The History of Cinderella, or, The little glass slipper (1852)/Hop-o'-my-thumb

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HOP-O'-MY-THUMB.

There once lived in a village a fagot-maker and his wife, who had a numerous family, all boys; the youngest of whom was of the least size ever seen; for when he was born he was no bigger than a man's thumb, which made him be christened by the name of Hop-o'-my-Thumb. The poor child was the drudge for tho whole house, and always bore tho blame of every thing that was done wrong, though he was far more clover than any of his brothers.

One night when the children were gone to bed, and the fagot-maker and his wife were sitting over a few lighted sticks, lamenting they could not continue to supply their children with food, the husband sighed deeply, and said, "I will to-morrow morning take them to the forest, and leave them in the thickest part of it, so that they will not be able to find their way back: this will bo very easy."-"Ah, husband!" cried the poor wife, "you cannot, no you never can consent to be the death of your own children." At last, however, she agreed to what her husband had said, and then went sobbing to bed.

Hop-o'-my-Thumb had been awake all the time; aud overhearing the conversation, he passed the night in thinking what he should do the next morning. He rose early, and ran to the river's side, where he filled his pockets with small white pebbles, and then returned home.

In the morning they all set out, as their father and mother had agreed on; and Hop-o'-my-Thumb did not say a word to either of his brothers about what he had heard. They came to a forest which was so very thick that they could not see each other a few yards off. The fagot-maker set to work, cutting down wood; and the children began to gather all the twigs, to make fagots of them.

When the father and mother saw that the young ones were all very busy, they slipped away, and when the children found themselves alone, they began to cry as loud as they could. Hop-o'-my-Thumb let them cry on; as he had taken care to drop the white pebbles he had in his pocket along all the way he had come. He only said to them, "Never mind it, my lads, follow me, and I will lead you back again."

When they heard this, they left off crying, and followod Hop-o'-my-Thumb, who soon brought them home by tho very same path which they had come along. At first they had not the courage to go in, but stood at the door to hear what their parents were talking about.

Just as the fagot-maker and his wife had come home without their children, a gentleman of the village sent to pay them two guineas he owed them, which made them quite happy.

Tho fagot-maker sent his wife out in a moment to buy some meat; and as it was a long time since she had made a hearty meal, she bought as much meat as would have been enough for six or eight persons. The truth was, she forget that her children were not at home, when she was thinking of what would be enough for dinner; but as soon as she and her husband had done eating, she cried out, "Alas! where are my poor children? How they would feast on what we have left! It was all your fault, Richard! I told you over and over that we would repent the hour when wo left them to starve in the forest!” and she spoko this so loud, that the children, who were all at the door, cried out, "Here wo are, mother, hero wo are!" Sho flew immediately to them, and kissed them, saying, " How glad I am to seo you, you little rogues! Ah, poor littlo Bobby! why, thou are dirt all over, my child! let me wash thy face."

Bobby was the youngest of the boys except Hop-o'-my-Thumb; and as he had red hair, liko his mother, ho had always been her darling. The children sat down to dinner, and ate very heartily. They then gave an account of their return home.

The fagot-maker and his wife were charmed at having their children once moro along with them: but their money being all spent, they again thought of leaving them in the forest; and that the young ones might not come back a second time, they resolved to take them farther away than they did at first.

Hop-o'-my-Thumb was now quito at a loss what to do; but soon after this his mother gavo each of tho children a piece of bread for breakfast; and then it camo into his head that he could make his share do as well as the pebbles, by dropping crumbs of it all tho way as they went. So he did not eat his piece, but put it into his pockot.

It was not long beforo they all set out, and their parents took care to lead them into tho very thickest and darkest part of tho forest. They then slipped away by a by-path, as before, and left the children, which did not give Hop-o'-my-Thumb any concern, for ho thought himself quite suro of getting back by means of tho crumbs that ho had dropped by the way; but when he came to look for them he found that the birds had eaten them all up.

Hop-o'-my-Thumb climbed up to the top of a tree, and looked round on all sides to seo if he could find any way of getting help. He saw a small light like that of a candle, but it was a very great way off, which they ⟨at⟩ last reached.

They knocked at the door, which was opened by a very good-natured-looking lady, who when sho saw they had such pretty faces, shed tears, and said, "Ah! poor children, you do not know what place you aro como to. This is tho houso of an Ogre, who eats up little boys and girls."

"Alas! madam," replied Hop-o'-my-Thumb, "what shall wo do? If we go back to tho forest we aro suro of being torn to pieces by wolves."

The Ogre's wife thought sho could contrive to hido them from her husband till the morning; so she let them go iu, and mado them warm themselvos by a good fire.

When they had stood a short time by tho fire, they heard a loud knocking at the door; this was the Ogre, who began to snuff to his right and left, and said, "I smell children's flesh; thoro is something going on that I don't know of."

As soon as he had spoken these words, he went towards the bed. "Ah! madam," said he, "you thought to cheat me, did you? Wretch! thou art old and tough thyself, or else I would eat thee up too! But come, come, this is lucky enough; for the brats will make a nico dish for three Ogres, who are to dino with me tomorrow."

Tho Ogre then took up one of the children, and was going to set about cutting him to pieces; but his wifo said to him, "What in the world makes you take tho troublo of killing them to-night? Will it not be time enough to-morrow morning?"-"True," said the Ogre; so give them all a good supper, and send them to bed."

The Ogre sat down to his wine, much pleased with the thought of giving his friends a dainty dish. This mado him drink rather more than common, and he was soon obliged to go to bed himself.

Tho Ogre had seven daughters, who wero all very young, like Hop-o'-my-Thumb and his brothers. They had beon put to bed early that night, and every ono of them had a crown of gold on her hoad. There was another bed of the same size in the room, and in this the Ogro's ⟨wife⟩ put the seven little boys, and then went to bed ⟨herself⟩ along with her husband.

Hop-o'-my-Thumb got out of bed in the middle of the ⟨night⟩ as softly as ho could, took off all his brothers' ⟨nightcaps⟩ and his own, and crept with them to the bed ⟨that⟩ the Ogre's daughters wero in; he then took off ⟨their⟩ crowns, and put the nightcaps on their heads ⟨instead⟩; next he put the crowns on his brothers' heads ⟨and⟩ his own, and got into bed again; so he thought that ⟨if⟩ the Ogre should come, he would take him and his ⟨brothers⟩ for his own children.

Every thing turned out just as ho wished. The Ogre ⟨waked⟩ soon after midnight, and began to be very sorry ⟨that⟩ he had put off killing the boys till tho morning; so ⟨he⟩ jumped out of bed, and took hold of his large knife ⟨in⟩ a moment. He then walked softly to the room where ⟨they⟩ all slept, and went up to the bed the boys were in, ⟨who⟩ were all asleep except Hop-o'-my-Thumb, and ⟨touched⟩ their heads one at a time. When the Ogro ⟨felt⟩ the crowns of gold, he said to himself, "Oh, oh! I ⟨had⟩ like to have made a pretty mistake. I think, to be ⟨sure⟩, I drank too much wine last night." He went next ⟨to⟩ the bed that his daughters were in, and when he felt ⟨the⟩ nightcaps, he said, "Ah! here you are, my lads;" ⟨and⟩ immediately he cut the throats of all his daughters.

As soon as Hop-o'-my-Thumb heard him snoro, he ⟨awoke⟩ his brothers, and told them to put on their clothes ⟨quickly⟩, and follow him. They stole down softly to the ⟨garden⟩, and then jumped from the walls into the road, ⟨running⟩ as fast as their legs could carry them.

When the Ogre waked in tho morning, he said to his wife, "My dear, go and dress the young rogues I saw last night." Tho Ogress went up stairs to tho room, ⟨and⟩ the first sight she saw was her seven daughters with their throats cut. This threw her into a fainting ⟨fit⟩. The Ogre was afraid his wife might be too long in ⟨doing⟩ what he had set her about, so he went himself to ⟨help⟩ her; but he was as much shocked as she had been ⟨at⟩ the dreadful sight of his bleeding children.

He first threw some water on his wifo's face; and as ⟨soon⟩ as sho came to herself, he said to her, "Bring me quickly my seven-league beets, that I may go and catch the little vipers." He strode over many parts of ⟨the⟩ country, and at last turned into the very road in ⟨which⟩ the poor children were on their journey towards ⟨their⟩ father's house, and which thoy had now almost ⟨reached⟩.

They had seen the Ogre a good whilo striding ⟨from⟩ mountain to mountain at one step, and crossing ⟨rivers⟩ with tho greatest case. At this Hop-o'-my-Thumb thought within himself what was to be done; and, spying a hollow placo under a large rock, he made ⟨his⟩ brothers got into it. He then stepped in himself, ⟨but⟩ kept his eye fixed on the Ogre.

Tho Ogro found himself quite weary with the ⟨journey⟩ he had gone, for seven-league boots aro very tiresome to tho porson who wears them; so he now began ⟨to⟩ think of resting; and as he was tired, he fell fast asleep, snoring so loud, that the little follows were as ⟨much⟩ afraid as they had been when he stood over them with a knife in his hand.

When Hop-o'-my-Thumb saw this, he said to his brothers, "Courage, my lads! never fear! You have nothing to do but to steal away and get home whilo the Ogre is fast asleep, and leave me to shift for myself."

The brothers now werowere vory glad to do as he told them, and they soon reached their father's house. In the meantimo Hop-o'-my-Thumb went up to the Ogre softly, pulled off his seven-leaguo boots very gently, and put them on his own legs; for though tho boots wero very large, yet they were fairies, and so could make themselves smaller and smaller to fit any leg they pleased.

As soon as Hop-o'-my-Thumb had made sure of the Ogre's seven-league boots, ho went at onco to the palace, and offered his services to carry orders from the king to his army, which was a great way off, and to bring back the quickest accounts of the battle they were just at that timo fighting with the enemy. In short, he thought he could be of more uso to the king than all his mail-coaches, and so sheuld make his fortune in this manner.

But before he had made many strides with his boots, ho heard a voice that told him to stop. Hop-o'-my-Thumb was startled a goed deal, so he loeked abeut him to see where the noise came from; and then he heard the same voice say,-"Listen, Hop-o'-my-Thumb, to what I am about to say to you: do not go to the palace. Waste no time; the Ogre sleeps, he may awake.

"Know, Hop-o'-my-Thumb, that the two boots you took from the Ogre while he was asleep are two fairies, and I am the eldest of them. We have seen the clever things you have done to keep your brothers from harm, and for that reason we will bestow upon you the gift of riches, if you will once more employ your wits to a good purpose, and be as bravo as before. But fairies must not speak of such matters as these; break the shell of the largest nut you can find in your pocket, and you will find a paper inside that will tell you all that you are to do."

Hop-o'-my-Thumb did not stand thinking about these strango things, but in a moment put his hand into his pocket for the nut. He then cracked it with his teeth, and found a piece paper in the inside carefully folded up; which ho opened, and to his great surprise read as follows:-

"Go into the Ogre's door,
These words speak, and nothing more:
'Ogress, Ogre cannot eome;
Give great key to Hop-o'-my-Thumb.'"

Hop-o'-my-Thumb now began to say the two last lines over and over again, for fear he should forget them: and when he thought he had learnt them by heart, he made two or three of his largest strides, and soon reached the Ogre's door.

He knocked loudly, which brought tho Ogre's wife down stairs; but at sight of Hop-o'-my-Thumb she started back, and looked as if she would shut the door against him. Hop-o'-my-Thumb knew ho had not a moment to lose; so he seemed as if he did not think how much vexed she was at seeing him who had caused her daughters to be killed by their own father.

Hop-o'-my-Thumb then began to talk as if he was in a great hurry. He said that matters were now changed; for the Ogro had laid hold of him and his brothers as they wore getting nuts by the side of a hedge, and was going to take them back to his house; but all at onco the Ogre saw a number of men like lords, and whe were riding on the finest herses that ever were beheld, coming up to him full speed. He said the Ogro soon found they were sent by the king with a messsage to borrew of the Ogro a large sum of money, which he stood in need of to pay his soldiers, as the king thought the Ogre was the richest of all his subjects. Hop-o'-my-Thumb said this on purpose to find out how rich the Ogre was. He then said that tho lords found themselves very much tired with the long journey they had made; and so the Ogre was vastly civil to them, and told them they need not go on any farther, because he had a person with him who would not fail doing in a clever manner any thing he was set about. He next said that the great lords thanked the Ogro a thousand times when they heard this, and in the name of the king had granted to him the noble title of Duke of Dragglotail; on which the Ogre had taken off his boots, and helped to draw them on the legs of Hop-o'-my-Thumb, and gave him this message, which he charged him by all means to mako all the haste he could with both in going and coming back again:-

"Ogress, Ogre cannot come;
Give great key to Hop-o'-my-Thumb."

When the Ogress saw her husband's boots she was quito proud at the thought of being mado Duchess of Dragglotail, and living at court: so that she was very ready to believe all that Hop-o'-my-Thumb had told her; indeed so great was her joy, that she quite forgot her seven daughters with thoir throats cut and bathed in their blood.

She ran in a minute to fetch the great key, and gave it to Hop-o'-my-Thumb, telling him at tho same time whero to find the chest of money and jewels that it would open.

Hop-o'-my-Thumb took as much of these riches as he thought would maintain his father, mother, and brothers, without tho fatigue of labour, all the rest their lives; saying to himself all the while, that it was better that an honest fagot-maker should have a part of such great riches than an Ogre, whe did nothing but eat children, ⟨and⟩ who kept all the money locked up, without spending it or giving any to tho poor.

In a short timo Hop-o'-my-Thumb came to his father's ⟨house⟩, and all tho family were glad to seo him again. ⟨As⟩ the great fame of his boots had been talked of at ⟨court⟩ at this time, the king sent for him, and indeed ⟨employed⟩ him very often on the greatest affairs of tho ⟨state⟩; so that ho became one of tho richest men in the {[reconstruct|kingdom}}.

As for the Ogre, he fell in his sleep from the corner ⟨of⟩ the rock where Hop-o'-my-Thumb and his brothers ⟨had⟩ left him, to the ground, and bruised himself so much ⟨from⟩ head to foot that ho could not stir; so ho was ⟨forced⟩ to stretch himself out at full length, and wait for somo person to come by and help him.

Now a good many fagot-makers passed near the placo whero the Ogrolay, and when they hoard him groan, thoy went up to ask him what was tho matter. But tho Ogro had eaten such a great number of children in his ⟨lifetime⟩, and had grown so very bulky and fat, that these ⟨men⟩ could not oven have carried one of his legs; they ⟨were⟩ thereforo forced to leavo him. At last the night camo on, and then a largo serpent camo out of a wood ⟨past⟩ by, and stung him, so that ho diod in great pain.

Beforo this time Hop-o'-my-Thumb had become tho ⟨king's⟩ favourite; and as soon as ho heard tho news of the Ogre's death, ho told his majesty all that the good-natured Ogress had done to savo tho lives of himself and his brothers. The king was so much pleased at ⟨that⟩ he heard, that he askod Hop-o'-my-Thumb if thero was any favour he could bestow upon her? Hop-o'-my-thumb then thanked the king, and desired that tho ⟨Ogress⟩ might havo the noblo titlo of Duchess of Draggletail given to her; which was no sooner asked thau ⟨granted⟩.

The Ogress then came to court, and lived very happy ⟨for⟩ many years, enjoying tho vast fortune she found in ⟨the⟩ Ogre's chests.

As for Hop-o'-my-Thumb, he every day grew more ⟨witty⟩ and brave, till at last the king made him the ⟨greatest⟩ lord in the kingdom, and set him over all his ⟨affairs⟩.