1.Once upon a time there lived near a wood a man with his wife and seven sons.
2.One of these boys was so very tiny that it is said he could hide in his father’s shoe！He was named “Hop，”because he was always dancing about.
3.His father called him “Hop on My Thumb，”because he was so very little.But he was a kind and loving boy，and very wise for his age.
4.The father had at one time been a rich nobleman，but he had lost all his money.Now he was so poor that he was glad to chop wood to get bread for his family.
5.One night the father sat talking with his wife.The boys were in bed，and should all have been asleep；but Hop was wide awake.
6.He heard his father say that things were so bad that he could no longer get bread for the children.
7.“There is no help for it，”he said sadly.“I cannot bear to see them starving at home.I shall take the boys to the woods tomorrow，and leave them there.”
At this the mother wept.
8.There was no sleep for Hop that night.He lay awake thinking of what he had heard.As soon as it was light he got up.
9.Going quietly out of the house，he ran to the brook and filled his pockets with white stones.Then he went home again，and creptinto bed before any one was up.Soon the family awoke.
10.When breakfast was over，the father called out to the boys.“Come along；we must set to work.”And off they all went to the woods.But Hop walked behind the others，and here and there he dropped a stone.
11.Soon they were all at work chopping wood.After a time the father said to his boys that they might have some fun.
12.They played till they were tired.Then they looked about for their father.He was gone！
13.The boys were very much afraid.But Hop told them to follow him and he would take them home.Finding their way by the stones that Hop had dropped，the boys soon got out of the wood.
14.When at last they came to their home，their father seemed glad to see them.But he said to himself，“I will do it again some other day.”
1.The other day soon came.This time the boys were taken into the wood by a round-about way.Hop again walked behind the others.
He had no stones t h i s t i m e ，b u t he threw bread-cr umbs on the ground.
2.Once more the father left his boys.Again Hop tried to lead his brothers home.B u t ，a l a s ！T h e birds had eaten all the crumbs.
3.Night was coming on；but little Hop was as brave as ever.He climbed a tree，and saw a light，to which the boys made their way.
4.It came from the window of a great castle.On getting there，Hop knocked at the door with a stone-the knocker was too high for him to reach.
5.The great door was opened by a woman.Hop told her how they were lost in the wood，and asked for food and a night’s shelter.
6.The woman shook her head.“My husband is a cruel giant，”she said.“If he were to find you here，he would eat you all up.”
7.But Hop said，“O ma‘am，we are all so hungry.”
Then the woman felt sorry for them，and took them in.
8.They had not been long in the castle when a loud noise was heard.“Oh dear，”said the woman，“here he comes！Quick，all of you！Hide behind that box there！”
9.No sooner had they done so than the giant walked in.
“Wife，what have you for supper？”“I have a roasted sheep，”she said.
10.The giant sat down to supper.When he had eaten the sheep he began sniffing.Then heroared out，“There is something else！I smell fresh meat.”
11.The giant rose up，and went looking about the room till he came to the large box behind which the boys lay.
“Aha！”he cried；“come out of that！”The poor boys crept out.
“Aha！what have we here？”Bending down he lifted up little Hop and one of his brothers.
12.“Well，this is a sweet little tit-bit，to be sure.”And he was just going to pop Hop into his mouth，when his wife called out，“What are you going to do？You have had a good supper.Tomorrow I am going to make these boys into a pie for your dinner.”
13.The giant seemed to think that the pie would be very good，so he let the boys go.
14.The woman then put them into a little room，saying，“There now！I wish you had not come in here.Well，go to sleep.”
HOP O’MY THUMB
III
1.How could，they sleep when they thought of the morrow and what might happen to them？Little Hop began looking about to see if there was any way of getting out of the fearful place.
2.By-and-by they heard a loud snore.The giant was asleep！Now was their chance！
3.The moon was shining brightly.By its light they found their way past the sleeping giant.Soon they were out in the woods again.How they ran and ran！The big brothers carried Hop by turns.
4.When the giant awoke，he began smacking his lips at the thought of the pie.He got a file and sharpened his teeth.
5.But when he found out that the pie had fled，he was in a fearful rage.
“Bring me my boots！”he roared to his wife.“I shall soon catch the rascals！”
6.These were magic boots.They would fit any foot.With these on，one could go over the ground as fast as a race-horse.
7.But a fairy had done something to the
giant‘s boots.When he wanted to go this way，the boots turned that way；and when he wished to go that way，they turned this way.
8.In spite of all this，he was fast making up on the boys.They heard his loud breathing close behind them.
9.What was to be done？Hop spied a cave，and all the boys ran into it.Hop had just timeto get out of sight，when up came the giant.He was tired，and lay down close by the cave，little thinking that his runaway dinner lay so near.
10.Soon the giant’s snores told the boys that now was their time.
Hop cried，“Quick！Run for your lives！I mean to be home before you.”The brothers did not need to be told twice.
11.Hop o‘My Thumb crept softly from the cave.As softly he drew off the giant’s boots，and put them on his own feet.Then away he skipped with strides as long as the giant‘s.
1.Soon after，the giant awoke.He spied Hop，and gave chase.On and on he ran，but Hop with the magic boots kept ahead of him.
2.The giant was still hurrying on，when he slipped and fell over a rock.He never rose again.His neck was broken，and he died.
3.A few skips and strides took Hop to his father‘s door.His brothers had not come up yet.
4.Hop showed the boots to his father and mother，and told how he had got them.He told，too，about the giant，and how he and his brothers had been so nearly baked in a pie.At this very moment the brothers rushed in.There were cries of joy on all sides.
5.After some time Hop o’My Thumb made up his mind to go to the king.He wished to give him the magic boots，and ask him to kill all the cruel giants in the land.Hop‘s friends thought that this was a good plan.
6.Hop was soon ready.The magic boots were on his feet.At the door he said to the boots，“To the king’s palace；”and off they went.In a very few minutes he was there.
7.The king‘s servants thought him a great wonder.They gathered round him，and began to ask him questions.But Hop had no time to waste，and told them to take him before the king at once.
8.Hop made a very low bow to the king.Then he told all about the giant，and said that he hoped his majesty would give orders to kill all the giants in the land.
9.Then Hop spoke about the magic boots.The king had never seen them，but he had often heard about them.He told Hop he would like very much to have them.So Hop pulled off the boots，and placed them before the throne.They grew at once to a size that would fit the king.
10.The king then asked Hop about his family.
“My father is Count Abbey.”
“Count Abbey！”cried the king.“He was once a dear friend of mine.I am so glad to know that he is still alive.”
11.Servants were sent off at once to bring the count with his lady and their family to the palace.When they came，the king showed them great kindness.
12.He made each of the brothers an officer in the palace.Hop o’My Thumb was made chief page to his majesty，and no king ever had a better page.
Hop‘s parents were now ver y happy，and ended their days in joy and comfort.
LITTLE SAILORS
1.Now，Harry，pull the chairs up，And，Fanny，get the shawl；We’ll play that we are sailors，And that we‘re in a squall.
2.The fire will be a light-house，To warn us off the shore；And we will place the foot-stools For rocks，out on the floor.
3.Now，this chair is the stern，And that one is the bow；But，there，you must be careful，And not lean hard，you know.
4.Now，sailors，pull that sail up，And tuck the corners in；-Well，if you want it tighter，Ask mother for a pin.
5.Now couldn’t we sing something About the “Ocean Blue”？
Well，never mind，“By-baby”Or anything will do.
6.Take care，you careless sailors，And mind what you‘re about；You know the sea will drown you，If you should tumble out.
7.There-now you’ve gone and done it！
I knew how it would be.I told you to be careful；And now you‘re hurt，you see.
8.Well，never mind；we won’t play At sailors any more.
We‘ll get the building-blocks，and make A house upon the .