GRIMM'S FAIRY TALES - online book

130 Fairy Stories Adapted & Arranged for young people

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168             THE TAILOR'S THREE SONS.
" Oh!" he answered, " there is a dreadful animal at the bottom of my den, who glared at me with such fiery eyes.
"We'll soon drive him out," said the bear, quite boldly, as he walked to the hole, and looked in, but no sooner did he catch a glimpse of those burning eyes than his terror caused him to take to his heels as the fox had done, rather than have any skirmish with such a fierce animal.
On his way home a bee met him, and observing that his hair stood on end, she said to him, "Why, grandpapa Bear, what is the matter? You have such a woful face. And where is all your fun gone ?" " It is all very fine talking about fun," replied the bear; "but if you had seen the horrid monster with glaring eyes in the fox's den you wouldn't have much fun left in you; and the worst is we can't get him out." Then said the bee, "I pity you, Bear, very much, and I know I am only a poor, weak, little creature, that you great animals scarcely notice when we meet. Yet I believe I can help you in this matter." And away she flew into the fox-hole, and perching herself on the goat's head, stung her so fiercely that she rushed out quite frantic, crying, " Baa, baa" and has never been heard of since.
A Poor peasant was one evening sitting by his hearth in a homely cottage, doing nothing but stirring the fire, while his wife sat spin­ning near him. At last he said, " How sad and sorrowful it is to think that we have no children. The house is so lonely and still, while in our neighbours' homes the voices of children make every­thing cheerful." " Ah, yes," replied the wife, " if I had only a little child not bigger than my thumb, how happy I should be. We should have something to love then with all our hearts."
Now it so happened that after a few months the wife's wish was accomplished; for a little baby was born perfect in all its limbs, but not taller than a thumb. "Ah!" said she, " I have got what I asked for, and, small as he is, we will love him dearly." And because of his size, they named him Little Thumb.