Blue Fairy Book
Blue Fairy Book Blue Fairy Book
-203- So you see that even a princess is not always happy -- especially if she forgets to keep her word; and the greatest misfortunes often happen to people just as they think they have obtained their heart's desires! Madame d'Aulnoy. LITTLE THUMB THERE was, once upon a time, a man and his wife fagot-makers by trade, who had several children, all boys. The eldest was but ten years old, and the youngest only seven. They were very poor, and their seven children incommoded them greatly, because not one of them was able to earn his bread. That which gave them yet more uneasiness was that the youngest was of a very puny constitution, and scarce ever spoke a word, which made them take that for stupidity which was a sign of good sense. He was very little, and when born no bigger than one's thumb, which made him be called Little Thumb. The poor child bore the blame of whatsoever was done amiss in the house, and, guilty or not, was always in the wrong; he was, notwithstanding, more cunning and had a far greater share of wisdom than all his brothers put together; and, if he spake little, he heard and thought the more. There happened now to come a very bad year, and the famine was so great that these poor people resolved to rid themselves of their children. One evening, when they were all in bed and the fagot-maker was sitting with his wife at the fire, he said to her, with his heart ready to burst with grief: "Thou seest plainly that we are not able to keep our children, and I cannot see them starve to death before my face; I am resolved to lose them in the wood to-morrow, which may very easily be done; for, while they are busy in tying up fagots, we may run away, and leave them, without their taking any notice." "Ah!" cried his wife; "and canst thou thyself have the heart to take thy children out along with thee on purpose to lose them?"
-204- In vain did her husband represent to her their extreme poverty: she would not consent to it; she was indeed poor, but she was their mother. However, having considered what a grief it would be to her to see them perish with hunger, she at last consented, and went to bed all in tears. Little Thumb heard every word that had been spoken; for observing, as he lay in his bed, that they were talking very busily, he got up softly, and hid himself under his father's stool, that he might hear what they said without being seen. He went to bed again, but did not sleep a wink all the rest of the night, thinking on what he had to do. He got up early in the morning, and went to the river-side, where he filled his pockets full of small white pebbles, and then returned home. They all went abroad, but Little Thumb never told his brothers one syllable of what he knew. They went into a very thick forest, where they could not another at ten paces distance. The fagot-maker began to cut wood, and the children to gather up the sticks to make fagots. Their father and mother, seeing them busy at their work, got away from them insensibly, and ran away from them all at once, along a by-way through the winding bushes. When the children saw they were left alone, they began to cry as loud as they could. Little Thumb let them cry on, knowing very well how to get home again, for, as he came, he took care to drop all along the way the little white pebbles he had in his pockets. Then he said to them: "Be not afraid, brothers; father and mother have left us here, but I will lead you home again, only follow me." They did so, and he brought them home by the very same way they came into the forest. They dared not go in, but sat themselves down at the door, listening to what their father and mother were saying. The very moment the fagot-maker and his wife reached home the lord of the manor sent them ten crowns, which he had owed them a long while, and which they never expected. This gave them new life, for the poor people were almost famished. The fagot-maker sent his wife immediately to the butcher's. As it was a long while since they had eaten a bit, she bought thrice as much meat as would sup two people. When they had eaten, the woman said:
- Page 161 and 162: -152- himself, but at a touch from
- Page 163 and 164: -154- was furiously angry and told
- Page 165 and 166: -156- more than all the wizards of
- Page 167 and 168: -158- he saw an eagle flying above
- Page 169 and 170: -160- was told by a prophet whom he
- Page 171 and 172: -162- to keep his oath. So he went
- Page 173 and 174: -164- "You have taken it yourself,
- Page 175 and 176: -166- seen her he would have been c
- Page 177 and 178: -168- for her very life, and the wi
- Page 179 and 180: His enemies at once went to the Kin
- Page 181 and 182: -172- you." So saying, she sank dow
- Page 183 and 184: -174- as I did so a ring that I was
- Page 185 and 186: -176- the more frightened he grew.
- Page 187 and 188: -178- not succeed. Why does the Pri
- Page 189 and 190: -180- she had seen a flask of exact
- Page 191 and 192: whether they are able to do it, whi
- Page 193 and 194: -184- countrymen with civility, and
- Page 195 and 196: -186- It is not our business to ani
- Page 197 and 198: -188- THE WONDERFUL SHEEP ONCE upon
- Page 199 and 200: -190- She does not think me worthy
- Page 201 and 202: -192- really dead, she allowed the
- Page 203 and 204: -194- "I am the unhappiest princess
- Page 205 and 206: -196- "I was very fond of hunting,
- Page 207 and 208: -198- saw are the rivals or the ene
- Page 209 and 210: -200- splendor of her jewels. She h
- Page 211: -202- thanked her father, and began
- Page 215 and 216: -206- little pebbles, he was disapp
- Page 217 and 218: -208- With that he dragged them out
- Page 219 and 220: -210- dress them; but, thinking tha
- Page 221 and 222: -212- orders to the army. After hav
- Page 223 and 224: -214- with great chests. He soon fo
- Page 225 and 226: -215- of Cassim, on learning the fa
- Page 227 and 228: -217- I know not where to pass the
- Page 229 and 230: -219- such haste? Will you not stay
- Page 231 and 232: -221- take the children out into th
- Page 233 and 234: -223- again. There is no other way
- Page 235 and 236: -225- staff hobbled out. Hansel and
- Page 237 and 238: -227- "but look, there swims a whit
- Page 239 and 240: -229- knocked at the door as though
- Page 241 and 242: -231- can't get away; and you silly
- Page 243 and 244: -233- lying there. Spare my life! w
- Page 245 and 246: -235- the rag containing the three
- Page 247 and 248: " 'Tis you; pass under, Princess fa
- Page 249 and 250: -239- from his heart when he saw he
- Page 251 and 252: -241- know, the very fairy who appe
- Page 253 and 254: -243- would it do him to be rich, o
- Page 255 and 256: -245- disposition; he was truly sor
- Page 257 and 258: -247- bad friends, when they heard
- Page 259 and 260: -249- they said, "he is a good and
- Page 261 and 262: -251- clothes were torn, and hangin
-204-<br />
In vain did her husband represent to her their extreme poverty: she would not consent to it; she was indeed poor, but she was<br />
their mother. However, having considered what a grief it would be to her to see them perish with hunger, she at last consented,<br />
and went to bed all in tears.<br />
Little Thumb heard every word that had been spoken; for observing, as he lay in his bed, that they were talking very busily,<br />
he got up softly, and hid himself under his father's stool, that he might hear what they said without being seen. He went to bed<br />
again, but did not sleep a wink all the rest of the night, thinking on what he had to do. He got up early in the morning, and went<br />
to the river-side, where he filled his pockets full of small white pebbles, and then returned home.<br />
They all went abroad, but Little Thumb never told his brothers one syllable of what he knew. They went into a very thick<br />
forest, where they could not another at ten paces distance. The fagot-maker began to cut wood, and the children to gather up the<br />
sticks to make fagots. Their father and mother, seeing them busy at their work, got away from them insensibly, and ran away<br />
from them all at once, along a by-way through the winding bushes.<br />
When the children saw they were left alone, they began to cry as loud as they could. Little Thumb let them cry on, knowing<br />
very well how to get home again, for, as he came, he took care to drop all along the way the little white pebbles he had in his<br />
pockets. Then he said to them:<br />
"Be not afraid, brothers; father and mother have left us here, but I will lead you home again, only follow me."<br />
They did so, and he brought them home by the very same way they came into the forest. They dared not go in, but sat<br />
themselves down at the door, listening to what their father and mother were saying.<br />
The very moment the fagot-maker and his wife reached home the lord of the manor sent them ten crowns, which he had owed<br />
them a long while, and which they never expected. This gave them new life, for the poor people were almost famished. The<br />
fagot-maker sent his wife immediately to the butcher's. As it was a long while since they had eaten a bit, she bought thrice as<br />
much meat as would sup two people. When they had eaten, the woman said:
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