SothewoodmanatlastsaidhewouldsellTomtothestrangersfor a largepieceofgold, andtheypaidtheprice. 'Wherewouldyouliketosit?' saidoneofthem. 'Oh, putmeontherimofyourhat; thatwillbe a nicegalleryforme; I canwalkaboutthereandseethecountryaswegoalong.' Sotheydidashewished; andwhenTomhadtakenleaveofhisfathertheytookhimawaywiththem.
6
Theyjourneyedontillitbegantobedusky, andthenthelittlemansaid, 'Letmegetdown, I'm tired.' Sothemantookoffhishat, andputhimdownon a clodofearth, in a ploughedfieldbythesideoftheroad. ButTomranaboutamongstthefurrows, andatlastslippedintoanoldmouse-hole. 'Goodnight, mymasters!' saidhe, 'I'm off! mindandlooksharpaftermethenexttime.' Thentheyranatoncetotheplace, andpokedtheendsoftheirsticksintothemouse-hole, butallinvain; Tomonlycrawledfartherandfartherin; andatlastitbecamequitedark, sothattheywereforcedtogotheirwaywithouttheirprize, assulkyascouldbe.
7
WhenTomfoundtheyweregone, hecameoutofhishiding-place. 'Whatdangerouswalkingitis,' saidhe, 'inthisploughedfield! If I weretofallfromoneofthesegreatclods, I shouldundoubtedlybreakmyneck.' Atlast, bygoodluck, hefound a largeemptysnail-shell. 'Thisislucky,' saidhe, 'I cansleephereverywell'; andinhecrept.
Tomsoonsethimselftoworktogetout, whichwasnot a veryeasytask; butatlast, justashehadmaderoomtogethisheadout, freshill-luckbefellhim. A hungrywolfsprangout, andswallowedupthewholestomach, withTominit, atonegulp, andranaway.
16
Tom, however, wasstillnotdisheartened; andthinkingthewolfwouldnotdislikehavingsomechatwithhimashewasgoingalong, hecalledout, 'Mygoodfriend, I canshowyou a famoustreat.' 'Where's that?' saidthewolf. 'Insuchandsuch a house,' saidTom, describinghisownfather's house. 'Youcancrawlthroughthedrainintothekitchenandthenintothepantry, andthereyouwillfindcakes, ham, beef, coldchicken, roastpig, apple-dumplings, andeverythingthatyourheartcanwish.'
ThiswasjustwhatTomhadreckonedupon; andnowhebegantosetup a greatshout, makingallthenoisehecould. 'Willyoubeeasy?' saidthewolf; 'you'llawakeneverybodyinthehouseifyoumakesuch a clatter.' 'What's thattome?' saidthelittleman; 'youhavehadyourfrolic, now I've a mindtobemerrymyself'; andhebegan, singingandshoutingasloudashecould.
19
Thewoodmanandhiswife, beingawakenedbythenoise, peepedthrough a crackinthedoor; butwhentheysaw a wolfwasthere, youmaywellsupposethattheyweresadlyfrightened; andthewoodmanranforhisaxe, andgavehiswife a scythe. 'Doyoustaybehind,' saidthewoodman, 'andwhen I haveknockedhimontheheadyoumustriphimupwiththescythe.' Tomheardallthis, andcriedout, 'Father, father! I amhere, thewolfhasswallowedme.' Andhisfathersaid, 'Heavenbepraised! wehavefoundourdearchildagain'; andhetoldhiswifenottousethescytheforfearsheshouldhurthim. Thenheaimed a greatblow, andstruckthewolfonthehead, andkilledhimonthespot! andwhenhewasdeadtheycutopenhisbody, andsetTommyfree. 'Ah!' saidthefather, 'whatfearswehavehadforyou!' 'Yes, father,' answeredhe; 'I havetravelledallovertheworld, I think, inonewayorother, sinceweparted; andnow I amverygladtocomehomeandgetfreshairagain.' 'Why, wherehaveyoubeen?' saidhisfather. 'I havebeenin a mouse-hole—andin a snail-shell—anddown a cow's throat—andinthewolf's belly; andyethere I amagain, safeandsound.'