Little Tom Part 6

Will you not obey, she said, there is nothing else to do but to tie you up, or you will lose your life somewhere.

Taking him to the meadow, she pulled a hair from her head and tied him to a great thistle. Tom was so overcome by the sweet juice of the monkshood, that he lay down and immediately fell asleep.

When he awoke after a while, he had a severe headache. He thought over what he had done and was very much ashamed that he had allowed himself to be misled by the drunken b.u.mble-bee. He saw that he had been tied up and felt very sorry, wondering how he should excuse himself to his G.o.dmother when she should return to him.

In the meantime, Speckle, the cow, who had been grazing not far away, was all the while coming nearer and nearer to the spot where Tom had been fastened. He was lying flat on his back, gazing up into the sky, when suddenly a great mouth opened above him, extending from the earth to the sky, and--presto--as if a strong wind had blown, everything around him disappeared.

With a great rattle, the jaws with their powerful teeth closed over him and Tom found himself in complete darkness. All doubled up behind one back tooth, he screamed l.u.s.tily; but Speckle was moving her tongue and grinding the gra.s.s and did not feel Tom at all. Holding his breath, he waited until Speckle opened her mouth, when he ran quickly out on her lip and up on her nose to her forehead, where he held himself by grasping the hair between her horns. He gave a great sigh of relief as he saw that he was saved.

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When Speckle turned her head, Tom sat quietly, then got up and started for a walk along her neck and head.

It happened that the G.o.dmother turned and saw Speckle just as she bit the thistle. Oh Tom, Tom, you poor little child, she cried, running towards Speckle as fast as she could. She thought surely that the cow had swallowed him and that would be the last that she should see of him; but, as she came close, she heard a little voice calling from Speckle's back, Here I am, G.o.dmother, here I am.

She took him carefully in her hand and carried him off to the meadow where she was at work. There she seated him in one of her wooden shoes and saying, Now you must not move from here until I come, off she went to her work again; for she had to hurry with the hay, as dark clouds were coming up in the sky.

Little Tom sat quietly in the shoe for a while. It was like a big hut to him. Then he thought he would have a look around, so he clambered down the side of the shoe and started to walk a little way on the meadow, when a big rain drop splashed on him and made him all wet. He was greatly surprised, as he did not know what it was that came down in such a flood and splashed on the ground all around him. With the rain came hail stones, like rocks of ice, larger than Tom's head. They bounded away and then came down so thickly, that Tom did not know which way to run.

He turned back toward the shoe and ran for it with all his might, but on the way a great hailstone hit him and nearly killed him. He managed to clamber over the side of the shoe and fall inside, fainting. With such strength as he had left, he crawled away up in the toe of the shoe where he could hide. The hail rattled down like cannon b.a.l.l.s and very soon the whole shoe was filled with the little b.a.l.l.s of ice. When the G.o.dmother came hurrying up, she could hardly find Tom who was curled up among the hailstones in the far end of the shoe, half frozen and completely exhausted. Taking him carefully in her warm hand, she hurried home with him.

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Thus, his expedition with his G.o.dmother turned out very sadly and she saw that, even when he was with her, he could not be sure of his life.

When they had thoroughly dried themselves and eaten their supper, the G.o.dmother said, There is nothing to do, Tom, except for you to stay at home and study and not try for yourself to see the wonders of the world.

It is a miracle that you did not die today.

Little Tom himself realized that, outside in the great world, there was no happiness for him and he readily promised that he would stay at home.

But it made him sad to think how terrible and cruel the world is, and that in it there seemed to be no safe place for him.

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CHAPTER SEVEN.

LITTLE TOM AND CHRYSOMELA.

SEVEN SPOT'S VISIT.

LITTLE TOM IS INVITED TO PAY A VISIT TO THE KINGDOM OF THE SEVEN SPOTS.

HE SETS OUT ON A DRAGONFLY AND COMES TO THE POOL IN THE FOREST.

THE BANQUET ON THE LEAF OF THE WATER-ROSE.

LITTLE TOM IS PROCLAIMED KING OF THE KINGDOM OF THE SEVEN SPOTS.

HE MEETS CHRYSOMELA AGAIN. THE FESTIVAL.

THE VISIT TO THE WOOD-BUGS.

THE DWELLING IN THE HOLLOW BEECH-TREE.

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Little Tom spent many days at home alone on top of the linen press.

Outside, the sun shone and through the windows the flowers breathed a wonderful fragrance; but he no longer wished to go out, for he knew there only awaited him terrible traps and dangers. He worked sometimes in his garden, or wrote in his diary, or went over to the window to look out sadly between the flower pots to the wide world beyond.

One day, as he was standing on the window ledge and looking into the garden, he perceived on a fuchsia near the window a beautiful, red ladybird with s.h.i.+ning wings, crawling on the blossoms and looking sideways at him. His G.o.dmother had been away since early morning and he knew that she would not return until evening, so he was very lonely there all by himself.

The lady-bird opened its wings and flew over to the window. Alighting on the edge it started to crawl along, all the time looking towards Tom who thought to himself: What is that gentleman looking for and does he know me? But the lady-bird coming to him said, Good morning Little Tom. How are you? I am very pleased to find you. I am Seven Spot from the lady-bird kingdom on the forest pool. We all thought that you had perished with the others in the terrible flood.

Little Tom was surprised to learn that this gentleman knew him so well, but he did not wish to inquire how it happened; so he replied that he was very pleased to meet Mr. Seven Spot, as he had no companions at all.

They talked together for some time. Seven Spot told him all about the forest pool and how beautiful it was; and Little Tom, on his part, confided to his new friend his various adventures. Seven Spot listened attentively; but also seemed to have something on his mind. Presently he invited Tom to visit the lady-bird kingdom; but Tom declined, as he wished never again to act contrary to his G.o.dmother's instructions and make an independent excursion into the great world.

Seven Spot persisted, but when he saw that Tom would not be persuaded, he said: My dear Tom, it is true that you suffered very much when you came out; but that is because you live with human beings and do not know your true place in life, nor your own friends. What kind of a life have you among humans? Although your G.o.dmother loves you, you are neither her child nor her friend. Your real life is among the gnomes, but, since there are none left, you should dwell with their good friends who are like you in many respects. They will welcome and honor you. With them you can live in peace and happiness, and who knows if you might not find among them some one dear to your heart? But if you do not wish to go, I will fly back to my people and tell them that my mission was in vain.

After this long speech, Mr. Seven Spot raised his sh.e.l.ls indifferently and aired his wings; but he did not fly away. Instead, he lighted on the pistil of the fuchsia and started to crawl slowly into the blossom.

Little Tom was greatly surprised at what he had heard. Who had sent this messenger and who was thinking of him? He begged Seven Spot not to go away, but to tell him everything he knew. Seven Spot smiled.

Do you think, Little Tom, he said, that I would dare to enter the dwelling of a human being without reason, unless I felt sure of finding you here? Friend Mirmex told me about you on the meadow, where with his workmen he is collecting stores of grain. Then, someone else whom you know very well told us about your past life in the realm of the gnomes.

We asked Mirmex to find out how you are living and what you are doing.

So, while you were sleeping in the night, his workmen found a way to you, looked over everything very carefully and made a report to us. We realized that you would not find your happiness with human beings and we have, therefore, decided to ask you to come to us and rule over the lady-bird realm on the forest pool, since your own kingdom has perished.

If you do not wish to accept, we shall all be very sorry and, later, you will recognize that your decision to remain with humans was not to your advantage and somebody will cry for you.

Little Tom was very curious to know who would cry for him and his heart was torn with the hope that he might see again one of his own people.

Perhaps, after all, he was not alone in the world, but he feared that he might be terribly disappointed. He begged Seven Spot not to torture him, but to tell him who was expecting him. That gentleman only replied that he could say nothing further, as he had given his word of honor, but that Tom should go with him and see for himself.

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Tom felt as if on thorns. He said that he could go and see, but to remain was impossible, as he could not bind himself to do that.

Moreover, he did not know how to get to the wood. Seven Spot was pleased to see that Tom was yielding and said, Only prepare your things and dress in your finest clothes. In a few minutes, I will return, and you need not bother about your transportation. And off he flew.

Tom at once set himself to pack his tiny hand-bag. Then he put on a beautiful suit of green and belted his sword about him. When he was ready, he was impatient to leave. He had barely completed his preparations however, when Seven Spot appeared at the window.

Little Tom, s.n.a.t.c.hing his bag, ran to him at once. There, on the ledge, he saw a gorgeous dragonfly with golden eyes, slim, blue body and transparent rainbow wings. Tom was a little embarra.s.sed before such a magnificent creature; but Seven Spot, without any hesitation, placed Tom's bag upon the dragonfly and told him to get on its back. In a trice, they were flying like a shot through the warm, summer air.

Such a wonderful journey it was, under the blue sky, over the broad stretches of land, high above the earth. The dragonfly, as if not feeling the burden, sparkled and glistened in the rays of the sun, while above them Seven Spot was flying in great circles.

Tom was intoxicated by the swift flight through the beautiful suns.h.i.+ne and the fresh breeze, which, far below them, rippled the sea of grain into little waves. Over the slope they flew, across the fields and into the cool twilight of the forest, among the pine trees and the beeches.

Under the thick, quiet arches of the leaves, Tom looked around in surprise; but the dragonfly winged his way unerringly, deeper and deeper into the wood, until they came, at last, to the valley where, beyond the ferns and the colts-foot, shone a dark pool covered with yellow and white pond lilies.

There the dragonfly settled into the cool moss. Tom stepped down, but before he could turn and thank this kind friend, the dragonfly had sped up in the air like a colored spark and disappeared among the yellow candles of the cat tails.

It seemed to Tom as if he had landed in some magic kingdom. All about him were growing gigantic willow-herbs with thick bunches of little red blossoms, broad crowns of yellow lettuce and water crow-feet on thin, spreading stalks, with their tender little heads sparkling like white flames. Everything was radiant, glittering with bright colors, and perfumed with the sweet odors of the forest.

When Tom turned around, he found Seven Spot standing beside him. He invited Tom to come with him, saying that all the lady-birds were waiting. They went under an arch of green leaves and through a lofty green palace to the sprays of sweet-smelling mint by the water. On the leaves of the mint, were sitting, side by side, hundreds and hundreds of lady-birds, in colors of gold, brown, violet, red and yellow. All crowded forward to see the guest, whom they greeted with cheers.

Little Tom was led by the crowd to the sh.o.r.e of the pool, where a great water-bug waited. Tom sat on this smooth, s.h.i.+ny back, and off he went like a shot over the water to a broad water-lily leaf, where a grand banquet was prepared. The lady-birds flew ahead and, lighting on a leaf, waited for him, their brilliant colors looking like a border of sparkling gems. When Tom arrived, Seven Spot stepped out from the crowd and welcomed him with a touching speech.