There are many people who do not agree in regard to this act of Little
Thumb's, and pretend that he never robbed the Ogre at all, and that he
only thought he might very justly take off his seven-leagued boots
because he made no other use of them but to run after little children.
These folks affirm that they are very well assured of this, because they
have drunk and eaten often at the fagot-maker's house. They declare that
when Little Thumb had taken off the Ogre's boots he went to Court, where
he was informed that they were very much in trouble about a certain
army, which was two hundred leagues off, and anxious as to the success
of a battle. He went, they say, to the King and told him that if he
desired it, he would bring him news from the army before night.

The King promised him a great sum of money if he succeeded. Little Thumb
returned that very same night with the news; and, this first expedition
causing him to be known, he earned as much as he wished, for the King
paid him very well for carrying his orders to the army. Many ladies
employed him also to carry messages, from which he made much money.
After having for some time carried on the business of a messenger and
gained thereby great wealth, he went home to his father, and it is
impossible to express the joy of his family. He placed them all in
comfortable circumstances, bought places for his father and brothers,
and by that means settled them very handsomely in the world, while he
successfully continued to make his own way.




THE MASTER CAT, OR PUSS IN BOOTS.