r little
fellow fell plump into the middle of it, and splashed the hot furmenty
about the cook's face.

The cook, who was an ill-natured fellow, being in a terrible rage at Tom
for frightening and scalding him with the furmenty, went straight to the
king, and said that Tom had jumped into the royal furmenty, and thrown
it down out of mere mischief. The king was so enraged when he heard
this, that he ordered Tom to be seized and tried for high treason; and
there being no person who dared to plead for him, he was condemned to be
beheaded immediately.

On hearing this dreadful sentence pronounced, poor Tom fell a-trembling
with fear, but, seeing no means of escape, and observing a miller close
to him gaping with his great mouth, as country boobies do at a far, he
took a leap, and fairly jumped down his throat. This exploit was done
with such activity that not one person present saw it, and even the
miller did not know the trick which Tom had played upon him. Now, as
Tom had disappeared, the court broke up, and the miller went home to his
mill.

When Tom heard the mill at work he knew he was clear of the court, and
therefore he began to tumble and roll about, so that the poor miller
could get no rest, thinking he was bewitched; so he sent for a doctor.
When the doctor came, Tom began to dance and sing; and the doctor, being
as much frightened as the miller, sent in haste for five other doctors
and twenty learned men.

When they were debating about this extraordinary case, the miller
happened to yawn, when Tom, seizing the chance, made another jump, and
alighted safely upon his feet in the middle of the table.

The miller, who was very much provoked at being tormented by such a
little pygmy creature, fell into a terrible rage, and, laying hold of
Tom, ran to the king with him; but his majesty, being engaged with state
affairs, ordered him to be taken away and kept in custody till he sent
for him.

The cook was determined that Tom should not slip out of his hands this
time, so he put him into a mouse-trap, and left him to peep through the
wires. Tom had remained in the trap a whole week, when he was sent for
by King Arthur, who pardoned him for throwing down the furmenty,
and took him again into favor. On account of his wonderful feats of
activity, Tom was knighted by the king, and went under the name of the
renowned Sir Thomas Thumb. As Tom's clothes had suffered much in the
batter-pudding, the furmenty, and the insi