By the time she returned,
Thumbling had slipped off into the barn; and when the cook had looked
about and searched every hole and corner, and found nobody, she went
to bed, thinking she must have been dreaming with her eyes open. The
little man crawled about in the hay-loft, and at last found a glorious
place to finish his night's rest in; so he laid himself down, meaning
to sleep till daylight, and then find his way home to his father and
mother. But, alas! how cruelly was he disappointed! what crosses and
sorrows happen in this world! The cook got up early, before daybreak,
to feed the cows: she went straight to the hay loft, and carried away
a large bundle of hay with the little man in the middle of it fast
asleep. He still, however, slept on, and did not wake till he found
himself in the mouth of the cow, who had taken him up with a mouthful
of hay: "Good lack-a-day!" said he, "how did I manage to tumble into
the mill?" But he soon found out where he really was, and was obliged
to have all his wits about him in order that he might not get between
the cow's teeth, and so be crushed to death. At last she swallowed him
down.
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