Little Thumb · page 21 2101“Ah!” said he, “my merry lads, are you there?102Let us work as we ought.”103And saying these words, without more ado, he cut the throats of all his seven daughters.104Well pleased with what he had done, he went to bed again to his wife.105So soon as Little Thumb heard the Ogre snore, he waked his brothers, and bade them all put on their clothes presently and follow him.106They stole down softly into the garden, and got over the wall.107They kept running about all night, and trembled all the while, without knowing which way they went.108The Ogre, when he awoke, said to his wife: “Go upstairs and dress those young rascals who came here last night.”109The wife was very much surprised at this goodness of her husband, not dreaming after what manner she should dress them; but, thinking that he had ordered her to go and put on their clothes, she went up, and was strangely astonished when she perceived her seven daughters killed, and weltering in their blood.110She fainted away, for this is the first expedient almost all women find in such cases.111The Ogre, fearing his wife would be too long in doing what he had ordered, went up himself to help her.112He was no less amazed than his wife at this frightful spectacle.113“Ah! what have I done?” cried he.114“The wretches shall pay for it, and that instantly.”115He threw a pitcher of water upon his wife’s face, and, having brought her to herself, said:116“Give me quickly my boots of seven leagues, that I may go and catch them.”117He went out, and, having run over a vast deal of ground, both on this side and that, he came at last into the very road where the poor children were, and not above a hundred paces from their father’s house.118They espied the Ogre, who went at one step from mountain to mountain, and over rivers as easily as the narrowest kennels.119Little Thumb, seeing a hollow rock near the place where they were, made his brothers hide themselves in it, and crowded into it himself, minding always what would become of the Ogre.120The Ogre, who found himself much tired with his long and fruitless journey (for these boots of seven leagues greatly fatigued the wearer), had a great mind to rest himself, and, by chance, went to sit down upon the rock where the little boys had hid themselves.121As it was impossible he could be more weary than he was, he fell asleep, and, after reposing himself some time, began to snore so frightfully that the poor children were no less afraid of him than when he held up his great knife and was going to cut their throats.122Little Thumb was not so much frightened as his brothers, and told them that they should run away immediately toward home while the Ogre was asleep so soundly, and that they should not be in any pain about him.123They took his advice, and got home presently.124Little Thumb came up to the Ogre, pulled off his boots gently and put them on his own legs.125The boots were very long and large, but, as they were fairies, they had the gift of becoming big and little, according to the legs of those who wore them; so that they fitted his feet and legs as well as if they had been made on purpose for him.126He went immediately to the Ogre’s house, where he saw his wife crying bitterly for the loss of the Ogre’s murdered daughters.127“Your husband,” said Little Thumb, “is in very great danger, being taken by a gang of thieves, who have sworn to kill him if he does not give them all his gold and silver.128The very moment they held their daggers at his throat he perceived me, and desired me to come and tell you the condition he is in, and that you should give me whatsoever he has of value, without retaining any one thing; for otherwise they will kill him without mercy; and, as his case is very pressing, he desired me to make use (you see I have them on) of his boots, that I might make the more haste and to show you that I do not impose upon you.”129The good woman, being sadly frightened, gave him all she had: for this Ogre was a very good husband, though he used to eat up little children.130Little Thumb, having thus got all the Ogre’s money, came home to his father’s house, where he was received with abundance of joy.131There are many people who do not agree in this circumstance, and pretend that Little Thumb never robbed the Ogre at all, and that he only thought he might very justly, and with a safe conscience, take off his boots of seven leagues, because he made no other use of them but to run after little children.132These folks affirm that they are very well assured of this, and the more as having drunk and eaten often at the fagot-maker’s house.133They aver that when Little Thumb had taken off the Ogre’s boots he went to Court, where he was informed that they were very much in pain about a certain army, which was two hundred leagues off, and the success of a battle.134He went, say they, to the King, and told him that, if he desired it, he would bring him news from the army before night.135The King promised him a great sum of money upon that condition.136Little Thumb was as good as his word, and returned that very same night with the news; and, this first expedition causing him to be known, he got whatever he pleased, for the King paid him very well for carrying his orders to the army.137After having for some time carried on the business of a messenger, and gained thereby great wealth, he went home to his father, where it was impossible to express the joy they were all in at his return.138He made the whole family very easy, bought places for his father and brothers, and, by that means, settled them very handsomely in the world, and, in the meantime, made his court to perfection.139(1)140(1) Charles Perrault.1 2← previousThe Wonderful Sheep, part 3next →The Forty Thieves↑ back to The Blue Fairy BookThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/33/page/2/