PART TWO

_No matter how much trouble we may be in, there is always a good way out._

We left Tom Thumb inside the cow. More hay kept on coming down until Tom cried out: “Don’t send any more hay! Don’t send any more hay!” The cook was milking just at that time, and hearing the noise inside the cow she was so astonished that she fell off the stool and spilled all the milk.

She ran to the farmer and exclaimed:

“The cow is bewitched! She is talking aloud and says she doesn’t want any more hay!” The farmer ran to the barn and listened to the voice inside the cow.

“Mercy on me!” he cried. “Surely the cow is bewitched. We must kill her at once!” So he took an ax and cut her all to pieces, and threw the stomach with Tom inside out into the road.

Before Tom could get out a wolf came along and swallowed the stomach without chewing it a bit, he was so hungry, and so Tom was now inside a wolf, and not much better off than before. But he was not at all discouraged and began to talk to the wolf.

“I can tell you where you can get some fine things to eat--fresh meat, ham and some chickens,” said he to the wolf. The wolf was eager to hear about the place, and Tom described the place and how to get into the kitchen where all those things were. The wolf did not know that Tom was describing his own home and planning to get the wolf into trouble.

“That suits me exactly,” said the wolf, and that very night he ran to the farmer’s house and squeezed into the kitchen through a drain pipe. He could do this easily for he was very thin from eating so little for a long time. Once in, he ate and ate until his sides stuck out like a balloon that had been blown up.

When the wolf had eaten all there was, Tom set up a great shout and woke up the cook. The cook came in, and seeing the wolf ran to wake up the farmer and his wife.

The farmer ran with his ax, his wife brought the scythe, and the cook seized the big meat knife. The wolf ran to the drain pipe and started to get through, but he had eaten so much he stuck half way. Then they fell upon him and began to hack him to pieces.

“Look out! I am inside here!” shouted Tom.

“Heaven be praised!” said his father. “That’s Tom’s voice!” and he soon had the wolf cut half in two and Tom jumped out, and into his mother’s arms. They were glad to see their little son home again. Tom told them all his adventures, after which he had plenty to eat and a clean suit of clothes, for those he had on were hardly fit to be worn any more.

THE FISHERMAN AND THE GENIE

_In which a fisherman seeing his mistake corrects it as quickly as possible._

A poor fisherman was toiling on the shore of a great lake to catch fish. He had had poor luck all day. Towards night he threw his net into the sea. It was so heavy when he drew it out that he thought he had caught a great many fish. To his disappointment he found the net filled with stones and mud. He threw it again but each time it came up filled as before.

“I will throw it just one more time,” said he. Then he cast the net for the last time into the sea. This time he was sure it had caught a large quantity of fish, for he drew it in with great difficulty.

On examining it he found he had caught no fish, but inside the net was an old copper jar. The mouth of the jar was closed with lead on which there was the impression of a seal. The fisherman examined the jar on all sides. The seal on the cover made him think there must be something of value inside. He shook it but could hear nothing. With his knife he opened it, and turned it upside down, but to his surprise nothing came out.

The fisherman set it down before him and stood off a little distance. While he was looking and wondering a thick smoke came out of the jar. The smoke ascended almost to the clouds and settled over the water and the shore. When it had all come out, it collected, became solid, and took the shape of a genie of gigantic size.

The fisherman trembled with fear to see the great giant before him. Then the genie began to scold and grew angry. He said he was going to kill the poor fisherman. When he threatened to kill the fisherman, the fisherman reminded him that he had let him out of the jar. This did not seem to appease the genie’s wrath. He told the fisherman to get ready to die. The fisherman was greatly alarmed, but he said to the genie:

“Before you kill me I want to know one thing truly. Did you really come out of that jar or not? I would like to be sure about it, and then you can kill me.”

The genie told the fisherman he did, but the fisherman would not believe it. The genie said he would show him. So he changed back into smoke, went up to the clouds and then down to the stream and slowly entered the jar. The fisherman then quickly clapped on the top and the genie could not get out.

The giant begged the fisherman to let him out. He promised to make him rich if he would open the jar again. But the fisherman would not listen. He threw the jar back into the sea, and warned all fishermen not to open the jar if by any chance they caught it in their nets, and it may be there to this very day.

THE GIRL WHO WANTED EVERYTHING

_When one begins wishing, it is hard to know when he has enough._

In a little house near a great forest lived Ludwig and his sister, Marleen. They were very poor. Ludwig had to go into his forest every day to gather berries.

One day he heard a voice calling: “Help me out, little brother! Help me out!” Looking around he saw a red fox whose foot was caught in a trap. He opened the trap and found the fox’s foot badly hurt. He wet his handkerchief in the spring and bound up the fox’s foot. The grateful fox told him to make a wish and it would be granted. So he wished that his pail might always be filled with berries, and straightway his pail became full.

Running home he told Marleen of his good fortune. “You were a foolish boy,” said Marleen. “That was no ordinary fox. I would that our cupboard were always filled with food. Go tell the fox.”

“Be satisfied,” said Ludwig, “we are very happy as we are.” But she gave him no peace until he went again to the forest. When the fox saw him, he said:

“How now, little brother, is it not well with thee?”

“No,” said Ludwig, and he told the fox his sister’s wish. “Go! it shall be as she wishes,” said the fox.

On Ludwig’s return home he found the wish come true. A few days later Marleen said:

“I’m tired of just things to eat. I want a doll dressed in shining silk. Go tell the red fox so.”

“Be satisfied,” said Ludwig, “we are happy as we are.” But she gave him no peace until he went again to the fox, and again her wish was granted. This satisfied Marleen only for a few days; then she wanted a dress just like her doll’s, and again Ludwig had to go to the fox. As before, her wish was granted and she was happy.

Then she wished that she might live in a fine house of many rooms. Again Ludwig was persuaded to go to the fox. Again the fox granted her wish. Upon returning home Ludwig found the little house gone and in its place was a palace. After spending days roaming through the house, Marleen wished to have one of every toy in the world to play with, and insisted upon Ludwig going again to the fox. Again the red fox said: “Go! it shall be as she wishes,” and it was so. It took the children days to play a minute with each toy. Then Marleen said:

“I’m tired of these toys. I want that ball that shines in the sky at night to be my plaything. Go tell the fox so.” Ludwig went once more to the fox who, when he heard her wish, said:

“Go! it shall NOT be as she wishes!” Ludwig frightened, ran from the forest, and found Marleen sobbing upon the porch of their little old home. They searched far and wide for their friend the fox, but never saw him again.

PUSS IN BOOTS