Summary

Portrait of Božena Němcová Božena Němcová The Disobedient Kids and other Czecho-Slovak fairy tales (1921)

Looking in the ear of the ox, there he spied Palecek. He was delighted with the little chap and wished that he might have him for his own. "Ha, ha", he said, "that's the lad for me. He's so small, that he won't eat very much." That suited him, for he was a very stingy man.
"Will you enter my service", he asked Little Thumb?
"Why not, if my father is willing", he replied. Then he sprang like a shot from the ear of the ox, and running to his father, whispered, "Father, the merchant wants to hire me, but don't let him have me too cheap. Have no fear for me.
Source: Wikisource

Portrait of Božena Němcová Božena Němcová The Disobedient Kids and other Czecho-Slovak fairy tales (1921)

He was in their power.
"Oh, my dear stag, over the mountains, in the valleys, where you are feeding, help! The bad, wicked fairies are carrying away Smolineck, your little boy."
Fortunately the stag was not so far away this time, but that he could hear the cry of the little boy. So away he bounded with the speed of the wind, to the rescue of the little captive. He found the prisoner in the cave where
the bad fairies lived.
Source: Wikisource

Portrait of Božena Němcová Božena Němcová The Disobedient Kids and other Czecho-Slovak fairy tales (1921)

Suddenly John and Mary came upon a woman in a field of flax. Panting and out of breath, "Tell us please, mother, where we can hide. A bad old man from the house of candy is trying to catch us. He wants to take us home, so that they can roast us for their dinner, because we have taken a piece of candy from their roof."
The woman in the field was a good fairy and loved all little children. She determined to help John and Mary, so she said, "Go this way a little distance into the woods. I will see what I can do with the old man."
Source: Wikisource

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