Now Tom's strength beginning to be known in the town, they would not let him lie basking in the chimney corner, everyone hirting him to work, seeing he had so much strength, all telling him, it was a shame for him to lie idle as he did from day to day; so that Tom finding them bate at him as they did, went first to one work and then to another.
At last a man came to him and desired him to go to the wood to help him to bring a tree home; so Tom went with him and four other men.
And when they came to the wood, they set the cart by the tree, and began to draw it by pullies; but Tom seeing them not able to stir it, said aloud, stand aside fools—And set it on one end, and then put it in to the cart—There, said he, see what a man can do? Marry, said they, that's true.
Having done, and come through the wood they met the woodman, and Tom asked him for a stick to make his mother a fire with.
Aye, said the woodman, take one.
So Tom took up a tree bigger than that on the cart, and put it on his shoulder, and walked home with it faster than the six horses in the cart drew the other.
This was the second instance of Tom's shewing his strength; by which time he began to know that he had more natural strength than twenty common men; and from this time Tom began to grow very tractable; he would jump, run, and take delight in young company, and go to fairs and meetings, to see sports and diversions.
