370 THE PITFALL. 



coming to a large oak-tree covered at the top with a woodbine 

 in full blossom. I knew by the mingled scent, that the leaves, 

 both of tree and creeper, must be covered with that precious 

 manna which kind Providence rains for our support. I then 

 began to ascend the tree, taking a winding course to make the 

 ascent more easy, and resting often enough, I can tell you, 

 before I could reach the first leafy cluster of oak and woodbine 

 intermixed. Then I had a delicious rest, and a delicious meal 

 indeed, after which, I took care to load myself with as much as 

 I could possibly carry of the abundant store around me. 



" I meant to descend as soon as I had done so, but what 

 with walking and climbing, I was too weary to move, and, 

 after such a plentiful meal, began to feel drowsy. The heat of 

 the day and the warm scent of the manna and flowers made me 

 grow more and more heavy, till at last I fell fast asleep. 



" How long my nap lasted I cannot tell, but I was first 

 aroused by the sensation of falling, and then entirely awoke in 

 terrible earnest, by coming in violent contact with a something 

 so hard that I seemed almost knocked to atoms. As soon as 

 I recovered a little from this tremendous shock, I looked about 

 me, and where do you think I found myself but in one of those 

 frightful pitfalls I had been, on setting out, so careful to avoid? 



" On what was below me I dared not for some time to cast 

 an eye ; but when I did, oh ! I thought I should have died 

 with terror ! for what should I see at the bottom of the pit but 

 a hideous Ogre, with a pair of horrible pointed tusks, longer 

 than his own head or any of our bodies, and all besmeared with 

 the blood of some unhappy creature like ourselves, which he 

 seemed at that moment drinking in, just as our cattle draw in 

 the sap of the elder and other trees. 



" The Ogre was a long time occupied with his sickening 

 repast, but at length he let fall the body on which he had been 

 engaged, and rolled his great eyes all around the cavern. He 

 was coming, I thought, to drag me down, but I suppose I 

 escaped his notice, for he returned again to his last victim, as I 



