t, rise at dawn,
And, being but half awake, would kill the children
Who had no night-caps on.

And, sure enough, he did! He was so drowsy,
And fogs so veiled the sun,
That, whetting up a huge, broad-bladed dagger,
He slew them, every one.

Then Hop-o'-my-Thumb, awakening his brothers,
Whispered: "Make haste and fly!"
Without a word they did as they were bidden,
In twinkling of an eye,

Out in the drizzly mist of a gray morning,
Off through the chill and dew,
And none too soon! Within an hour the Ogre
His dreadful blunder knew.

"Wife, fetch my seven-league boots at once!" he shouted;
"I'll catch the vipers yet!"
He stamped his feet into the magic leather
With many a muttered threat;

And off he started, over hill and valley,
Seven leagues at every stride;
The children saw him like a giant shadow,
But they could only hide.

He scoured the country, rumbling like a tempest;
Far, near, they heard his roar,
Until at last his seven-league feet grew tired,
And he could go no more.

And down he lay to rest him for a minute--
The day had grown so hot--
Close to a rock where lay the seven children,
Although he knew it not.

Hop-o'-my-thumb spoke softly to his brothers:
"Run! fast as ever you can,
And leave me to take care of Mr. Ogre."
And hurry-scurry they ran.

And Hop-o'-my-Thumb, creeping from out his crevice,
With greatest caution drew
The Ogre's boots off (these would shrink or widen
Just as you wished them to),

And put them on himself. Then he decided
To hasten to the king;
And, as he traveled towards the royal palace,
Each boot was like a wing.

There was a war. The king had need of service
In carrying the news.
He heard his tale, and said, "I'll use this fellow
Who wears the magic shoes."

So little Hop-o'-my-Thumb made mints of money,
And his whole family
Lived very easy lives, and from his bounty
Grew rich as rich could be.

As for the Ogre, in his sleep he tumbled
Down from that ledge of rock,
And was so bumped and bruised he never rallied,
But perished from the shock.

And Hop-o'-my-Thumb, whose influence in hig