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 so soundly that he knew nothing till he was almost in the mouth of the cow, who was eating him up with the hay.

‘Heavens!’ he said, ‘however did I get into this mill?’ but he soon saw where he was, and the great thing was to avoid being crushed between the cow’s teeth. At last, whether he liked it or not, he had to go down the cow’s throat.

‘The windows have been forgotten in this house,’ he said. ‘The sun does not shine into it, and no light has been provided.’

Altogether he was very ill-pleased with his quarters, and, worst of all, more and more hay came in at the door, and the space grew narrower and narrower. At last he called out, in his fear, as loud as he could, ‘Don’t give me any more food. Don’t give me any more food.’

The Maid was just milking the cow, and when she heard the same voice as in the night, without seeing any one, she was frightened, and slipped from her stool and spilt the milk. Then, in the greatest haste, she ran to her master, and said: ‘Oh, your Reverence, the cow has spoken!’

‘You are mad,’ he answered ; but he went into the stable himself to see what was happening.

Scarcely had he set foot in the cow-shed before Tom began again, ‘Don’t bring me any more food.’

Then the Pastor was terrified too, and thought that the cow must be bewitched; so he ordered it to be killed. It was accordingly slaughtered, but the stomach, in which Tom was hidden, was thrown into the manure heap. Tom had the greatest trouble in working his way out. Just as he stuck out his head, a hungry Wolf ran by and snapped up the whole stomach with one bite. But still Tom did not lose courage. ‘Perhaps the Wolf will listen to reason,’ he said. So he called out, ‘Dear Wolf, I know where you would find a magnificent meal.’

‘Where is it to be had?’ asked the Wolf.

‘Why, in such and such a house,’ answered Tom. ‘You must squeeze through the grating of the store-room window,