the
light, he perceived it again as he came out of the wood.

They came at last to the house where this candle was, not without
abundance of fear; for very often they lost sight of it, which
happened every time they came into a bottom. They knocked at the door,
and a good woman came and open'd it; she asked them what they wished.

Little Thumb told her they were poor children who had been lost in the
forest, and desired to lodge there for God's sake. The woman seeing
them so very pretty, began to weep, and said to them:

"Alas! poor babies, whither are ye come? Do ye know that this house
belongs to a cruel Ogre, who eats up little children?"

"Ah! dear Madam," answered Little Thumb (who trembled every joint of
him, as well as his brothers) "what shall we do? To be sure, the
wolves of the forest will devour us to-night, if you refuse us to lie
here; and so, we would rather the gentleman should eat us. Perhaps he
will take pity on us, especially if you please to beg it of him."

The Ogre's wife, who believed she could conceal them from her husband
till morning, let them come in, and brought them to warm themselves at
a very good fire; for there was a whole sheep upon the spit roasting
for the Ogre's supper.

As they began to be a little warm, they heard three or four great raps
at the door; this was the Ogre, who was come home. Upon this she hid
them under the bed, and went to open the door. The Ogre presently
asked if supper was ready, and the wine drawn; and then he sat himself
down to table. The sheep was as yet all raw and bloody; but he liked
it the better for that. He sniffed about to the right and left,
saying, "I smell fresh meat."

"What you smell so," said his wife, "must be the calf which I have
just now killed and flayed."

"I smell fresh meat, I tell thee once more," replied the Ogre, looking
crossly at his wife, "and there is something here which I do not
understand."

As he spake these words, he got up from the table, and went directly
to the bed.

"Ah!" said he, "I see how thou would'st cheat me, thou cursed woman; I
know not why I do not eat up thee too; but it is well for thee that
thou art a tough old carrion. Here is good game, which comes very
luckily to entertain three Ogres of my acquaintance, who are to pay me
a visit in a day or two."

With that he dragged them out from under the bed one by one. The poor
children fell upon their knees, and begged his pardon; but they had to
do with