They journeyed on till it began to be dusky, and then the little man said, “Let me get down, I’m tired.”  So the man took off his hat and set him down on a clod of earth in a ploughed field by the side of the road, But Thumbling ran about amongst the furrows, and at last slipped into a mouse-hole.  “Good-night, masters,” said he, “I’m off! mind and look sharp after me the next time.”  They ran directly to the place, and poked the ends of their sticks into the mouse-hole, but all in vain; Thumbling only crawled further and further in, and at last it became quite dark, so they were obliged to go their way without their prize, as sulky as you please.

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When Thumbling found they were gone, he came out of his hiding-place.  “What dangerous walking it is,” said he, “in this ploughed field!  If I were to fall from one of these great clods, I should certainly break my neck.”  At last, by good chance, he found a large empty snail-shell.  “This is lucky,” said he, “I can sleep here very well,” and in he crept.  Just as he was falling asleep he heard two men passing, and one said to the other, “How shall we manage to steal that rich parson’s silver and gold?” “I’ll tell you,” cried Thumbling.  “What noise was that?” said the thief, frightened.  “I am sure I heard some one speak.”  They stood still listening, and Thumbling said, “Take me with you, and I’ll soon show you how to get the parson’s money.”  “But where are you?” said they.  “Look about on the ground,” answered he, “and listen where the sound comes from.”  At last the thieves found him out, and lifted him up in their hands.  “You little urchin!” said they, “what can you do for us?” “Why, I can get between the iron window-bars of the parson’s house, and throw you out whatever you want.”  “That’s a good thought,” said the thieves:  “come along, we shall see what you can do.”

When they came to the parson’s house, Thumbling slipped through the window-bars into the room, and then called out as loudly as he could bawl, “Will you have all that is here?” At this the thieves were frightened, and said “Softly, softly, speak low that you may not awaken anybody.”  But Thumbling pretended not to understand them, and bawled out again, “How much will you have?  Shall I throw it all out?” Now the cook lay in the next room, and hearing a noise she raised herself in her bed and listened.  Meanwhile the thieves were frightened, and ran off to a little distance; but at last they plucked up courage, and said, “The little urchin is only trying to make fools of us.”  So they came back and whispered softly to him, saying, “Now, let us have no more of your jokes, but throw out some of the money.”  Then Thumbling called out as loudly as he could, “Very well; hold out your hands, here it comes.”  The cook heard this quite plainly, so she sprang out of bed and ran to open the door.  The thieves rushed off as if a wolf were at their heels; and the maid, having groped about and found nothing, went away for