The sentries ran thither, but as they got there, he had already hopped into another corner under a taler, and was crying, ho, ho, here am I. And thus he made fools of them, and drove them so long round about the treasure-chamber that they were weary and went away. Then by degrees he threw all the talers out, dispatching the last with all his might, then hopped nimbly upon it, and flew down with it through the window. The robbers paid him great compliments. You are a valiant hero, said they, will you be our captain.
Thumbling, however, declined, and said he wanted to see the world first. They now divided the booty, but the little tailor only asked for a kreuzer because he could not carry more.
Then he once more buckled on his sword, bade the robbers goodbye, and took to the road. First, he went to work with some masters, but he had no liking for that, and at last he hired himself as manservant in an inn. The maids, however, could not endure him, for he saw all they did secretly, without their seeing him, and he told their employers what they had taken off the plates, and carried away out of the cellar, for themselves.
Then said they, wait, and we will pay you out, and arranged with each other to play him a trick. Soon afterwards when one of the maids was mowing in the garden, and saw thumbling jumping about and creeping up and down the plants, she mowed him up quickly with the grass, tied all in a great cloth, and secretly threw it to the cows. Now amongst them there was a great black one, who swallowed him down without hurting him. Down below, however, it did not suit him, for it was quite dark, neither was any candle burning. When the cow was being milked he cried, strip, strap, strull, when will the pail be full.
But the noise of the milking prevented his being understood.
After this the master of the house came into the stall and said, that cow shall be killed to-morrow. Then thumbling was so alarmed that he cried out in a clear voice, let me out first, I am sitting inside her. The master heard that quite well, but did not know from whence the voice came. Where are you, asked he. In the black one, answered thumbling, but the master did not understand what that meant, and went out.
Next morning the cow was killed. Happily thumbling did not meet with one blow at the cutting up and chopping, he got among the sausage-meat. And when the butcher came in and began his work, he cried out with all his might, don't chop too deep, don't chop too deep, I am amongst it. No one heard this because of the noise of the chopping-knife. Now poor thumbling was in trouble, but trouble sharpens the wits, and he sprang out so adroitly between the blows that none of them touched him, and he escaped with a whole skin. But still he could not get away, there was nothing for it but to let himself be thrust into a black-pudding with the bits of bacon. His quarters there were rather confined, and besides that he was hung up in the chimney to be smoked, and there time did hang terribly heavy on his hands.
At length in winter he was taken down again, as the black-pudding had to be set before a guest. When the hostess was cutting it in slices, he took care not to stretch out his head too far lest a bit of it should be cut off, at last he saw his opportunity, cleared a passage for himself, and jumped out.
The little tailor, however, would not stay any longer in a house where he fared so ill, so at once set out on his journey again.
But his liberty did not last long. In the open country he met with a fox who snapped him up without thinking. HI, there, mr. Fox, cried the little tailor, it is I who am sticking in your throat, set me at liberty again. You are right, answered the fox. You are next to nothing for me, but if you will promise me the fowls in your father's yard I will let you go. With all my heart, replied thumbling. You shall have all the cocks and hens, that I promise you. Then the fox let him go again, and himself carried him home. When the father once more saw his dear son, he willingly gave the fox all the fowls which he had. For this I likewise bring you a handsome bit of money, said thumbling, and gave his father the kreuzer which he earned on his travels.
But why did the fox get the poor chickens to eat. Oh, you silly, your father would surely love his child far more than the fowls in the yard.
There was once a wizard who used to take the form of a poor man, and went to houses and begged, and caught pretty girls.
No one knew whither he carried them, for they were never seen again. One day he appeared before the door of a man who had three pretty daughters. He looked like a poor weak beggar, and carried a basket on his back, as if he meant to collect charitable gifts in it. He begged for a little food, and when the eldest daughter came out and was just handing him a piece of bread, he did but touch her, and she was forced to jump into his basket. Thereupon he hurried off with long strides, and carried her away into a dark forest to his house, which stood in the midst of it. Everything in the house was magnificent.
He gave her whatsoever she could possibly desire, and said, my darling, you will certainly be happy with me, for you have everything your heart can wish for. This lasted a few days, and then he said, I must journey forth, and leave you alone for a short time. Here are the keys of the house.
You may go everywhere and look at everything except into one room, which this little key opens, and there I forbid you to go on pain of death. He likewise gave her an egg and said, preserve the egg carefully for me, and carry it continually about with you, for a great misfortune would arise from the loss of it.