Once upon a time, in a small forested land, there lived a poor woodcutter and his family. The woodcutter and his wife had seven sons, all frail and weak. The youngest, though the cleverest, was so tiny that he was no larger than a thumb. Because of this, everyone called him Hop-o'-My-Thumb. Despite his small size, Hop-o'-My-Thumb was extremely observant and quick-witted, often listening carefully to adult conversations that his brothers ignored.
One year, a severe famine struck the land, leaving the family with no food. One night, Hop-o'-My-Thumb overheard his parents lamenting that they could no longer feed the children. In desperation, the woodcutter suggested that they abandon the children in the forest so that the family could survive. Though his wife protested at first, she reluctantly agreed. Hop-o'-My-Thumb, frightened, decided he would find a way to save his brothers. The next morning, as their parents led them into the forest under the pretense of gathering wood, Hop-o'-My-Thumb secretly scattered small white pebbles along the path.
When the parents left, the children waited alone. As night fell, Hop-o'-My-Thumb guided his brothers home by following the shining pebbles in the moonlight. They returned safely, and their parents were both relieved and amazed at how the children had found their way back.
A few days later, the famine worsened, and the parents planned to abandon the children again. This time, Hop-o'-My-Thumb could not collect pebbles because the door was locked. Instead, he broke some dry bread into crumbs and left them along the forest path. Unfortunately, birds ate all the crumbs, leaving the children with no trail to follow. Terrified, Hop-o'-My-Thumb climbed a tall tree and spotted a distant light. He led his brothers toward it and soon reached a large house. When they knocked, a kind woman opened the door. She warned them that the house belonged to a man-eating ogre but allowed them to hide under the bed out of compassion.
Soon after, the Ogre returned and immediately sensed fresh “meat,” searching for the children. Unable to hide them, the Ogre discovered the seven children and was overjoyed at the thought of a feast. He sharpened his knife, planning to kill them in the morning. The Ogre had seven daughters who slept nearby, each wearing a small golden crown so he would not confuse them with the woodcutter’s children. During the night, Hop-o'-My-Thumb cleverly switched the crowns onto his brothers and put the children’s nightcaps on the Ogre’s daughters. When the Ogre awoke and felt the crowns, he mistook his own daughters for the woodcutter’s children and killed them, leaving Hop-o'-My-Thumb and his brothers unharmed. Taking advantage of the Ogre’s sleep, Hop-o'-My-Thumb woke his brothers, and they escaped swiftly.
The next morning, the Ogre discovered the children had escaped and became furious. He put on his magical seven-league boots, which let him cover seven miles in a single stride, and chased after them. Hop-o'-My-Thumb led his brothers to a small rock crevice where they hid, and the exhausted Ogre fell asleep nearby. Hop-o'-My-Thumb quietly removed the boots and used them to reach the Ogre’s house. He told the Ogre’s wife that her husband had been captured by robbers and that only by giving him all the gold and treasures could she save him. Believing him, she handed over everything. Hop-o'-My-Thumb filled his pockets and quickly returned to his brothers. With the Ogre’s wealth, the family never went hungry again. Hop-o'-My-Thumb grew up to be a clever and wealthy man, helping others and ensuring his family lived happily ever after.