HOP-O’-MY- That morning was lovely. The leaves were
THUMB glistening with dew, and the birds were singing
on the branches. Everything looked fresh, and
Hop-o-my-Thumb could hardly believe that any
one could be so cruel as his father and mother
intended to be. But he took care as he went
along to drop the pebbles, and no one noticed
what he did. The trees gradually closed in, so
that they had to walk separately, and about ten
feet apart, and thus they followed each other in a
long line; the youngest coming last. When the
thicket opened a little, the woodcutter began his
work, and the children helped him, picking up the
smaller branches and binding them into fagots.
Hop-o’-my-Thumb did the same.
Whilst they were thus employed, the parents stole
away unperceived ; and as soon as they were out
of sight, hurried to their house, leaving their poor
little boys alone in the forest.
By-and-by the sun went down, and Peter, the
eldest boy, cried—
‘Father and mother! where are you? It is grow-
ing dark. Is it not time to go home?’
But no voice answered him; only the echo cried,
‘Home! home!’ mocking them.
The little boys ran hither and thither, calling on
their parents, and at last, finding that they were
left alone, they all huddled into a group, with their
arms round each other, and began to cry. Then
Hop-o’-my-Thumb spoke—
we not cry, brothers, for I can show you the way
ome.’
The little boys were glad when they heard him say
this; and they crowded round him, asking eagerly
why their father and mother had left them.
Then Hop-o’-my-Thumb told his brothers all that
he had overheard.
‘But do not fear,’ he added; ‘I have strewn
white pebbles all the way we came, and these will
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