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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　spoke　these　words　he　got　up　from　the　table　and

went　directly　to　the　bed。



〃Ah；　ah！〃　said　he；　〃I　see　then　how　thou　wouldst　cheat

me；　thou　cursed　woman；　I　know　not　why　I　do　not　eat　thee

up　too；　but　it　is　well　for　thee　that　thou　art　a　tough　old

carrion。　Here　is　good　game；　which　comes　very　quickly

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　one　of　the

most　cruel　ogres　in　the　world；　who；　far　from　having　any　pity

on　them；　had　already　devoured　them　with　his　eyes；　and

told　his　wife　they　would　be　delicate　eating　when　tossed

up　with　good　savory　sauce。　He　then　took　a　great　knife；

and；　coming　up　to　these　poor　children；　whetted　it　upon　a

great　whet…stone　which　he　held　in　his　left　hand。　He　had

already　taken　hold　of　one　of　them　when　his　wife　said　to

him：



〃Why　need　you　do　it　now？　Is　it　not　time　enough　to…

morrow？〃



〃Hold　your　prating；〃　said　the　Ogre；　〃they　will　eat　the

tenderer。



〃But　you　have　so　much　meat　already；〃　replied　his　wife；

you　have　no　occasion；　here　are　a　calf；　two　sheep；　and

half　a　hog。〃



〃That　is　true；〃　said　the　Ogre；　〃give　them　their　belly

full　that　they　may　not　fall　away；　and　put　them　to　bed。〃



The　good　woman　was　overjoyed　at　this；　and　gave　them

a　good　supper；　but　they　were　so　much　afraid　they　could

not　eat　a　bit。　As　for　the　Ogre；　he　sat　down　again　to　drink；

being　highly　pleased　that　he　had　got　wherewithal　to　treat

his　friends。　He　drank　a　dozen　glasses　more　than　ordinary；

which　got　up　into　his　head　and　obliged　him　to　go　to　bed。



The　Ogre　had　seven　daughters；　all　little　children；　and

these　young　ogresses　had　all　of　them　very　fine　complexions；

because　they　used　to　eat　fresh　meat　like　their　father；

but　they　had　little　gray　eyes；　quite　round；　hooked　noses；

and　very　long　sharp　teeth；　standing　at　a　good　distance

from　each　other。　They　were　not　as　yet　over　and　above

mischievous；　but　they　promised　very　fair　for　it；　for　they

had　already　bitten　little　children；　that　they　might　suck

their　blood。



They　had　been　put　to　bed　early；　with　every　one　a　crown

of　gold　upon　her　head。　There　was　in　the　same　chamber　a

bed　of　the　like　bigness；　and　it　was　into　this　bed　the　Ogre's

wife　put　the　seven　little　boys；　after　which　she　went　to　bed

to　her　husband。



Little　Thumb；　who　had　observed　that　the　Ogre's

daughters　had　crowns　of　gold　upon　their　heads；　and　was

afraid　lest　the　Ogre　should　repent　his　not　killing　them；

got　up　about　midnight；　and；　taking　his　brothers'　bonnets

and　his　own；　went　very　softly　and　put　them　upon　the　heads

of　the　seven　little　ogresses；　after　having　taken　off　their

crowns　of　gold；　which　he　put　upon　his　own　head　and　his

brothers'；　that　the　Ogre　might　take　them　for　his　daughters；

and　his　daughters　for　the　little　boys　whom　he　wanted　to

kill。



All　this　succeeded　according　to　his　desire；　for；　the　Ogre

waking　about　midnight；　and　sorry　that　he　deferred　to　do

that　till　morning　which　he　might　have　done　over…night；

threw　himself　hastily　out　of　bed；　and；　taking　his　great

knife；



〃Let　us　see；〃　said　he；　〃how　our　little　rogues　do；　and　not

make　two　jobs　of　the　matter。〃



He　then　went　up；　groping　all　the　way；　into　his　daughters'

chamber；　and；　coming　to　the　bed　where　the　little

boys　lay；　and　who　were　every　soul　of　them　fast　asleep；

except　Little　Thumb；　who　was　terribly　afraid　when　he

found　the　Ogre　fumbling　about　his　head；　as　he　had　done

about　his　brothers'；　the　Ogre；　feeling　the　golden　crowns；

said：



〃I　should　have　made　a　fine　piece　of　work　of　it；　truly；

I　find　I　drank　too　much　last　night。〃



Then　he　went　to　the　bed　where　the　girls　lay；　and；　having

found　the　boys'　little　bonnets；



〃Ah！〃　said　he；　〃my　merry　lads；　are　you　there？　Let　us

work　as　we　ought。〃



And　saying　these　words；　without　more　ado；　he　cut　the

throats　of　all　his　seven　daughters。



Well　pleased　with　what　he　had　done；　he　went　to　bed

again　to　his　wife。　So　soon　as　Little　Thumb　heard　the

Ogre　snore；　he　waked　his　brothers；　and　bade　them　all　put

on　their　clothes　presently　and　follow　him。　They　stole

down　softly　into　the　garden；　and　got　over　the　wall。　They

kept　running　about　all　night；　and　trembled　all　the　while；

without　knowing　which　way　they　went。



The　Ogre；　when　he　awoke；　said　to　his　wife：　〃Go

upstairs　and　dress　those　young　rascals　who　came　here　last

night。〃



The　wife　was　very　much　surprised　at　this　goodness　of

her　husband；　not　dreaming　after　what　manner　she　should

dress　them；　but；　thinking　that　he　had　ordered　her　to　go

and　put　on　their　clothes；　she　went　up；　and　was　strangely

astonished　when　she　perceived　her　seven　daughters　killed；

and　weltering　in　their　blood。



She　fainted　away；　for　this　is　the　first　expedient　almost

all　women　find　in　such　cases。　The　Ogre；　fearing　his　wife

would　be　too　long　in　doing　what　he　had　ordered；　went　up

himself　to　help　her。　He　was　no　less　amazed　than　his　wife

at　this　frightful　spectacle。



〃Ah！　what　have　I　done？〃　cried　he。　〃The　wretches　shall

pay　for　it；　and　that　instantly。〃



He　threw　a　pitcher　of　water　upon　his　wife's　face；　and；

having　brought　her　to　herself；　said：



〃Give　me　quickly　my　boots　of　seven　leagues；　that　I　may

go　and　catch　them。〃



He　went　out；　and；　having　run　over　a　vast　deal　of

ground；　both　on　this　side　and　that；　he　came　at　last　into

the　very　road　where　the　poor　children　were；　and　not

above　a　hundred　paces　from　their　father's　house。　They

espied　the　Ogre；　who　went　at　one　step　from　mountain　to

mountain；　and　over　rivers　as　easily　as　the　narrowest

kennels。　Little　Thumb；　seeing　a　hollow　rock　near　the

place　where　they　were；　made　his　brothers　hide　themselves

in　it；　and　crowded　into　it　himself；　minding　always　what

would　become　of　the　Ogre。



The　Ogre；　who　found　himself　much　tired　with　his　long

and　fruitless　journey　（for　these　boots　of　seven　leagues

greatly　fatigued　the　wearer）；　had　a　great　mind　to　rest

himself；　and；　by　chance；　went　to　sit　down　upon　the　rock

where　the　little　boys　had　hid　themselves。　As　it　was

impossible　he　could　be　more　weary　than　he　was；　he　fell

asleep；　and；　after　reposing　himself　some　time；　began　to

snore　so　frightfully　that　the　poor　children　were　no　less

afraid　of　him　than　when　he　held　up　his　great　knife　and

was　going　to　cut　their　throats。　Little　Thumb　was　not　so

much　frightened　as　his　brothers；　and　told　them　that　they

should　run　away　immediately　toward　home　while　the

Ogre　was　asleep　so　soundly；　and　that　they　should　not　be　in

any　pain　about　him。　They　took　his　advice；　and　got　home

presently。　Little　Thumb　came　up　to　the　Ogre；　pulled　off

his　boots　gently　and　put　them　on　his　own　legs。　The　boots

were　very　long　and　large；　but；　as　they　were　fairies；　they

had　the　gift　of　becoming　big　and　little；　according　to　the

legs　of　those　who　wore　them；　so　that　they　fitted　his　feet

and　legs　as　well　as　if　they　had　been　made　on　purpose　for

him。　He　went　immediately　to　the　Ogre's　house；　where　he

saw　his　wife　crying　bitterly　for　the　loss　of　the　Ogre's

murdered　daughters。



〃Your　husband；〃　said　Little　Thumb；　〃is　in　very　great

danger；　being　taken　by　a　gang　of　thieves；　who　have　sworn

to　kill　him　if　he　does　not　give　them　all　his　gold　and　silver。

The　very　moment　they　held　their　daggers　at　his　throat　he

perceived　me；　and　desired　me　to　come　and　tell　you　the

condition　he　is　in；　and　that　you　should　give　me　whatsoever

he　has　of　value；　without　retaining　any　one　thing；　for

otherwise　they　will　kill　him　without　mercy；　and；　as　his

case　is　very　pressing；　he　desired　me　to　make　use　（you　see

I　have　them　on）　of　his　boots；　that　I　might　make　the　more

haste　and　to　show　you　that　I　do　not　impose　upon　you。



The　good　woman；　being　sadly　frightened；　gave　him　all

she　had：　for　this　Ogre　was　a　very　good　husband；　though

he　used　to　eat　up　little　children。　Little　Thumb；　having

thus　got　all　the　Ogre's　money；　came　home　to　his　father's

house；　where　he　was　received　with　abundance　of　joy。



There　are　many　people　who　do　not　agree　in　this

circumstance；　and　pretend　that　Little　Thumb　never　robbed

the　Ogre　at　all；　and　that　he　only　thought　he　might　very

justly；　and　with　a　safe　conscience；　take　off　his　boots　of

seven　leagues；　because　he　made　no　other　use　of　them　but

to　run　after　little　children。　These　folks　affirm　that　they

are　very　well　assured　of　this；　and　the　more　as　having

drunk　and　eaten　often　at　the　fagot…maker's　house。　They

aver　that　when　Little　Thumb　had　taken　off　the　Ogre's

boots　he　went　to　Court；　where　he　was　informed　that　they

were　very　much　in　pain　about　a　certain　army；　which　was

two　hundred　leagues　off；　and　the　success　of　a　battle。　He

went；　say　they；　to　the　King；　and　told　him　that；　if　he

desired　it；　he　would　bring　him　news　from　the　army　before

night。



The　King　promised　him　a　great　sum　of　money　upon　that

condition。　Little　Thumb　was　as　good　as　his　word；　and

returned　that　very　same　night　with　the　news；　and；　this　first

expedition　causing　him　to　be　known；　he　got　whatever　he

pleased；　for　the　King　paid　him　very　well　for　carrying　his

orders　to　the　army。　After　having　for　some　time　carried

on　the　business　of　a　messenger；　and　gained　thereby　great

wealth；　he　went　home　to　his　father；　where　it　was

impossible　to　express　the　joy　they　were　all　in　at　his　return。

He　made　the　whole　family　very　easy；　bought　places　for

his　father　and　brothers；　and；　by　that　means；　settled　them

very　handsomely　in　the　world；　and；　in　the　meantime；　made

his　court　to　perfection。＇1＇





＇1＇　Charles　Perrault。