: "Ah, my poor children, you do not
know what place you are come to. This is the house of an Ogre, who
eats up little boys and girls."

"Alas! madam," replied Hop-o'-my-Thumb, who trembled from head to
foot, "what shall we do? If we go back to the forest we are sure of
being torn to pieces by the wolves; we would rather, therefore, be
eaten by the gentleman. Besides, when he sees us, perhaps he may take
pity on us and spare our lives."

The Ogre's wife thought she could contrive to hide them from her
husband till morning; so she let them go in and warm themselves by a
good fire, before which there was a whole sheep roasting for the
Ogre's supper. When they had stood a short time by the fire there came
a loud knocking at the door: this was the Ogre come home. His wife
hurried the children under the bed and told them to lie still, and she
then let her husband in.

The Ogre asked if supper were ready, and if the wine were fetched from
the cellar; and then he sat down at the table. The sheep was not quite
done, but he liked it much better half raw. In a minute or two the
Ogre began to snuff to his right and left, and said he smelt child's
flesh.

"It must be this calf, which has just been killed," said his wife.

"I smell child's flesh, I tell thee once more!" cried the Ogre,
looking all about the room--"I smell child's flesh; there is
something going on that I do not know of."

As soon as he had spoken these words he rose from his chair and went
towards the bed.

"Ah! madam," said he, "you thought to cheat me, did you? Wretch! thou
art old and tough thyself, or else I would eat thee up too! But come,
come, this is lucky enough; for the brats will make a nice dish for
three Ogres, who are my particular friends, and who are to dine with
me to-morrow."

He then drew them out one by one from under the bed. The poor children
fell on their knees and begged his pardon as humbly as they could; but
this Ogre was the most cruel of all Ogres, and instead of feeling any
pity, he only began to think how sweet and tender their flesh would
be; so he told his wife they would be nice morsels if she served them
up with plenty of sauce. He then fetched a large knife, and began to
sharpen it on a long whetstone that he held in his left hand; and all
the while he came nearer and nearer to the bed. The Ogre took up one
of the children, and was going to set about cutting him to pieces; but
his wife said to him: "What in the world make