y, "Mother, mother!"
"But where are you, Tommy, my dear Tommy?" cried out his mother,
wringing her hands. "Here, mother," he shouted, "inside the red cow's
mouth!" And, saying that, he began to kick and scratch till the poor cow
was nearly mad, and at length tumbled him out of her mouth. On seeing
this, his mother rushed to him, caught him in her arms, and carried him
safely home.

Some days after this, his father took him to the fields a-ploughing, and
gave him a whip, made of a barley straw, with which to drive the oxen; but
little Tom was soon lost in a furrow. An eagle seeing him, picked him up
and flew with him to the top of a hill where stood a giant's castle. The
giant put him at once into his mouth, intending to swallow him up, but Tom
made such a great disturbance when he got inside that the monster was soon
glad to get rid of him, and threw him far away into the sea. But he was
not drowned, for he had scarcely touched the water before he was swallowed
by a large fish, which was shortly afterwards captured and brought to King
Arthur, as a present, by the fisherman. When the fish was opened, everyone
was astonished at finding Tom inside. He was at once carried to the King,
who made him his Court dwarf.

Long time he lived in jollity,
Beloved of the Court,
And none like Tom was so esteemed
Amongst the better sort.

The Queen was delighted with the little boy, and made him dance a gaillard
on her left hand. He danced so well that King Arthur gave him a ring,
which he wore round his waist like a girdle.

Tom soon began to long to see his parents again, and begged the King to
allow him to go home for a short time. This was readily permitted, and the
King told him he might take with him as much money as he could carry.

And so away goes lusty Tom,
With three pence at his back--
A heavy burthen which did make
His very bones to crack.

He had to rest more than a hundred times by the way, but, after two days
and two nights, he reached his father's house in safety. His mother saw
him coming, and ran out to meet him, and there was great rejoicing at his
arrival. He spent three happy days at home, and then set out for the Court
once more.

Shortly after his return, he one day displeased the King, so, fearing the
royal anger, he crept into an empty flower-pot, where he lay for a long
time. At last he ventured to peep out, and, seeing a fine large butterfly
on the ground clo