HOP-O"-MV-THUMB. 143,

dared to speak a word, or to move a limb, for fear. Soon after
there came a heavy rain, which wetted them to the very skin,
and made the ground so slippery, that they fell down almost at
every step, and got dirty all over ; for the little ones called out
to their elder brother, to get the mud off their hands,

When it began to grow light, Hop-o'-my-thumb climbed up.
to the top of a tree, and looked round on all sides to sce if he
could find any way of getting help. He saw a smnall light, like
that of a candle, but it was a very great way off, and beyond
the forest. He then came down from the tree, to try to find
the to it; but he could not see it when he was on the
ground, and he was in the utmost trouble what to do next.
‘They walked on towards the place where he had seen the light,
and at last reached the end of the forest, and got sight of it
again, ‘They now walked faster ; and after being much tired
and vexed, (for every time they got into a bottom they lost sight
of the light,) they came to the house it was in. They knocked
at the door, which was opened by a very good-natured-looking
lady, who asked what brought them there. Hop-o'-my-thumb
told her that they were poor children, who had lost their way
in the forest, and begged that she would give them a bed till
morning. When the lady saw they had such pretty faces she
began to shed tears, and said, “Ah! my poor children, you do
not know what place you are come to. This is the house of
an Ogre, who eats up little boys and girls." —“ Alas! madam,”
replied Hop-o'-my-thumb, who trembled from head to foot, as
well as his brothers, “ what shall we do? If we go back to the
forest, we are sure of being torn to pieces by the wolves ; we
would rather, therefore, be caten by the gentleman: besides,
when he sees us, perhaps he may take pity on us and spare
our lives.” The Ogre's wife thought she could contrive to hide
them from her husband till morning ; 0 she let them go in