The Magical Tale Of The Ploughman & The Gnome For Sleep

Welcome! I’m so glad you’ve joined me for tonight’s bedtime story, The Ploughman and the Gnome, a charming tale by Mary De Morgan. This story takes us into a gentle, magical world where a humble ploughman encounters a mysterious gnome, and their meeting leads to unexpected turns. It’s a story with a timeless charm, perfect for helping you unwind and drift into a peaceful sleep.

As always, we’ll begin with a short relaxation exercise to help you settle in and prepare for a peaceful bedtime experience. So, turn off the lights, get cozy, and let the calming imagery and dreamy narration guide you into a restful slumber.

Sweet Dreams! Joanne

Transcript

Welcome to this premium episode of Drift Off.

I'm so glad you've joined me for tonight's bedtime story,

The Plowman and the Gnome,

A charming tale by Mary DeMorgan.

This story takes us into a gentle,

Magical world where a humble plowman encounters a mysterious gnome and their meeting leads to unexpected turns.

It's a story with a timeless charm,

Perfect for helping you unwind and drift into a peaceful sleep.

Before we begin,

Let's take a few moments to relax and settle in.

I'll guide you into a place of calm,

Inspired by the peaceful imagery of the story.

Close your eyes and take a deep breath in through your nose,

And let it out slowly through your mouth.

Allow yourself to become comfortable,

Whether you're lying down or seated,

Letting your body feel supported and at ease.

Now,

Imagine you're standing at the edge of a vast,

Open field.

The sun is just beginning to set,

Casting the sky in warm hues of gold and amber.

Feel the soft,

Cool earth beneath your feet,

Rounding you.

In the distance,

You see a sturdy plow standing by,

A symbol of hard work and connection to the land.

A gentle breeze brushes past,

Carrying the scent of fresh earth and wildflowers.

Hear the faint rustle of leaves in the trees nearby,

And the soothing hum of crickets beginning their evening song.

In this tranquil space,

Feel a sense of peace wash over you,

As though the land itself is inviting you to rest and let go of the day's worries.

Take another deep breath in,

And let it out.

Imagine the setting sun wrapping you in a warm,

Golden light,

Filling you with a calm,

Steady energy.

Feel your body relaxing further,

Muscles softening,

Breath steady and natural.

As we step into tonight's story,

My friend,

Let this peaceful feeling stay with you now as you prepare to enjoy tonight's story.

A young plowman was following his plow in a field one morning,

When suddenly the horses stopped,

And do what he would,

He could not make them stir.

Then he tried to push the plow himself,

But he could not move it one hair's breadth.

He stooped down to see what could be stopping it,

When a deep voice cried,

Stop,

I am coming up.

The voice was so loud that the plowman shook with fear,

But though he looked all around him,

He could see no one from whom it could come,

But presently it spoke again,

Only this time it was a little lower,

And called out,

Have patience,

And I shall be up in a moment.

The plowman quaked in every limb,

And stood quite still,

And the voice began again,

But this time it was no louder than most folks,

And it said,

If you will only not be in such a hurry,

I will tell you what I want.

Look in front of your horse's right foot,

And pick me up.

He bent down and looked on the ground,

And there in the earth,

Just in front of his horse's right foot,

He saw what he thought was a little black lizard.

He touched it very cautiously,

And started back with surprise when the voice spoke again,

And he found it came from this tiny creature.

Yes,

It said,

That is quite right,

You can pick me up in your hand if you like,

But I think I must grow a little bigger,

As I am really uncomfortably small,

And while he held it on the palm of his hand,

The plowman saw that it was beginning to grow larger,

And it swelled so fast that in a few seconds it was near a foot high,

And he had to take both hands to hold it.

Then he saw that it was not a lizard,

But a little woman,

With a face that looked as though it were made of India rubber.

There,

That will do,

Said the strange little gnome,

That is a nice useful size.

Oh dear,

How tiring growing is,

I don't think I'll be any bigger just yet.

Now be sure you don't drop me,

And handle me very carefully,

For I do not like to be roughly touched.

I have not slept nearly as long as I meant to.

I wanted a hundred years nap,

And it cannot be more than fifty,

But now that I am awake,

I think I will keep so for a bit.

You seem to be a rather nice civil young man,

How would you like to take me for a lodger?

A lodger,

Gasped the plowman,

Why,

What should I do with you?

I should give no trouble,

Said the gnome,

But are there any women in your house?

No,

Said the plowman,

For I have no wife,

And I am too poor to keep a servant.

So much the better,

Said the gnome,

For though I am a woman myself,

I detest women,

And only get on with men.

You a woman,

Cried the plowman,

And he laughed outright.

Of course I am a woman,

Said the creature.

Come,

Say quickly,

Do you like to have me for a lodger or not?

Of course you'll have to agree to my terms.

And what are your terms,

Asked the plowman?

Only this,

Whatever comes into the house,

You must always give the best of it to me.

I will choose where I shall live for myself when I see the house,

But of all the food you have,

You must save the best and give it to me,

Not much of it,

But the very best pieces.

As you are a man,

I cannot wear your clothes,

But you can give me some of their material,

And everything else that comes into the house of any sort,

Tobacco or carpets or furniture,

I must have some of the best,

And at meals,

I must always be helped first.

If you agree to this,

I may stay with you for a very long time.

Oh,

Said the plowman,

And pray what shall I get by it?

It seems to me as if you wanted to get the best of everything and give nothing in return.

On the contrary,

Replied the gnome,

I shall give a very great deal.

For as long as I remain in your house,

All things will go well with you.

You are a poor man now,

But you will soon be a rich one.

If you sow seeds,

They will give twice as much crop as other peoples.

All your animals will do well,

And in a little time,

Instead of being a poor plowman,

You will be the richest farmer in the countryside.

Well,

Quoth the plowman,

I don't mind trying.

I think it would rather amuse me to take you to my cottage,

But if you don't keep your part of the bargain,

And I don't find things are going well for me,

I will warn you I'll pretty soon turn you out.

Agreed,

Said the gnome.

But remember,

If you fail in your compact with me,

I shall go by myself.

Now carry me home,

And let me choose where I will live.

The plowman carried the odd little figure back to his cottage,

Gaping with astonishment.

There he put it down on the kitchen table in the little kitchen.

It looked all rounded,

And twisted about its little black head.

That will do nicely,

It said at last.

There is a little hole in that corner,

Down which I can go,

And near that hole you must place all your daintiest bits.

And remember,

I must always be helped first at your meals.

And without a word,

It leaped from the table,

And scuttled away down a big hole that the rats had made,

And was no more to be seen.

But when in the evening the plowman came in to eat his meal,

Before he began it,

He took the very best bit of meat,

And the nicest of the vegetable,

And laid them down near the hole.

Then he watched eagerly to see what would happen.

But while he looked,

There they remained.

Suddenly,

However,

The door shut with a bang,

And he turned his head for a moment to see what caused it.

And when he looked back,

The food had disappeared.

Every day it was much the same.

He put some of the best food on the table near down the hole,

But as long as he watched it,

There it remained.

But when he took his eyes off for a moment,

It had disappeared.

In the same way,

When he had had new clothes,

He took a choice bit of material and laid it near the hole,

And it vanished also.

And of whatever came into the house,

He took some of the best and did the same with it.

Meantime,

Things began to improve very much with him.

He had only a little bit of land round his cottage,

But this year,

The vegetables and fruit he had planted there grew so well.

That he had a large quantity to send to market,

And he sold them for such good prices,

That soon he was able to get more land and buy his own animals,

And in a little while had a farm of his own,

And had grown to be quite a rich man,

While all his neighbors said his luck was extraordinary.

Meantime,

He saw or heard nothing more of the little black gnome,

And except when he put the food and other things near the hole,

Almost forgot all about her.

Time passed,

And the time came when the plowman began to think he would like to take a wife.

He made up his mind to marry a very pretty girl in the next village,

Who was said to be the prettiest girl in all the neighborhood.

Many of the young men would have liked to marry her,

But the plowman was a handsome,

Cheery young fellow,

And she preferred him to all of the others,

And so they were married,

And she came home to live at the farm.

The evening after their wedding,

They had a fine fat fowl for supper,

And the plowman,

Before he helped his wife,

Cut off the choicest slice from the breast and took it as usual to the hole.

"'Husband,

' cried the wife,

"'have you gone mad that you should give the best of the food to the rats and the mice?

' "'I'm not mad at all,

' said the plowman,

"'but my grandfather loved nothing in the world so well as rats and mice,

"'and he made me promise before he died "'that they should always be well cared for in my house and have the best.

' "'Then if you are not mad,

' replied the wife,

"'I think your grandfather was.

"'It is only the best poison that is good for rats and mice,

"'and they shall have it soon,

Now that I am in the house.

' But the plowman caressed his wife,

And begged her to let him keep his promise to his grandfather,

And the wife held her peace,

Not liking to seem bad-tempered on her wedding day.

After a bit,

She got used to her husband putting down little bits of food,

As he said,

For the rats and mice,

And though she always declared she was going to poison them,

She did not try to do so,

As her husband seemed grieved when she talked about it.

Thus things went on very happily for some months,

When the wife began to think that her clothes were getting very old,

And that she must have some new ones.

So she took plenty of money,

And went into the neighboring town,

And came home with new dresses,

And hats,

And bonnets,

And very pretty she looked in them,

And her husband was very much pleased with them.

But that evening after his wife was gone to bed,

As the plowman was finishing his pipe in the kitchen,

He suddenly heard a deep voice from the hall,

Which called out,

Just as it had done months before,

"'Stop,

I'm coming up!

' For an instant,

The plowman quaked with fear.

Then he saw something no bigger than a black beetle creeping through the hall,

And it came in front of his chair,

And he heard the voice,

Which was not so loud this time,

Say,

"'That will do.

Now I'm going to begin to grow a little.

' And it began to grow,

And grow,

And grow,

Till it was about eight inches high,

And the plowman saw it was a little woman.

"'There,

' she said,

Speaking quite quietly,

"'that is a nice useful size,

That will do.

"'Now I have something to say to you,

"'and you will have to attend very carefully.

"'I consider that you're breaking your compact.

"'In the first place,

You married without asking my leave,

"'and as I told you,

I don't like women in the house,

"'but I will say nothing about that,

"'as we had not spoken about it before.

"'But how can you explain about all the fine clothes "'that your wife fetched home today?

"'She has taken them to her room,

"'and not given one to me.

' "'Nay,

' cried the plowman,

"'they are my wife's clothes,

Not mine.

' "'Nonsense,

' said the gnome,

"'you gave her the money for them.

"'Now understand that whatever she buys "'for herself in the future,

"'she must buy the same for me.

"'Two of everything,

"'dresses,

Hats,

Gloves,

"'whatever she has,

I must have too,

"'and be sure that mine are quite as good as hers.

' "'But how am I to manage that?

' cried the plowman.

"'How can I explain it to her "'without telling her that you are there?

' "'That is your business,

' said the gnome.

"'All I say is that I must have the things "'if I am to remain in your house.

"'You can tell her what you please.

"'So now you know,

"'and see that you do as I tell you.

' "'And suddenly,

The little figure shrunk up "'till it was about the size of a black beetle,

"'and then disappeared down the hole "'without another word.

' "'The plowman rubbed his head "'and wondered what he could do.

"'He did not at all want to tell his wife "'about the little gnome,

"'for he was sure she would not like it.

"'But at the same time,

"'he did not want the gnome to leave his house "'and take away his luck.

"'A few days after,

"'his wife told him she was going to the shoemakers "'to buy herself some smart new shoes,

"'and the plowman thought of the gnome "'and knew he must do as she had told him.

"'So he said to his wife,

"''Wife,

When you get those shoes for yourself,

"'I wish you would get a pair just like them "'for my cousin who has written to me "'to ask me for a present.

"'I shall like to send her some nice boots and shoes "'as she is very poor,

"'so I shall be very much obliged "'if you will get two pairs "'of whatever you may get for yourself "'that I may send her one.

' "'The wife wondered very much,

"'for she did not know the plowman had any cousin.

"'However,

She went into the town "'and brought home two pairs of smart red shoes "'with bows on the top.

"'When she had gone to bed at night,

"'the plowman took one pair "'and laid it by the hole "'in the same place where he had put the food,

"'and it disappeared just as the food did "'without his seeing where it went.

"'Now,

Thought he,

"'when she sees I'm quite honest,

"'perhaps the ugly little gnome will be content "'and let us go on in peace.

' "'So time went on,

"'and the plowman and his wife "'lived very happily and quietly.

"'Til one evening,

"'a peddler came round with a tray "'holding all sorts of pretty things to sell.

"'The plowman's wife went to the door "'and looked at the things.

"'Then she bought a pretty comb for her hair,

"'but she would not show it to her husband "'as she meant to wear it before him "'as a surprise next day.

"'But that evening,

"'after his wife had gone to bed,

"'as the plowman sat finishing his pipe by the fire,

"'he heard the voice from the hole "'calling as loudly as ever,

"''Stop!

I'm coming up!

' "'Again,

The plowman quaked with fear,

"'and then he saw coming through the hole "'something no bigger than a black beetle,

"'and again the voice said in a lower tone,

"''Now I will begin to grow a little.

' "'And presently,

"'the tiny black thing had swelled "'into the ugly little black woman.

"'Listen to me,

' she said,

"'and know that I am beginning to feel very angry.

"'You are beginning to cheat me.

"'Today your wife bought herself a brand new comb "'from a peddler at the door "'and never got one for me.

"'Tomorrow evening,

"'I must have that comb.

"'I don't care how you get it,

"'but have it I must.

' "'The plowman scratched his head "'and was sore perplexed.

"'What on earth am I to do?

' he cried,

"'for my wife will think me very cruel "'if I take away all the pretty little things "'she buys for herself.

"'I can't help that,

' answered the gnome.

"'I have got to have that comb "'by this time tomorrow night.

"'And I warn you,

"'if you begin to deceive me,

"'just as if I were an ordinary human being,

"'I shall pretty soon take myself off.

' "'And with that,

"'the gnome disappeared through the hole "'in an instant.

"'Next morning at breakfast,

"'the wife came down with the new comb in her hair "'and said to her husband,

"'See,

Husband,

"'I bought this of the peddler yesterday,

"'and he tells me they are quite the newest fashion "'and all the great ladies in town are wearing them.

' "'Well,

' quoth the ploughman,

"'such a fashion may be all very well "'for the great ladies "'who have scarce any hair of their own,

"'but for my own part,

"'I had rather see your beautiful hair "'just as it is without any adornment.

' "'At this the wife pouted "'and was very cross.

"'Tis too bad of you to say that.

"'I thought you would like your wife "'to wear all the new fashions "'and be smart like other folks.

' "'Nay,

' cried the ploughman,

"'my wife is much prettier than other folks,

"'and she looks prettiest of all "'when she has little to adorn her.

"'If any of these great ladies had hair like yours,

"'you may be sure "'they would pretty soon throw away "'any combs or caps or pins "'so that nothing but their hair should be seen.

' "'When her husband was gone,

"'the wife went to her glass "'and looked at herself "'and took out the comb "'and then put it in "'and tried it every way.

"'Tis true,

For sure,

' said she.

"'My hair is very beautiful "'and maybe looks best done up "'as I used to wear it.

"'Still,

It seems a pity not to use the comb "'when I have bought it.

' "'So when her husband came back,

"'she said to him,

"'I believe you're right,

Husband,

"'and it suits me better "'not to have anything in my hair,

"'but maybe if you are wanting "'to send a present to that cousin of yours,

"'you would like to send her that comb.

"'It would save buying anything fresh.

' "'On this the ploughman laughed to himself,

"'but he thanked his wife very much "'and put the comb in his pocket.

"'In the evening after the wife had gone to bed,

"'the ploughman took it "'and put it down by the hole "'and then went on smoking his pipe "'without waiting to see if it disappeared.

"'But in a few minutes,

"'he heard the voice crying,

"'Stop,

I'm coming up,

' "'and saw again the gnome come through the hole "'and then begin to grow as before.

"'Now this is too bad,

' cried the ploughman.

"'What can you want now?

"'Here I have just given you the comb you wanted "'and nothing else new has come into the house.

' "'On the contrary,

' answered the gnome,

"'I consider that you have brought a great many new things "'into the house since I came to live here,

"'and I mean now to have my choice of some of them "'since I do not find that you are honest enough "'to offer them to me.

"'To begin with,

I want your wife's hair.

"'I've been trying mine with that comb "'and I find I can't make it do at all,

"'and so I mean to have your wife's.

' "'My wife's?

' gasped the ploughman.

"'You must be mad.

' "'Mad or not mad,

' replied the gnome,

"'I mean to have it,

"'and,

Moreover,

It is my due.

"'You married without consulting me,

"'and if I kept you to the bargain,

"'I should have a great deal that I have not got.

"'Certainly your wife has the best head of hair in the house,

"'so you must cut it off near her head "'and bring it all to me.

' "'But whatever shall I say to my wife?

' "'cried the ploughman in distress.

"'That is your lookout,

Not mine,

' said the gnome.

"'Anyhow,

You have got to give it to me,

"'but as the thought of it seems to annoy you,

"'I will give you a week to get it in.

"'The ploughman sat and thought and thought,

"'and very sad did he feel at thinking of "'all his wife's beautiful hair "'being given away to the little gnome.

"'Next day he took his horse and cart "'and told his wife he had to go for a long drive on business "'to a big town a long way off.

"'It was quite the biggest town in the neighborhood,

"'and many very fine people lived there.

"'At first the wife wanted to go too,

"'but her husband said it was too far "'and she would be too tired "'as he would not be back till very late at night.

"'Next morning when they sat at breakfast,

"'he told his wife all he had heard "'and seen in the big town,

"'and then he added,

"'and all the very fine ladies there "'have now the funniest fashion.

"'And what is that?

' asked his wife.

"'Pray tell me,

For I love to hear the new fashions.

' "'Why?

' said the plowman.

"'Tis with their hair.

"'Instead of wearing it long,

"'they have cut it quite close all around their heads "'because they say it looks smarter now.

' "'Well,

I do call that a silly fashion,

' said the wife.

"'They can't have had much hair "'to consent to have it cut off.

' "'No,

Indeed,

' said her husband.

"'And yet with some of them,

"'they look very smart and pretty "'with their little curly heads.

' "'Much like boys,

I should think,

' said the wife scornfully.

"'No,

Not quite that either,

' said the plowman.

"'More like the pictures of angels in the old churches,

"'and they say it is the great thing "'for it to curl up all around the head,

"'and when it does that of itself,

"'they are very proud of it.

' "'Well,

Then,

Some of them might be very proud of mine,

' "'said the wife,

For it's as curly as may be,

"'and if I were to cut it short,

"'it would be all in tiny curls.

' "'When her husband had gone to his work,

"'the plowman's wife could do nothing "'but think of the strange new fashion "'of which her husband had told her.

"'I wonder how it would suit me,

' she thought.

"'And when he came in to dinner,

She said to him,

"'Husband,

Is it really true "'that all those fine ladies look very pretty "'and smart with their hair short?

' "'Aye,

That they did,

' he said.

"'I was quite surprised to see them,

"'and I heard they said "'twas a wonderful saving of trouble,

"'and that their hair could never grow untidy.

' "'That is true,

' said the wife.

"'Yet I should be sorry to cut mine off.

"'No need that you should,

' said the plowman,

"'and there are not many folks up here "'to see if we are in fashion or not.

"'All the same,

You are sure to look prettier "'than the town ladies anyway,

"'whichever way your hair is done,

"'for your face is prettier.

' "'But when her husband had gone away again,

"'the wife went to her glass with the scissors in her hand.

"'As my husband says,

' she quoth,

"'it would be a wonderful saving of trouble,

"'and then it would be very nice "'to let all the women round "'see that I could be in the fashion before they.

"'I wonder how it would look.

' "'And she snipped off a big bit.

"'Here go,

' she cried.

"'After all,

"'tis best to follow the fashions,

"'whatever they are.

' "'And she went on cutting till,

"'when her husband came in,

"'he found her with her hair "'all cut off beside her.

"'There,

Husband,

' cried she,

"'do I look like the smart ladies in town?

' "'Ay,

That you do,

' he answered.

"'Only ten times prettier.

"'But as for all that beautiful hair,

"'you must just give it to me,

"'for it is so beautiful,

"'I would not let it be lost for anything.

' "'And he took up all the heap of fine gold hair,

"'and tied it together with a bright ribbon.

"'The wife looked at herself in the glass,

"'and thought she really looked very nice "'with the little curls all round her head.

"'And though the plowman grieved over it in his heart,

"'yet he was glad he had got her hair,

"'and thought,

"'Now at last,

"'that miserable little gnome will be content,

"'and leave me alone.

"'So that evening,

"'when his wife was gone to bed,

"'he took the bunch of hair,

"'and laid it near the hole,

"'and it disappeared,

"'and he knew the gnome had it.

"'So for a time,

"'all went on quietly with the plowman,

"'and he hoped he should not hear more of the gnome.

"'But one evening,

"'after his wife had gone to bed,

"'and he was in the kitchen smoking his pipe alone,

"'he heard the hated voice shouting,

"'Stop,

"'I'm coming up.

"'And then he saw the little black thing,

"'like a black beetle,

"'coming through the hole,

"'and all happened just as before.

"'Well,

"'what do you want now?

' cried the plowman,

"'when he saw the ugly little woman in front of him.

"'I have given you my wife's hair,

"'and surely you ought to be content.

"'Not at all,

' said the gnome,

"'for I have tried on her hair,

"'and I find it does not suit my complexion.

"'I have never seen her myself.

"'And I don't think you any judge,

"'but I heard you telling her that her face "'was prettier than any of the town ladies.

"'In that case,

"'you have no right to keep it for yourself.

"'I must have your wife's face.

' "'My wife's face!

' screamed the plowman.

"'I think you must be mad.

"'How can I give you my wife's face,

"'and what would you do with it?

' "'Wear it,

' answered the gnome,

"'and all you have to do "'is fetch your wife in here this day week,

"'and tell her what I wish,

"'and I will come up "'and scrape off as much of her face as I want.

' "'Why,

It would kill her,

' cried the plowman.

"'Not at all,

' said the gnome,

"'neither would it hurt her,

"'for she would scarcely feel my little knife.

"'The only thing is,

"'that when I have done,

"'her skin will be rather shriveled like my own,

"'but as mine has been good enough for me all these years,

"'it will surely be good enough "'for a common human woman.

"'Anyhow,

Now you know,

"'I must have your wife's complexion "'to wear with her hair,

"'or else I go at once,

"'and as it will be you "'who have broken the compact,

"'I shall take all your wealth with me.

' "'And repeating in a deep voice,

"'Remember,

This day week at twelve o'clock,

"'the gnome grew small "'and disappeared through the hall.

"'Next day,

The plowman was very miserable,

"'and whenever he looked at his wife "'felt inclined to burst into tears.

"'The wife,

Not knowing what was amiss,

"'tried to cheer him,

"'and asked if he were ill,

"'but he shook his head and told her no,

"'and had not the courage to tell her the truth.

"'Thus things went on,

"'the plowman growing sadder and sadder every day,

"'till the evening before "'that on which the gnome had told him "'he must bring his wife to meet her.

"'The plowman was scarce able "'to check his sobs before his wife,

"'and at last she came into the kitchen,

"'and there found him crying outright.

"'When she saw this,

"'she kneeled down by him and said,

"'Husband,

You surely do not think me a good wife,

"'for a good wife shares all her husband's troubles.

"'Tell me what troubles you.

"'Two heads are better than one,

"'and perhaps I can help you.

"'Then the plowman told her all about the hated gnome,

"'and how he had found it in a field,

"'and how he had promised to give it "'some of the best of everything,

"'and now how it wanted her face.

"'At first the wife would scarcely believe it,

"'and then she cried,

"'But if tis such a little creature,

"'why not pick it up and strangle it,

"'or let me put my foot on it,

"'while it is no bigger than a black beetle?

"'Nay,

Do not think of such a thing,

' said her husband,

"'for it is too ill to play tricks with fairy folk,

"'and most likely she would kill us outright.

"'But part with my face I never will,

' cried the wife.

"'Then we will let her go,

"'and take with her the house and all our wealth,

"'and be contented to live in my old cottage again,

"'and be quite poor folks,

' said her husband.

"'On hearing this,

The wife burst into tears,

"'and wept more bitterly than her husband,

"'for she would not stop at all.

"'It was in vain for him to try to cheer her,

"'and tell her that poor folk "'could be quite as happy as rich ones.

"'She declared she could never be happy poor,

"'then when he said if she would let her face go,

"'he would love her just as much or more without it.

"'She cried that she could never be happy "'with a dreadful shriveled skin like a monkey's.

"'All that night she cried,

"'and when morning came,

Her skin was all red,

"'and her eyes could scarce be seen,

"'so swelled were their lids,

"'but still she cried on all day,

"'and her husband said nothing to comfort her,

"'because he did not know what to say.

"'By the time it grew dark,

"'her face was so swelled and sore "'that she could not bear to touch it,

"'and she had cried herself almost blind.

"'But still the tears were rolling down.

"'When the time came for the clock to strike twelve,

"'her husband took her hand "'and led her to the kitchen,

"'and there she sat with her face in her hands sobbing.

"'Just as the clock struck,

"'they heard the voice like thunder shouting,

"'Stop,

I'm coming up.

"'And the wife peeped between her fingers "'and saw the little thing no bigger than a black beetle "'come through the hole,

"'and then grow and grow and grow,

"'till it was like an ugly little woman near a foot high.

"'And when she saw how hideous it was,

She thought,

"'Never,

Never will I consent to have a skin like that,

"'not for millions of pounds.

"'The gnome did not speak to her,

"'but said to the plowman,

"'So you have brought your wife.

"'That is a good thing if you wish me to remain with you.

"'So now tell her to take down her hands,

"'and let me see this face you make such a fuss about.

"'I have my knife all ready.

' "'And the plowman saw that she had had in her hand a tiny knife,

"'which did not look as if it could hurt anyone.

"'Wife,

Wife,

' roaned the plowman.

"'What shall we do?

' "'Then the wife looked up out of her swollen eyes,

"'and was just going to speak when the gnome gave a shriek.

"'What?

' she cried.

"'That face?

"'Do you mean to say that that is what you think is so pretty,

"'and that I am going to change my beautiful skin "'for that swollen red mass?

"'No,

Indeed,

You must be mad.

"'It is a good thing that I saw it in time.

"'I shall leave the house at once.

' "'Nay,

' cried the plowman,

"'but it is you who are breaking your pact this time.

' "'But the gnome made no reply,

"'but scuttled down through the hole as fast as it could,

"'and the plowman and his wife burst out laughing for joy.

"'And that was the last they ever saw of it,

"'and it must have gone right away,

"'but they knew it had left some of its luck behind it.

"'As they both lived happily for the rest of their days.

'" Sweet dreams,

My friend.

Sleep well.

Reviews

What a brutal little gnome! Great storytelling, thank you❤️🙏🏼

Thank you for the story Joanne! Your voice is very soothing. 💜