They never became in the least friendly, but they were much too stupid to invent cruelties.

Often I avoided a bad kick by catching the foot and giving its owner a fall, upon which he never, on that occasion, renewed his attempt.
But the little people were constantly doing and saying things that pleased, often things that surprised me.

Every day I grew more loath to leave them.

While I was at work, they would keep coming and going, amusing and delighting me, and taking all the misery, and much of the weariness out of my monotonous toil.

Very soon I loved them more than I can tell.