pty of knowledge, she was at once
their Love and their Law! But what seemed to me her ignorance might in
truth be my own lack of insight! Her one anxiety plainly was, that her
Little Ones should not grow, and change into bad giants! Their "good
giant" was bound to do his best for them: without more knowledge of
their nature, and some knowledge of their history, he could do nothing,
and must therefore leave them! They would only be as they were
before; they had in no way become dependent on me; they were still
my protectors, I was not theirs; my presence but brought them more in
danger of their idiotic neighbours! I longed to teach them many things:
I must first understand more of those I would teach! Knowledge no
doubt made bad people worse, but it must make good people better! I was
convinced they would learn mathematics; and might they not be taught to
write down the dainty melodies they murmured and forgot?

The conclusion was, that I must rise and continue my travels, in the
hope of coming upon some elucidation of the fortunes and destiny of the
bewitching little creatures.

My design, however, would not so soon have passed into action, but for
what now occurred.

To prepare them for my temporary absence, I was one day telling them
while at work that I would long ago have left the bad giants, but that I
loved the Little Ones so much--when, as by one accord, they came rushing
and crowding upon me; they scrambled over each other and up the tree and
dropped on my head, until I was nearly smothered. With three very little
ones in my arms, one on each shoulder clinging to my neck, one standing
straight up on my head, four or five holding me fast by the legs, others
grappling my body and arms, and a multitude climbing and descending upon
these, I was helpless as one overwhelmed by lava. Absorbed in the merry
struggle, not one of them saw my tyrant coming until he was almost upon
me. With just one cry of "Take care, good giant!" they ran from me like
mice, they dropped from me like hedgehogs, they flew from me up the tree
like squirrels, and the same moment, sharp round the stem came the bad
giant, and dealt me such a blow on the head with a stick that I fell to
the ground. The children told me afterwards that they sent him "such
a many bumps of big apples and stones" that he was frightened, and ran
blundering home.

When I came to myself it was night. Above me were a few pale stars that
expected the moon. I thought I