HOP-O'-MY- guide us out of the forest. Only we must set out
THUMB at once, before the darkness falls.’
So holding on to each other, the little string of
children followed Hop-o’-my-thumb, who looked
for the pebbles which he had thrown behind him
as he came along in the morning. The moon was
shining, and by its light the pebbles glistened as
snow, so that by their aid all safely reached the
door of the woodman’s hut. There, however, they
paused, afraid to go in, since they knew that their
parents wished them dead.
Meanwhile, the woodcutter and his sorrowful
wife had reached their dwelling before sunset, and
had scarcely entered the room, where no sound of
little feet would, they believed, ever be heard
again, than they were struck with remorse and
horror.
Before either of them could speak, they heard a
cheerful voice at the door —
‘Here, Hugh, woodman,’ it cried, ‘I have brought
you help in time of need. The squire is sorry for
the distress you are in, and has sent you some
rabbits. A good many, too, because he knows
you have a large family. ‘Give those who have
children the largest share,” he said to me this
morning. So, there, you have seven times as much
as your neighbours.’
The woodcutter turned pale, and trembled as he
heard those words. Here was help come (chiefly
for the sake of the children) and he had cast them
forth to perish! He could scarcely find voice to
thank the forester for the gift. The good-natured
fellow thought that his husky accents came from
want, and nodding good-naturedly, he said—
‘Ay, ay, I’ll thank my master for you. Now,
Goody, make haste and cook your goodman some
food, for he looks half-starved.’
Then he hurried away to carry help to another
suffering family.
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