pudding, Tom stood on the edge of the bowl holding
a candle in one hand so that he might see that the
pudding was properly made. But as he tried to
balance himself on one toe, when his mother’s back
was turned he slipped and went head foremost
into the pudding. His mother did not know this
and continued stirring the pudding, and put it
_and him into the pot.
But Tom no sooner felt the hot water than he
danced like one mad, and his mother was so fright-
ened to see the pudding bouncing about that she
thought it was bewitched, and she hastily gave it
to a tinker who was passing the door.
The tinker was delighted with his present; but as
he was getting over a stile, Tom shouted out from
the middle of the pudding, ‘Hallo, Pickins!’ and
this so terrified the tinker that he flung away the
pudding in the field, and it broke to pieces, and
Tom escaped. Tom then cleaned himself of the
flour that stuck to him, and walked home to his
mother, who had been in great distress because
she could not find him. She gave him a lecture
not to be rash and get where he would be in mis-
chief, and kissed him, and was very rejoiced to
have him again.
One day he climbed up the side of the cream-pan
and tumbled in, and would have been drowned
had not his screams brought his mother to his aid.
Another time he was lost, and after seeking for
him everywhere, the poor woman saw his head
popping out of the salt-box which hung against
the wall, and he came out as if covered over with
hoar-frost.
When his mother went into the fields to milk the
cow, then she was wont to tie him to a thistle lest
he should run away and get into mischief.
If a bee came that way, then Tom, who was armed
with a needle, fought it and carried off its honey.
When a butterfly came that way, if Tom had not
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TOM
THUMB