ed to peep out, and seeing a fine large butterfly on the ground,
near his hiding-place, he approached very cautiously, and getting
himself placed astride on it, was immediately carried up into the air.
The butterfly flew with him from tree to tree and from field to field,
and at last returned to the court, where the king and nobility all
strove to catch him; but at last poor Tom fell from his seat into a
watering-pot, in which he was almost drowned.

When the queen saw him she was in a rage, and said he should be
beheaded; and he was again put into a mouse-trap until the time of his
execution.

However, a cat, observing something alive in the trap, patted it about
till the wires broke, and set Thomas at liberty.

The king received Tom again into favor, which he did not live to enjoy,
for a large spider one day attacked him; and although he drew his sword
and fought well, yet the spider's poisonous breath at last overcame him;

"He fell dead on the ground where he stood,
and the spider suck'd every drop of his blood."

King Thunstone and his whole court were so sorry at the loss of their
little favorite, that they went into mourning, and raised a fine white
marble monument over his grave, with the following epitaph:

"Here lyes Tom Thumb, King Arthur's knight,
Who died by a spider's cruel bite.
He was well known in Arthur's court,
Where he afforded gallant sport;
He rode at tilt and tournament,
And on a mouse a-hunting went.
Alive he filled the court with mirth;
His death to sorrow soon gave birth.
Wipe, wipe your eyes, and shake your head,
And cry,--Alas! Tom Thumb is dead!"

*****

THE CAT AND THE MOUSE

The cat and the mouse
Played in the malt-house:

The cat bit the mouse's tail off. "Pray, puss, give me my tail." "No,"
says the cat, "I'll not give you your tail, till you go to the cow and
fetch me some milk."

First she leapt, and then she ran,
Till she came to the cow, and thus began,--

"Pray, cow, give me milk, that I may give cat milk, that cat may give me
my own tail again." "No," said the cow, "I will give you no milk, till
you go to the farmer and get me some hay."

First she leapt, and then she ran,
Till she came to the farmer, and thus began,--

"Pray, farmer, give me hay that I may give cow hay, that cow may give me
milk, that I may give cat milk, that cat may give me my own tail again."

"No," says the farmer, "I'll