manner she should dress them; but, thinking that he had ordered her to
go up and put on their clothes, she went, and was horrified when she
perceived her seven daughters all dead.

She began by fainting away, as was only natural in such a case. The
Ogre, fearing his wife was too long in doing what he had ordered, went
up himself to help her. He was no less amazed than his wife at this
frightful spectacle.

"Ah! what have I done?" cried he. "The wretches shall pay for it, and
that instantly."

He threw a pitcher of water upon his wife's face, and having brought her
to herself, "Give me quickly," cried he, "my seven-leagued boots, that I
may go and catch them."

He went out into the country, and, after running in all directions, he
came at last into the very road where the poor children were, and not
above a hundred paces from their father's house. They espied the Ogre,
who went at one step from mountain to mountain, and over rivers as
easily as the narrowest brooks. Little Thumb, seeing a hollow rock near
the place where they were, hid his brothers in it, and crowded into it
himself, watching always what would become of the Ogre.

The Ogre, who found himself tired with his long and fruitless journey
(for these boots of seven leagues greatly taxed the wearer), had a great
mind to rest himself, and, by chance, went to sit down upon the rock in
which the little boys had hidden themselves. As he was worn out with
fatigue, he fell asleep, and, after reposing himself some time, began to
snore so frightfully that the poor children were no less afraid of him