‘HOP-O"-MY-THUMB. 145,

But come, come, this is lucky enough ; for the brats will make
anice dish for three Ogres, who are my particular friends, and
who are to dine with me to-morrow.” He then drew them out
one by one from under the bed. The poor children fell on
their knees and begged his pardon as well as they could speak ;
but this Ogre was the most cruel of all Ogres, and instead of
feeling any pity, he only began to think how sweet and tender
their flesh would be; so he told his wife they would be nice
morsels, if she served them up with plenty of sauce. He then
fetched a large knife, and began to sharpen it on a long whetstone
that he held in his left hand ; and all the while he came nearer
and nearer to the bed. The Ogre took up one of the children,
and was going to sct about cutting him to pieces; but his wife
said to him, ‘‘ What in the world makes you take the trouble of
killing them to night? Will it not be time enough to-morrow
morning ?”—* Hold your prating,” replied the Ogre ; “they
will grow tender by being kept a little while after they are
killed.”"—“ But,” said his wife, “you have got so much meat
in the house already ; here is a calf, two sheep, and half a
pig.” True,” said the Ogre, ‘so give them all a good supper,
that they may not get lean, and then send them to bed.” The
good creature was quite glad at this. She gave them plenty
for their supper, but the poor children were so afraid that they
could not eat a bit.

The Ogre sat down to his wine, very much pleased with
the thought of giving his friends such a dainty dish; this
made him drink rather more than common, and he was soon
obliged to go to bed himself. The Ogre had seven daughters,
who were all very young, like Hop-o'-my-thumb and his
brothers, ‘These young Ogresses had fair skins, because they
fed on raw meat like their father; but they had small grey
eyes, quite round, and sunk in their heads, hooked noses, wide

.