the bridge of his nose, and jump down upon his
upper lip.

If the truth must be told, they were sometimes
as troublesome to the Giant as a swarm of ants
or mosquitoes, especially as they had a fondness
for mischief, and liked to prick his skin with
their little swords and lances, to see how thick
and tough it was. But Antaeus took it all kind-
ly enough; although, once in a while, when he
happened to be sleepy, he would grumble out a
peevish word or two, like the muttering of a
tempest, and ask them to have done with their
nonsense. A great deal oftener, however, he
watched their merriment and gambols until his
huge, heavy, clumsy wits were completely
stirred up by them; and then would he roar
out such a tremendous volume of immeasura-
ble laughter, that the whole nation of Pygmies
had to put their hands to their ears, else it
would certainly have deafened them.

"Ho! ho! ho!" quoth the Giant, shaking his
mountainous sides. "What a funny thing it is
to be little! If I were not Antaeus, I should like
to be a Pygmy, just for the joke's sake."

The Pygmies had but one thing to trouble

[[80]]

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