Page:History of Cinderella, or, The little glass slipper (3).pdf/21

 him to see where the noise came from; and then he heard the same voice say,-"Listen, Hop-o'-my-Thumb, to what I am about to say to you: do not go to the palace. Waste no time; the Ogre sleeps, he may awake.

"Know, Hop-o'-my-Thumb, that the two boots you took from the Ogre while he was asleep are two fairies, and I am the eldest of them. We have seen the clever things you have done to keep your brothers from harm, and for that reason we will bestow upon you the gift of riches, if you will once more employ your wits to a good purpose, and be as bravobrave [sic] as before. But fairies must not speak of such matters as these; break the shell of the largest nut you can find in your pocket, and you will find a paper inside that will tell you all that you are to do."

Hop-o'-my-Thumb did not stand thinking about these strangostrange [sic] things, but in a moment put his hand into his pocket for the nut. He then cracked it with his teeth, and found a piece paper in the inside carefully folded up; which hohe [sic] opened, and to his great surprise read as follows:-

Hop-o'-my-Thumb now began to say the two last lines over and over again, for fear he should forget them: and when he thought he had learnt them by heart, he made two or three of his largest strides, and soon reached the Ogre's door.

He knocked loudly, which brought tho Ogre's wife down stairs; but at sight of Hop-o'-my-Thumb she started back, and looked as if she would shut the door against him. Hop-o'-my-Thumb knew hohe [sic] had not a moment to lose; so he seemed as if he did not think how much vexed she was at seeing him who had caused her daughters to be killed by their own father.

Hop-o'-my-Thumb then began to talk as if he was in a great hurry. He said that matters were now changed; for the OgroOgre [sic] had laid hold of him and his brothers as they worewere [sic] getting nuts by the side of a hedge, and was going to take them back to his house; but all at oncoonce [sic]