took hold of his large knife. "Let us see," said he, "what the
young rogues are about, and do the business at once!" He then walked
softly to the room where they all slept, and went up to the bed the
boys were in, who were all asleep except Hop-o'-my-Thumb. He touched
their heads one at a time, and feeling the crowns of gold, said to
himself: "Oh, oh! I had like to have made such a mistake! I must have
drunk too much wine last night."

He went next to the bed that his own little Ogresses were in, and when
he felt the nightcaps, he said, "Ah! here you are, my lads"; and so in
a moment he cut the throats of all his daughters.

He was very much pleased when he had done this, and then went back to
his own bed. As soon as Hop-o'-my-Thumb heard him snore he awoke his
brothers, and told them to put on their clothes quickly, and follow
him. They stole down softly into the garden, and then jumped from the
wall into the road; they ran as fast as their legs could carry them,
but were so much afraid all the while that they hardly knew which way
to take. When the Ogre waked in the morning he said to his wife,
grinning: "My dear, go and dress the young rogues I saw last night."

The wife was quite surprised at hearing her husband speak so kindly,
and did not dream of the real meaning of his words. She supposed he
wanted her to help them to put on their clothes; so she went
up-stairs, and the first thing she saw was her seven daughters with
their throats cut and all over blood. This threw her into a fainting
fit. The Ogre was afraid his wife might be too long in doing what he
had set her about, so he went himself to help her; but he was as much
shocked as she had been at the dreadful sight of his bleeding
children. "Ah! what have I done?" he cried. "But the little rascals
shall pay for it, I warrant them."

He first threw some water on his wife's face; and, as soon as she came
to herself, he said to her: "Bring me quickly my seven-league boots,
that I may go and catch the little vipers."

The Ogre then put on these boots, and set out with all speed. He
strided over many parts of the country, and at last turned into the
very road in which the poor children were. For they had set off
towards the fagot-maker's cottage, which they had almost reached. They
watched the Ogre stepping from mountain to mountain at one step, and
crossing rivers as if they had been tiny brooks. At this
Hop-o'-my-Thumb thought a little what was to be done;