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hunger; but at last he ventured to peep
out, and perceiving a fine large butterfly
on the ground, near the place of his con-
cealment, he approached very cautiously,
and getting himself placed astride on it,
was immediately carried up into the air.
The butterfly flew with him from tree to
tree and from field to field, and at last re-
turned to the court, where the king and
nobility all strove to catch him; but at
lass poor Tom fell from his seat into a
wateringpot, in which he was almost
drowned.
When the queen saw him, she was in
a rage, and said he should be beheaded;
and he was again put into a mousetrap un-
til the time of his execution.
However, a cat observing something alive
in the trap, patted it about till the wires
broke, and set Thomas at liberty.
The king received Tom again into fa-
vour, which he did not to enjoy; for a
large spider one day atacked him, and
although he drew his sword and fought
well, yet the spider's poisonous breath at
last overcame him;
He fell dead on the ground where he stood, And the spider suck'd every drop of his blood.
