TOM THUMB

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[Illustration]

[Illustration]




THE HISTORY OF TOM THUMB _AND OTHER STORIES_

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_Profusely Illustrated_



THE HISTORY OF TOM THUMB

In the days of King Arthur, Merlin, the famous enchanter, was out on a
journey, and stopped one day at the cottage of an honest ploughman to
ask for refreshment. The ploughman's wife brought him some milk in a
wooden bowl, and some brown bread on a wooden platter.

Merlin could not help observing that, although everything within the
cottage was particularly neat and in good order, the ploughman and
his wife had the most sorrowful air, so he questioned them about the
cause of their distress, and learned that they were miserable because