552 NURSERY RHVMES.

grand feast in commemoration of his important victories, The
history terminates with the following brilliant metrical speech he
made on this festive occasion:

My friends, while I have strength to stand,
Most manfully I will pursue

All dangers, till I clear this land
Of lions, bears, and tigers too.

This you'll find true, or I’m to blame,
Let it remain upon record—

Tom Hickathrift’s most glorious fame,
Who never yet has broke his word!

DCCCIL.
TOM THUMB.

{Thumb stories are common in German and Danish, and the English tale comprises
much that is found in the Northern versions. A writer in the “ Quarterly Review,”
xxi. 100, enters into some speculations respecting the mythological origin of Tom
Thumb, and records his pursuasion, in which we agree, that several of our common
nursery tales are remnants of ancient pvdo. Sir W. Scott menticns the Danish popular
history of Svend Tomling, analysed by Nierup—‘‘a man no bigger than a thumb, who
would be married to a woman three ells and three-quarters long.” This personage is
probably commemorated in the nursery rhyme—

Thad a little husband

No bigger than my thumb:
I put him in a pint pot,

And there I bid him drum.

According to popular tradition, Tom Thumb died at Lincoln, and a little blue flag-
Stone in the pavement of the cathedral used to be pointed out as his monument. ]

IN the merry days of good King Arthur, there lived in one of
the counties of England a ploughman and his wife. They were
poor, but as the husband was a strong workman, and his partner
an able assistant in all matters pertaining to the farmhouse, the