The batter had filled Tom's mouth, and prevented him from crying;
but, on feeling the hot water, he kicked and struggled so much in
the pot, that his mother thought that the pudding was bewitched, and,
instantly pulling it out of the pot, she threw it to the door. A poor tinker,
who was passing by, lifted up the pudding, and, putting it into his budget,
he then walked off. As Tom had now got his mouth cleared of the batter,
he then began to cry aloud, which so frightened the tinker that he flung
down the pudding and ran away. The pudding being broke to pieces by
the fall, Tom crept out covered over with the batter, and with difficulty
walked home. His mother, who was very sorry to see her darling in
such a woeful state, put him into a tea-cup, and soon washed off the
batter; after which she kissed him, and laid him in bed.

Soon after the adventure of the pudding, Tom's mother went to milk
her cow in the meadow, and she took him along with her. As the wind was
very high, fearing lest he should be blown away, she tied him to a
thistle with a piece of fine thread. The cow soon saw the oak-leaf
hat, and, liking the look of it, took poor Tom and the thistle at one
mouthful. While the cow was chewing the thistle Tom was afraid of
her great teeth, which threatened to crush him in pieces, and he roared
out as loud as he could:

"Mother, mother!"

"Where are you, Tommy, my dear Tommy?" said his mother.

"Here, mother," replied he, "in the red cow's mouth."

His mother began to cry and wring her hands; but the cow, surprised