Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1860-05-02
miscellaneous.
THUMBEFNG,

; One night he said, ''How sad it is that W
have no children! everything is so quiet here
while In other houses it is SO noisy and mer
ry."
f ''Ah!' said his wife, eff we had but onl-
: one. and he were no bigger than my thumb
L should be content, and love him with a.
my heart Some time after, a child wa
born to them. and, although he was perfectl,
formed in all his limbs, he was no bigger
than ones thumb. So they said it had hap.
, pened to them just as they wished-and the,
called the child ''Thumbling." Every day
they gave hin all the food he could eat, but
still he did not grow bit, but remained ex.
actly the same size as he was when first born:
he looked about him, however, very know.
ingly, and showed himself to be bold and
clever fellow, who would prosper in anything
he undertook.
One morning the peasant was making ready
to go into the forest to fell wood, and said
NOW | wish had some one who could follow
me with the cart"
oh. fatherl exclaimed Thulnbling. 81
will bring the cart; don't trouble yourself; it
| shall be there at the right time'
The father laughed at this speech and said
''HOw shall that be? You are much too small
to lead the horse by the bridlo"
That matters not, father. If mother
will harness the horse l can sit ia his ear and
| tell him which way to CO."
| We'll, we will try YOU" said the father;
| and so, when the hour came the mother har-
| messed the horse, and placed ThumSling in
| his ear, and told him how to guide it. Then
| he set out quite like 4 man, and the cart went
on the night road to the forest. and Just as
1t turned corner aud Thumbling called out,
''Steady-y-steady! two strange men met it,
an n AT1a tt,
is this? Here comes q cart, and the driver
keeps calling to the horse, but [ can see no
one." That cannot be all right said the
other, ''let US follow and see where the cart
stops"
The cart went on safely deep into the for
est, and straight to the place where the wood
was cut As soon as Thumbling saw his
father, he called to him, Here father, here
l am you see, with the cart, just take me
down. The peasant caught the bride of the
horse with his LETT hand, and with the right
took his little son out of his horses ear, and
he sat himself down merrily on straw.
w hen the two strangers saw the little fellow
they were astonished and one of them took
his companion aside and sad, This little
fellow might make our fortune if we could
exhibit him in the towns Let us buv
him. They then went up to the peasant and
asked, 'tWill you sell US your son? We
will treat him we'll" ''No, said the peasant,
he is my hearts delight, and not to be bought
Tor all the money In the world!" But Thumb |
ling when he heard what was said, climbed
up by his fathers skirt, and sat himself on
his shoulder, and whispered III his ear, ssLet
me 60 now, and will soon come back again."
80 his father gave him to the two men for
fine piece of gold, and they asked him where !
ia SIt caYI h.
rim OF your hat, and then [ can walk round |
aad survey the country, will not fall of. p
They did as he had told them, and when he
had taken leave of his father, they started of.
Just as 1t was getting dark, he asked to be |
Lifted down; and the man on whose hat he /
was took him off and placed him on the |
ground In an instant, Thumo bling ran off, |
and crept into mouse hole where they could |
not see him. Good evening, MASTER" said |
he, ''you can 60 home without me, and, with
quiet laugh, he crept into the hole still fur
ther. The two men poked their sticks into
the hole but all in vain, for thumbling only
went down further, and when it had grown
quite dark, they were obliged to return home
full of vexation.
As soon as Thumblirg perceived that they
were gone, he crawled out of his hiding
place, and said, ''How dangerous it is to
walk in this field in the dark; one might soon
break ones head or legs" And so saying.
be discovered hollow billet of wood, in
which he thought he could rest securely, so
IN be went, but just as he was falling asleep,
he heard two men coming by one of whom
said to the other, How shall we manage to
get at the parsons gold and silyer?"
''That can tell you, " interrupted Thumb
ing.
''What was that?" exclaimed the robber.
frightened. 4 heard some one speak"
They stood and listened, and then Thumbling
said, Take me with you, and L will help
you''
Where are you?" asked the thieves
"Here l am" said Thumbling as he crawl
I'd out.
Then one of the thieves picked him up and
aid, ..W hat. will you help US? you little
wight"
{" GU see can creep between the iron
bars IL the chamber of the parson, and reach
'ut to you whatever you require
Very well; we will see what you can do,''
'aid the thieves" t:
When they came to the house, Thumblinp
;rept into the chamber, and cried out with all |
lis might, will you have all that is here?"
The thieves were terrified, and said, '.Speak /,
,ently, or some one viii awake
But Thumbling feigned not to understand;
nd exclaimed louder STILL .sWill you have
ii that is here:"
This awoke the cook. who slept IN the room,
nd sitting up in her bed. she listened. The |
hieyes however had run back little way, .
ute Frightened but taking courace aeain .