up!" cried John in a rage. "Go, think
of it till to-morrow. Return then at this hour. I will show you whether
or not I can triumph over your hypocritical and cunning stratagems."

The six retired. Next morning, on their return, John addressed them in
the kindest manner, but to no purpose. They persisted in their refusal.
He gave them till the next day, threatening them severely in case they
still proved refractory.

Next day, when the six little people appeared before him, John looked at
them sternly, and made no return to their salutations, but said to them
shortly--

"Yes, or No?"

They answered, with one voice, "No." He then ordered his servant to
summon twenty-four more of the principal persons, with their wives and
children. When they came they were in all five hundred men, women, and
children. John ordered them forthwith to go and fetch pick-axes, spades,
and bars, which they did in a second.

He now led them out to a rock in one of the fields, and ordered them to
fall to work at blasting, hewing, and dragging stones. They toiled
patiently, and made as if it were only sport to them.

From morning till night their task-master made them labour without
ceasing, standing over them constantly to prevent them resting. Still
their obstinacy was inflexible, and at the end of some weeks his pity
for them was so great that he was obliged to give over.

He now thought of a new species of punishment for them. He ordered them
to appear before him next morning, each provided with a new whip. They
obeyed, and John commanded them to lash one another, and he stood
looking on while they did it, as grim and cruel as an Eastern tyrant.
Still the little people cut and slashed themselves and mocked at John,
and refused to comply with his wishes. This he did for three or four
days.

Several other courses did he try, but all in vain. His temper was too
gentle to struggle with their obstinacy, and he commenced to despair of
ever accomplishing his dearest wish. He began now to hate the little
people of whom he had before been so fond. He kept away from their
banquets and dances, and associated with none but Elizabeth, and ate and
drank quite solitary in his chamber. In short, he became almost a
hermit, and sank into moodiness and melancholy.

While in this temper, as he was taking a solitary walk in the evening,
and, to divert his melancholy, was flinging the stones that lay in his
path against each other, he happened to break a