Topreparethemformytemporaryabsence,IwasonedaytellingthemwhileatworkthatIwouldlongagohaveleftthebadgiants,butthatIlovedtheLittleOnessomuch——when,asbyoneaccord,theycamerushingandcrowdinguponme;theyscrambledovereachotherandupthetreeanddroppedonmyhead,untilIwasnearlysmothered。Withthreeverylittleonesinmyarms,oneoneachshoulderclingingtomyneck,onestandingstraightuponmyhead,fourorfiveholdingmefastbythelegs,othersgrapplingmybodyandarms,andamultitudeclimbinganddescendinguponthese,Iwashelplessasoneoverwhelmedbylava。Absorbedinthemerrystruggle,notoneofthemsawmytyrantcominguntilhewasalmostuponme。
Withjustonecryof\"Takecare,goodgiant！\"theyranfrommelikemice,theydroppedfrommelikehedgehogs,theyflewfrommeupthetreelikesquirrels,andthesamemoment,sharproundthestemcamethebadgiant,anddealtmesuchablowontheheadwithastickthatIfelltotheground。Thechildrentoldmeafterwardsthattheysenthim\"suchamanybumpsofbigapplesandstones\"thathewasfrightened,andranblunderinghome。
WhenIcametomyselfitwasnight。Abovemewereafewpalestarsthatexpectedthemoon。IthoughtIwasalone。Myheadachedbadly,andIwasterriblyathirst。
Iturnedwearilyonmyside。Themomentmyeartouchedtheground,Iheardthegushingandgurglingofwater,andthesoftnoisesmademegroanwithlonging。AtonceIwasamidamultitudeofsilentchildren,anddeliciouslittlefruitsbegantovisitmylips。Theycameandcameuntilmythirstwasgone。
ThenIwasawareofsoundsIhadneverheardtherebefore;theairwasfulloflittlesobs。