er supper was ready and the
wine opened. Then without ado he sat down to table. Blood was still
dripping from the sheep, but it seemed all the better to him for that.
He sniffed to right and left, declaring that he could smell fresh flesh.

'Indeed!' said his wife. 'It must be the calf which I have just dressed
that you smell.'

'_I smell fresh flesh_, I tell you,' shouted the ogre, eyeing his wife
askance; 'and there is something going on here which I do not
understand.'

With these words he got up from the table and went straight to the bed.

'Aha!' said he; 'so this is the way you deceive me, wicked woman that
you are! I have a very great mind to eat you too! It's lucky for you
that you are old and tough! I am expecting three ogre friends of mine to
pay me a visit in the next few days, and here is a tasty dish which will
just come in nicely for them!'

One after another he dragged the children out from under the bed.

[Illustration: '_He could smell fresh flesh_']

The poor things threw themselves on their knees, imploring mercy; but
they had to deal with the most cruel of all ogres. Far from pitying
them, he was already devouring them with his eyes, and repeating to
his wife that when cooked with a good sauce they would make most dainty
morsels.

Off he went to get a large knife, which he sharpened, as he drew near
the poor children, on a long stone in his left hand.

He had already seized one of them when his wife called out to him. 'What
do you want to do it now for?' she said; 'will it not be time enough
to-morrow?'

'Hold your tongue,' replied the ogre; 'they will be all the more
tender.'

'But you have such a lot of meat,' rejoined his wife; 'look, there are a
calf, two sheep, and half a pig.'

'You are right,' said the ogre; 'give them a good supper to fatten them
up, and take them to bed.'

The good woman was overjoyed and brought them a splendid supper; but the
poor little wretches were so cowed with fright that they could not eat.

As for the ogre, he went back to his drinking, very pleased to have such
good entertainment for his friends. He drank a dozen cups more than
usual, and was obliged to go off to bed early, for the wine had gone
somewhat to his head.

Now the ogre had seven daughters who as yet were only children. These
little ogresses all had the most lovely complexions, for, like their
father, they ate fresh meat. But they had little round grey eyes,
crooked noses, and very la