Tom soon began to long to see his parents again, and begged the King to allow him to go home for a short time.  This was readily permitted, and the King told him he might take with him as much money as he could carry.

    And so away goes lusty Tom,
      With three pence at his back—­
    A heavy burthen which did make
      His very bones to crack.

He had to rest more than a hundred times by the way, but, after two days and two nights, he reached his father’s house in safety.  His mother saw him coming, and ran out to meet him, and there was great rejoicing at his arrival.  He spent three happy days at home, and then set out for the Court once more.

Shortly after his return, he one day displeased the King, so, fearing the royal anger, he crept into an empty flower-pot, where he lay for a long time.  At last he ventured to peep out, and, seeing a fine large butterfly on the ground close by, he stole out of his hiding-place, jumped on its back, and was carried up into the air.  The King and nobles all strove to catch him, but at last poor Tom fell from his seat into a watering-pot, in which he was almost drowned, only luckily the gardener’s child saw him, and pulled him out.  The King was so pleased to have him safe once more that he forgot to scold him, and made much of him instead.

Tom afterwards lived many years at Court, one of the best beloved of King Arthur’s knights.

    Thus he at tilt and tournament
      Was entertained so,
    That all the rest of Arthur’s knights
      Did him much pleasure show. 
    With good Sir Launcelot du Lake,
      Sir Tristram and Sir Guy,
    Yet none compared to brave Tom Thumb
      In acts of chivalry.

PRINTED FOR THE PUBLISHERS BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LTD., LONDON AND BECCLES

LESLIE BROOKE’S CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Other Books
with drawings
by
Leslie Brooke

Johnny CROW’S garden
Johnny CROW’S party

A roundabout Turn
Verses by
Robert H. Charles

Leslie BROOKE’S
little Books
size 7 in. by 5-1/2 in.
4 Books
Nursery stories
4 Books
Nursery Rhymes

The Nursery Rhyme
book
Edited by Andrew Lang

Published by
Frederick Warne & Co.  Ltd.