and went and took both the woodcutter and his H

wife prisoners.

So when the six brothers returned home with
Hop-o’-my-Thumb, they found nobody in the wood-
man’s hut. However, in the excitement of the
moment, the villagers had left the bacon and flour
in the cupboard, and so Hop-o’-my-Thumb said—
‘Let us get some food while we can.’

And he made a fire, cut rashers off the bacon, made
a few cakes of flour and water, which he baked
in the oven, and gave his brothers a good dinner.
They were much surprised when night came and
still their parents were absent; but they shut up
the house, said their prayers, and went to bed,
hoping that father and mother would soon return
and tell them what they had better do. However,
as they did not come, the boys resolved to stay a
little longer at home, and, as they had plenty of
food, they managed to live very comfortably.
Meantime, in his dreary prison, the woodcutter
had time to reflect on his crime. His wife never
ceased reproaching him for it.

‘What do you think,’ she would say, ‘will be the
judgment of our good squire on you 2’

The husband had not a word to answer. Indeed,
he was so unhappy that he rather wished to be
well punished.

At last the boys became seriously alarmed at the
absence of their parents.

‘Ah! Hop-o’-my-Thumb, and we used to despise
you!’ said the eldest brother. ‘We see now how
mistaken we were. Can you help us now to the
sight of father and mother ?’

‘Well, I shall go into the village to-morrow and
find out where they are,’ said Hop-o’-my-Thumb.

Then they sat chatting and laughing round a-

wood-fire, which danced and crackled as if it, too,
were glad, and cast a ruddy glow upon the seven
little happy faces laughing round it.

121

OP-O’-MY-
THUMB