More English Fairy Tales, part 4 · page 21 2101Before the days of William the Conqueror there dwelt a man in the marsh of the Isle of Ely whose name was Thomas Hickathrift, a poor day labourer, but so stout that he could do two days' work in one.102His one son he called by his own name, Thomas Hickathrift, and he put him to good learning, but the lad was none of the wisest, and indeed seemed to be somewhat soft, so he got no good at all from his teaching.103Tom's father died, and his mother being tender of him, kept him as well as she could.104The slothful fellow would do nothing but sit in the chimney-corner, and eat as much at a time as would serve four or five ordinary men.105And so much did he grow that when but ten years old he was already eight feet high, and his hand like a shoulder of mutton.1 2← previousMore English Fairy Tales, part 3next →More English Fairy Tales, part 5↑ back to More English Fairy TalesThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg14241/18/page/2/