THE LITTLE HERO

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 29, 4 February 1939, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE LITTLE HERO

A woodcutter and his wife, who lived on tlio borders of a huge forest, had seven children. They were all boys, and the youngest of them wars so tiny that his father called him Hop-o'-my-Thumb. Once the woodcutter and his family had been well oft', but the time came when things got go bad that the poor man began to wonder if he would always ho able to find enough food for them to eat. Now, although Hop-o'-my-Thumb was the youngest of them all, he was very shrewd and wide-awake, and he knew quite well what it was that was making liis father and mother look ho worried unci anxious. One evening as lie lay awake in his little bed, lie heard them talking in the parlour below. "I cannot bear to sec my children starve," his father was saying. morrow 1 shall take them out into the forest and leave them. Perhaps someone may find them and care for them." Kilt the mother burst into tears. "How can you be so cruel '!'* she sobbed. "If they are to die it is better that they sJioijhl die here, where no greater harm can befall them." But the father would not listen. He. : too, loved-his children dearly, but he could not bear to sec them die before his eyes. Ami so the plans were made for the morrow. Hop-o'-my-Thumb was very wide awake indeed by this tjme, anil before ho went to sleep he, too, lijid made his plans. Early in the morning Jie ran down to the brook, and "filled Ins pockets with little white pebbles. Then he crept back to the house and juunied into bed again. After breakfast their fjither told them they were to spend the day in the wood. The boys were delighted, and hurried off with shouts of laughter, but Hop-o'-my-Thumb managed to «ret behind the rest, and as he walked he carefully dropped his pebbles all along the path.

Soon they cfimc to a part of the forest wherp the trees grew thickly together. Here their father stopped, and set to work to cut down a tree. The little boys were told to tie nj> the faggots and then, when they were too liiisy to miss him, the father stole quietly away. But it was not lpng before he wa»> missed, and wlipu they found themselves alone in the dense forest ilie boys were afraid. '

Within a yard of where they stood was the last pebble that lie had dropped; beyond it lay another, and another, and so,, following the stones, Hop-o'-my-Thunih led his brothers safply home. While all this was happening their mother sat at home, thinking sorrowfully that she had seen her hoys for the last' time. Presently there was a knock at the !?! came a forester to say that his master, who had of their distress, had sent them a present of some venison. IJut before the poor woman eoijld answer she heard shouts, the door burst open again and in ran the seven little boys.

"Here we are, mother!" they cried. "We lost ourselves in the forest, but Hop-o'-my-Thumb brought us home without taking one wrong turning." Their mother was overjoyed to see them again, and when their futiier came home in the evening a happier family than theirs was not to be found. But the venison did not last for ever, and the day came- when no food was left in the house but a loaf of bread. Jlop-o'-juy-Tlutmb knew this and guessed what would happen. Sure enough, that same evening he heard the woodcutter tell his wife that once more he must tuke the children into the forest, in the hope that somebody rich and generous might find them ai|d give them a home. At daybreak Hop-o'-my-Thumb sprang out of bed and ran down the stairs, onlv to find the door barred and bolted. In despair he turned and made his way slowly back to ~ed. But at breakfast ap idea came to him. Instead of eating his slice of bread he hid it in his coat, so that he might use the crumbs, as he had used the pebbles, to mark out the path. Soon the father called the boys and bade them go with him into the wood. Again, as before, he set them a task, and then slipped away unnoticed. The boys were not alarmed this time., "Hop-o'-my-Thumb knows the way," they said. But when Hop-o'-my-Thumb came to look for the crumbs that he had carefully strewn there were noiie to be found. % The birds had eaten them! "Now we're iir a pretty pickle," thought Hop-o'-my-Thumb. "Come, liovs,". lie said aloud, "we can't stay here. It will soon be dark and the wolves will be out!" "I sec a light!" he shouted suddenly. "Look! There is a house. Let us bej; a bed for the night." J hey ran and knocked at the door. A woman with a. kindly face opened it. But when she heard what they wanted she shook her head.'

"Alas," said *hc, "my husband is an ogre. JTe ivill bo returning soon, and if lie finds you lie will kill you and eat von.

The boys trembled. AVe <]»re not go o|it again into the dark forest/' they said, weeping. "Come in, you poor boys," said the woman, taking pity on them. "I will do my best for you till thp morning!" She 3iid them away in a garret and left them. Presently the ogre came home. He made such a dreadful noise coming up the steps' that oiie of the brothers peeped out of the window to see what was the matter. The ogre glanced up with a look so terrible that the little boy drew back in terror—but not before he had been seen.

Up the stairs, into the room, strode (lie ogre. But it was dark and he could see nothing. Tie struck a match, lit a lamp, and hpl<j jt up. Jn tl|e corner, all huddled together, he saw seven frightened little boy* with white faccs. One by onp he puljcd them out and looked at them.

"They will make a line supper when Ihpy are fattened up a little," lie said n his wife. "Give them a good meal

and put them to bed. See that they have plenty ty eat for a week, and by that tijue they ought to be fit to eat."

When the boys had had an' excellent supper they were taken into a room

with two enormous beds. 11l one of these slept seven little ogresses, with seven gold crowns on their heads. Into the other crept the seveir brothers. In the middle of the njght the ogre woke up and began to feel sorry that he had not killed the boys on (he spot. He got nut of bed. .

"What are you looking for?" asked his wife, waking up.

"My dagger." answered the ogre.~"j il make sure of those boys. Boys are slippery customers—they may escape."

Now Hop-oNniy-Thumb who had not closed h|s eyes all night heard this.

As quick as lightning he jumped up, snatched up the golden crowns, and put them on his brothers' heads; then he carefully put the boys' night caps on the ogresses heads and scrambled back into bed just as the ogre came in. He went up Jtp the bed where the seven littje brothers lay, felt the golden crowns, and passed over to the other bed. Here he found seven little heads inside seven little night caps. "Ah!" he said. And with one sweep of his dagger he slew them all.

Directly he had gone. Ho|)-o' myThiftnb woke up his brothers, and oft' they crept. JJut before tlfey could get far, the ogre discovered what had happened.

"Bring me my seven-leagued boots!" he bellowed to his wife. With these boots he could go at terrific speed. The boys saw him coining, and gave themselves up for lost. And indeed, the ogre had nearly reached them, when his foot slipped, and lie fell—right on to the huge dagger tlpit he carried in his hand. The dagger fan into his heart, and lie rolled oyer, dead.

llop-o'-my-Tluimb ran up to liim, dragged off the seven-leagued boots, and put tliem on. Leaving iiis brothers in the care of some woodcutters who were passing, and who promised to ialjo thorn home, lie nindp his way- in fifty strides to tiie palace. In the palace gardens, Jlop-n'-ntyrTliiuiib >vas fortunate enough to find the king, surrounded by a group of courtiers, deep iii conversation. Hop:o'-my-Thumb hid himself behind some trees and waited.

The discussion was a serious one. It appeared that the king was despairing of getting a message to his generals who were fighting a great army miles away, in time to he of service. Unless this message could be delivered without delay, it would lie useless, and the enemy would conquer. Suddenly, to everyone's amazement, llop-n'-my-Tliiiinb stepped out frpm his hiding place, showed the king his magic hoots, and offered to carry the mes: Slgp f»ster f|iai| the swiftest horsp. Tl)p courtiers were furious at his boldness, hut the king, who had taken a fancy, to llop-o'-iny-Tliumh, silenced them, and gave his consent. Hoj)-o'-my-Th|imb M'cnt, delivered his message, and returned in triumph.