Hop-o’-my-thumb.

Every one who knew Tiny Thumbcake loved him. He was one of eleven

brothers and sisters, and the smallest mite that was ever born in the

land of the cornstalk.

Tiny, though very diminutive in body, was nevertheless a hardy fellow

who could run and jump like a kangaroo; moreover, he possessed the gift

of knowing the language of all animals and birds, and these nicknamed

him “Hop-o’-my-thumb.”

The Thumbcakes were poor people, and Tiny, who loved the wild bush,

determined to try his fortune as a pioneer squatter. In conversation

with an old wallaby, who used to pay him periodical visits, Tiny

learned that there was a vast district owned by a giant aborigine named

“Slubber,” where no white man had ever been and which was supposed by

everybody to be a dreary wilderness without river, or lake, or anything

to sustain life in the way of game. Tiny Thumbcake, or as we shall call

him, Hop-o’-my-thumb, was both surprised and delighted at the news

imparted to him by the wallaby—namely, that the Unknown Country, ruled

over by Slubber the Giant, was both beautiful and fertile, and one of

the finest climates under the Southern Cross.

And so in due time, guided by the faithful wallaby, our hero came to

the country of Slubber, and took up his abode in a rich and

well-watered valley, beside a high mountain, and here he formed a fine

station for rearing cattle and sheep. For a whole year our little man

remained hard at work unmolested.

One fine summer day a scarlet and green parrot alighted near where the

little squatter was at work on his orchard fence.

“Good-day, Hop-o’-my-thumb,” said the bird.

“Good-day, my friend,” returned the wee man, politely raising his hat

and bowing. “I’m glad to see you. What can I do for you, eh?”

“Nothing at present, thank you. I was sent by King Stork to warn you

that Slubber the Giant is on his way here to destroy you,” answered the

parrot.

Poor Hop-o’-my-thumb, though not wanting in pluck, became much

disturbed at the news. “Are you quite certain of what you say?” he

asked of the parrot.

“Oh, quite,” rejoined the messenger decidedly. “King Stork and the

giant are great friends. He heard Slubber say that he would slay you or

any white riff-raff who dared to set foot in his territory, and saw him

start off straightway down the mountain to carry out his threat,

therefore I posted off to warn you.”

“Thank you very much,” said poor Hop-o’-my-thumb. “Slubber is a big,

selfish wretch. I have as much right to make a home here as he has, and

I mean to show him I am not at all afraid of his bullying.”

“Bravo!” cried the parrot, flapping his wings in glee. “You’re a lad of

mettle, and I’m glad you intend to try and take the blackfellow down a

peg. Do you know, he is the most vile beast living and a great liar.

Don’t trust him a bit. If he finds he cannot kill you with his huge

waddy, or spear you unawares, he will want to parley with you, and take

you on his knee, in friendly fashion. Be careful, Hop, my boy. Don’t

let the wretch lay a finger on you, if you can help it”.

“Thank you, I’ll take every precaution,” said Hop-o’-my-thumb coolly.

“We all like you very much, my dear little Hop,” added the bird kindly;

“what is more, we are determined to help you against Slubber if we can.

Your friend Jack, the wallaby, is waiting behind yonder ridge, with

some possum friends and one or two native bears, in case you need

assistance. Hark! Do you hear that noise? That’s the giant; he hasn’t

lost much time on the road. Look! Yonder he comes.”

Half way down the mountain-side a gigantic blackfellow, tall as a tree,

and with a great woolly head (not unlike the big ball that is hoisted

at noon on the flagstaff at the Observatory), came thundering down the

stony ridges in tremendous leaps and bounds, and at the same time

roaring out a hoarse shout of vengeance. He was quite nude, save for a

segment of covering round his middle, and he brandished aloft a

monstrous waddy, which was large enough to have felled an elephant.

“Where is that insignificant rascal who has dared to enter the domain

of Slubber?” cried the angry monster, striding into the valley and

confronting our hero, who did not flinch in the least before his

dreaded enemy.

“Now, mite, what hast thou to say ere I slay thee?” cried the giant, at

the same time whirling his club round his head with a noise like

thunder.

“Try it,” said Hop-o’-my-thumb, keenly watching every movement of his

adversary.

“Insolent atom, take that,” and Slubber aimed a blow at the little

fellow, which if it had taken effect would have crushed our hero into a

pulp; but Hop-o’-my-thumb nimbly avoided the giant’s bludgeon, and

getting between the monster’s legs, gave him a cut with a sharp adze he

had been using, which made Slubber roar with pain. It might have gone

hard with the brave wee squatter at this moment, for the giant,

reaching down, was about to clutch his small assailant, when the parrot

came to the rescue. He flew full butt against Slubber’s face and nearly

blinded him, and Hop-o’-my-thumb, taking full advantage of the bird’s

help, gave his ugly foe such a slashing about his legs that the giant

fell broadcast on his back, which made the ground tremble like an

earthquake.

Seeing the unexpected and stout resistance made by our little hero,

Slubber the Giant was fain to call a parley.

“Thou art very strong for so small a man,” cried he ruefully, and at

the same time rubbing his smarting shins. “What sayest thou, wilt thou

do me a service? And in return thou and thine shall have this valley of

sweet waters for thy pains, to do with it what ye will.”

“What is the service you want to be performed?” said Hop-o’-my-thumb.

“Come nearer, and I will tell thee.”

“No, not an inch,” cried the little fellow stoutly. “You are near

enough, my friend. Tell me what I am to do. I can hear you.”

“Oh, very well,” responded Slubber sullenly. “Know, then, that I have a

wife.”

“I wish I had one,” interrupted Hop-o’-my-thumb.

“Thou shalt have mine with pleasure,” retorted the giant quickly.

The little squatter laughed. “Nay,” he said, “it is against the law to

take anything belonging to another. Well, you were saying you have a

wife.”

“True, I have a wife and, I may add, one of the most inquisitive of her

sex,” added the giant in quite a humble tone, which contrasted

strangely with his previous bombast. “Know, then, O mite, King Stork

propounded three riddles to my wife, each one full of mystery, and my

life is plagued out of me day and night by her to find an answer to

these problems. Now, if thou canst find the secret of these things the

land is thine for all time.”

“What are the riddles?” inquired Hop-o’-my-thumb.

The giant reflected a moment and then replied,—

“The first is: What is the most wonderful animal in the world? Second:

What shoemaker makes shoes without leather, but uses instead earth,

water, air, and fire, and where each of his customers wears two pairs

at a time? Third: What is seen in the sky, also in the water, and

sometimes on men’s breasts which, being reversed, is the name for the

very worst kind of vermin? Come now, O thou bull ant, canst thou

explain these enigmas?”

Poor Hop-o’-my-thumb seemed dismayed for a moment. He wanted to

conciliate the giant, but how was he to frame a reply to these three

difficult questions? In the midst of his cogitations he bethought him

of his friend the wallaby.

“If Slubber will give me a little time, I believe I can answer the

questions,” said the little man with confidence. The giant assented

readily.

Hop-o’-my-thumb, guided by the parrot, sought out the old wallaby, to

whom he confided his trouble.

“Nothing easier, my boy,” said the animal, stroking his head with his

paw. “A word in your ear. These riddles are the secrets of our King and

must not be made known to every one.”

Then the old wallaby whispered what Hop-o’-my-thumb wanted to know, and

the latter, smiling, went back to the giant Slubber.

“Well, hast thou the answers, mite?” he said.

“Oh yes,” replied our hero cautiously, “but how am I to know you will

keep your word with me?”

The giant laughed. Then he lay full length upon the sward, and plucking

a long hair from his beard laid it across his nose. “Will that

condition satisfy you?” he said in a rage, for Slubber knew he dare not

break that form of oath.

“Then,” said Hop-o’-my-thumb, “the most wonderful animal in the world

is a pig; for it is first killed and then cured.”

“Good!” cried Slubber.

“The next,” continued Hop-o’-my-thumb, “is—What shoemaker makes shoes

without leather? Why, a horseshoer, for he uses earth, air, water,

fire, in shaping his wares, and each of his customers wears two pairs.”

“Bravo! Let me embrace you,” entreated the giant.

“No you don’t,” responded the little man, with a grin. “Now for your

third question. What is seen in the sky, the water, and sometimes on

men’s breasts? A star, of course. Reverse the spelling of star and it

is rats. Are you satisfied?”

And Slubber, the black giant, wended his way home over the mountain

again, a wiser man; and ever after Hop-o’-my-thumb lived in peace.