Page:The disobedient kids and other Czecho-Slovak fairy tales.pdf/31

 "No", he replied, "I will not. I know what you want. You want to carry me off again."

"Oh, no", they said, "but even if we did, you need not be afraid with us, for you will be much better off than you are now. You will have plenty of good things to eat and we will play with you all the time."



So the foolish little boy, persuaded himself that the bad fairies meant what they said and opened the door such a tiny bit, when in they rushed. This time as they seized him, they threatened to kill him, while they were hurrying off with him. But the boy did cry out to old faithful, "Oh, my Gold Antlers, far behind the mountains and in the deep valleys where you are feeding, the bad fairies are carrying off your little boy."

But this time his cry brought no response, for the stag was a long ways off, so that he could not hear him. Little Smolineck was very well all in the cave, as far as good things to eat were concerned, for he had all the sweets and dainties that he could possibly desire. But he did not know that he was being stuffed, so that he might be fat enough for the bad fairies to make a meal of, just as the old farmer fattens his turkeys for Thanksgiving.