mőther; hėŕè wê arè!" and, ôverjoyèd, thé mőther flew tó^tö let them in and kissèd them åll round.

Their pãrénts werè dėlightėd tó^tö havè their littlè ones^wőnèś with them ágãìn; but söön thé ten crownś werè spent, and they found themselvèś aś badlý off aś bėforè. Őnçè^wőnçè morè they ágreed tó^tö leavè thé childrén in thé forést, and őnçè^wőnçè ágãìn Tom thumb ôverhèàŕd them. This tîmè hê did not tròublè himself verý much; hê thøùght it wōūld bê eaśý for him tó^tö dö aś hê had dőnè bėforè. Hê got up verý yèàŕlý thé next morning tó^tö gô and get thé pebblèś; but, tó^tö hiś dismay, hê found thé housè dòor sėcûrèlý lockèd. Then, indeed, hê did not knôw whåt tó^tö dö, and for a littlè whîlè hê wáś^woś in grèât distress. However, at breàkfást thé mőther gâvè each of^uv thé childrén a slîçè of^uv breàd, and Tom thumb thøùght hê wōūld manáĝè tó^tö mâkè hiś pìêçè of^uv breàd dö aś well aś thé pebblèś, bŷ brèâking it up and dropping thé crumbś aś hê went.

This tîmè thé fāther and mőther tōōk thé childrén still deeper and farther intö thé wōōd, and then, slipping áway, left them álônè.

Tom thumb cónsôlèd hiś brőtherś aś bėforè; but when hê câmè tó^tö lōōk for thé crumbś of^uv breàd, not one^wőnè of^uv them wáś^woś left. Thé birdś had eatén them åll up, and thé pōōr childrén werè lost in thé forést, with nô possíblè meanś of^uv fînding their way hômè.

Tom thumb did not löśè còuráĝè. Hê clîmbèd tó^tö thé top of^uv a high tree and lōōkèd round tó^tö see if theŕè wáś^woś ãný way of^uv getting help. In thé distánçè hê saw a light burning, and, cőming down fróm thé tree, hê led hiś brőtherś tówård thé housè fróm which it câmè.

When they knockèd at thé dòor, it wáś^woś ôpénèd bŷ a pleàśánt-lōōking wōmán, and Tom thumb tôld her they werè pōōr childrén whö had lost their road, and beggèd her tó^tö givè them a night's shelter.

"Álas, mŷ pōōr childrén!" sãìd thé wōmán, "yöü dö not knôw wheŕè yöü havè cőmè tó^tö. This iś thé housè of^uv an ôgrè whö eats up littlè boyś and girlś."

"But, madám," rėplîèd Tom thumb, "whåt shall wê dö? If wê gô back tó^tö thé forést wê arè çertáìn tó^tö bê torn tó^tö pìêçėś bŷ thé wōlvèś. Wê had better, Î thiñk, stay and bê eatén bŷ thé ôgrè."

Thé ôgrè's wîfè had pitý on thé littlè thingś, and shê thøùght shê wōūld bê âblè tó^tö hîdè them fróm her huśbánd for one^wőnè night. Shê tōōk them in, gâvè them fööd, and let them wårm themselvèś bŷ thé fîŕè.

Verý söön theŕè câmè a loud knocking at thé dòor. It wáś^woś thé ôgrè cőmè hômè. Hiś wîfè hid thé childrén under thé bed, and then húrrìêd tó^tö let her huśbánd in.

Nô sööner had thé ôgrè enterèd than hê bėgan tó^tö sniff this way and that. "Î smell flesh," hê sãìd, lōōking round thé rööm.

"It must bê thé calf which haś just bėèn-been killèd," sãìd hiś wîfè.

"Î smell chîld's flesh, Î tell yöü!" crîèd thé ôgrè, and hê suddénlý mâdè a dîvè under thé bed, and drew out thé childrén one^wőnè bŷ one^wőnè.

"Ôh, hô, madám!" sãìd hê; "sô yöü thøùght tó^tö cheat mê, did yöü? But, rêallý, this iś verý lucký! Î havè invîtėd three ôgrèś tó^tö dinner tó^tö-morrôw; thêśè brats will mâkè a nîçè dish."

Hê fetchèd a hûĝè knîfè and bėgan sharpéning it, whîlè thé pōōr boyś fell on their kneeś and beggèd for merçý. But their prâyerś and entreatìêś werè ûsèléss. Thé ôgrè sêìzèd one^wőnè of^uv thé childrén and wáś^woś just ábout tó^tö kill him, when hiś wîfè sãìd—

"Whåt in thé wòŕld mâkès yöü tâkè thé tròublè of^uv killing them tó^tö-night? Whŷ dôn't yöü leavè them till thé morning? theŕè will bê plentý of^uv tîmè, and they will bê much fresher."

"That iś verý trüè," sãìd thé ôgrè, thrôwing down thé knîfè. "Givè them a gōōd supper, sô that they may not get lean, and send them tó^tö bed."

Now, thé ôgrè had sevén yòung daughterś, whö werè åll ábout thé sâmè âĝè aś Tom thumb and hiś brőtherś. Thêśè yòung ôgrèssės åll slept tógether in one^wőnè larĝè bed, and evèrý one^wőnè of^uv them had a crown of^uv gôld on her heàd. Theŕè wáś^woś ánőther bed of^uv thé sâmè sîzè in thé rööm, and in this thé ôgrè's wîfè, having próvîdėd them åll with nightcaps, pūt thé sevén littlè boyś.

But Tom thumb wáś^woś áfraid that thé ôgrè might chânĝè hiś mînd in thé night, and kill him and hiś brőtherś whîlè they werè ásleep. Sô hê crept softlý out of^uv bed, tōōk off hiś brőtherś' nightcaps and hiś ôwn, and stôlè ôver tó^tö thé bed wheŕè thé yòung ôgrèssės lay. Hê drew off their crownś verý ĝentlý, and pūt thé nightcaps on their heàdś insteàd. Then hê pūt thé crownś on hiś brőtherś' heàdś and hiś ôwn, and got intö bed ágãìn.

In thé middlè of^uv thé night thé ôgrè wôkè up, and bėgan tó^tö bê sorrý that hê had pūt off killing thé boyś until thé morning.

"Never pūt off till tó^tö-morrôw whåt yöü can dö tó^tö-day," hê sãìd; and, jumping out of^uv bed, hê got hiś knîfè and wålkèd steàlthilý tó^tö thé rööm wheŕè thé boyś werè. Hê wålkèd up tó^tö thé bed, and they werè åll ásleep ėxcept Tom thumb, whö, however, kept hiś èŷèś fast shut, and did not shôw that hê wáś^woś áwâkè. Thé ôgrè tòuchèd their heàdś, one^wőnè after ánőther, and feeling thé crownś of^uv gôld, hê sãìd tó^tö himself:

"Whåt a mistâkè Î wáś^woś gôing tó^tö mâkè!" Hê then went tó^tö bed wheŕè hiś ôwn daughterś werè sleeping, and, feeling thé nightcaps, hê sãìd:

"Ôh, hô, hėŕè yöü arè, mŷ ladś!" and in a mômént hê had killèd them åll. Hê then went back tó^tö hiś ôwn rööm tó^tö sleep till morning.

Aś söön aś Tom thumb hèàŕd him snoring, hê rouśèd hiś brőtherś, and tôld them tó^tö dress qυicklý and follôw him. Hê led them downstãirś and out of^uv thé housè; and then, stealing on tiptôè thröügh thé gardén, they jumpèd down fróm thé wåll intö thé road and ran swiftlý áway.

In thé morning, when thé ôgrè found whåt a dreàdful thing hê had dőnè, hê wáś^woś terríblý shockèd.

"Fetch mê mŷ sevén-leagùè bööts," hê crîèd tó^tö hiś wîfè. "Î will gô and catch thôśè yòung vîperś. They shall pay for this pìêçè of^uv wòŕk!" And, drawing on thé maĝic bööts, thé ôgrè set out.

Hê went strîding ôver thé còuntrý, stepping fróm mountáìn tó^tö mountáìn, and crossing riverś aś if they had bėèn-been streamś. Thé pōōr childrén wātchèd^wotchèd him cőming in fėàŕ and trembling. They had found thé way tó^tö their fāther's hômè, and had verý nėàŕlý reachèd it when they saw thé ôgrè râçing after them.

Tom thumb thøùght for a mômént whåt wáś^woś tó^tö bê dőnè. Then hê saw a hollôw plâçè under a larĝè rock.

"Get in theŕè," hê sãìd tó^tö hiś brőtherś.

When they werè åll in hê crept in himself, but kept hiś èŷèś fixèd on thé ôgrè, tó^tö see whåt hê wōūld dö.

Thé ôgrè, sêeing nőthing of^uv thé childrén, sat down tó^tö rest himself on thé verý rock under which thé pōōr boyś werè hîding. Hê wáś^woś tîrèd with hiś jòurnêy, and söön fell fast ásleep, and bėgan tó^tö snorè sô loudlý that thé littlè fellôwś werè terrífîèd. Tom thumb tôld hiś brőtherś tó^tö creep out softlý and run hômè; which they did. Then hê crept up tó^tö thé ôgrè, pūllèd off thé sevén-leagùè bööts verý ĝentlý and pūt them on hiś ôwn feet, for bêing fãírý bööts they cōūld fit themselvèś tó^tö ãný fōōt, however småll.

Aś söön aś Tom thumb had pūt on thé ôgrè's sevén-leagùè bööts, hê tōōk ten steps tó^tö thé Paláçè, which wáś^woś sevéntý mîlèś off, and askèd tó^tö see thé King. Hê offerèd tó^tö carrý newś tó^tö thé King's armý, which wáś^woś then a long way off; and sô ûsèful wáś^woś hê with hiś maĝic bööts, that in a short tîmè hê had mâdè mőnêy enough^ėnòuf tó^tö keep himself, hiś fāther, hiś mőther and hiś six brőtherś without thé tròublè of^uv wòŕking for thé rest of^uv their lîvèś.

And now let us see whåt haś bėcőmè of^uv thé wickéd ôgrè, whöm wê left sleeping on thé rock.

When hê áwôkè hê missèd hiś sevén-leagùè bööts, and set off for hômè verý añgrý.

On hiś way hê had tó^tö cross a bog; and, fòŕgetting that hê wáś^woś nô loñger weáring hiś maĝic bööts, hê trîèd tó^tö cross it with one^wőnè strîdè. But, insteàd, hê pūt hiś fōōt down in thé middlè and bėgan tó^tö siñk. Aś fast aś hê trîèd tó^tö pūll out one^wőnè fōōt, thé őther sañk deeper, until at last hê wáś^woś swāllôwèd^swollôwèd up in thé black slîmè—and that wáś^woś thé end of^uv him.