h 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 faggot-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; and spying a
hollow place under a large rock, he made his brothers get into it. He
then crept in himself, but kept his eye fixed on the Ogre, to see what
he would do next.

The Ogre found himself quite weary with the journey he had gone, for
seven-league boots are very tiresome to the person who wears them; so
he now began to think of resting, and happened to sit down on the very
rock where the poor children were hid. As he was so tired, and it was
a very hot day, he fell fast asleep, and soon began to snore so loud,
that the little fellows were terrified.

When Hop-o'-my-thumb saw this he said to his brothers, "Courage, my
lads! never fear! you have nothing to do but to steal away and get
home while the Ogre is fast asleep, and leave me to shift for myself."

The brothers now were very glad to do whatever he told them, and so
they soon came to their father's house. In the mean time
Hop-o'-my-thumb went up to the Ogre softly, pulled off his
seven-league boots very gently, and put them on his own legs: for
though the boots were very large, yet being fairy-boots, they could
make themselves small enough to fit any leg they pleased.

As soon as ever Hop-o'-my-thumb had made sure of the Ogre's
seven-league boots, he went at once to the palace, and offered his
services to carry orders from the king to his army, which was a great
way off, and to bring back the quickest accounts of the battle they
were just at that time fighting with the enemy. In short, he thought
he could be of more use to the king than all his mail coaches, and so
should make his fortune in this manner. He succeeded so well, that in
a short time he made money enou