Mr. Miacca
by Joseph Jacobs
Tommy and the Scary Man
Tommy is a good boy. But he forgets to listen.
His mama says, "Tommy, stay here. Do not go past the tree. A grumpy old man lives there. He catches kids who do not listen."
One day, Tommy forgets. He walks past the big tree. Mr. Miacca is there! He takes Tommy by the hand. "You come with me!" he says. Tommy is scared.
Mr. Miacca takes Tommy to his house. It is dark and messy. "You stay here," says Mr. Miacca. "You will clean my house." He tells Mrs. Miacca to watch Tommy. Then he goes out.
Tommy looks at Mrs. Miacca. "Do you like cake?" he asks. "Oh, I love cake!" says Mrs. Miacca.
"My mama makes the best cake!" says Tommy. "I can go get some!" Mrs. Miacca wants cake so much. "Yes, go!" she says. "But come back!"
Tommy runs home fast. His mama is so happy! Tommy listens to Mama. He is good for many days. But then one day, Tommy forgets.
He walks past the big tree. Mr. Miacca catches him! "You! I know you!" says Mr. Miacca. "You will not trick me this time!"
Mr. Miacca puts Tommy under the big sofa. He sits on top. "Stay there!" he says. Tommy cannot move.
"Put out your hand!" says Mr. Miacca. "I will tie it with rope."
Tommy smiles. He has an idea! He pushes out one leg of the sofa. It looks like a hand!
Mr. Miacca ties the rope. He does not look. He thinks it is Tommy! How silly!
"Mrs. Miacca! Mrs. Miacca!" he calls. No answer. He gets up. He goes to find her.
Tommy crawls out fast. He runs to the door. Tommy runs and runs. He runs all the way home!
Mama hugs Tommy. Tommy hugs Mama. He is safe. He is home. And Tommy listens to Mama. He does not go past the tree.
Original Story
MR. MIACCA Tommy Grimes was sometimes a good boy, and sometimes a bad boy; and when he was a bad boy, he was a very bad boy. Now his mother used to say to him: “Tommy, Tommy, be a good boy, and don't go out of the street, or else Mr. Miacca will take you.” But still when he was a bad boy he would go out of the street; and one day, sure enough, he had scarcely got round the corner, when Mr. Miacca did catch him and popped him into a bag upside down, and took him off to his house. When Mr. Miacca got Tommy inside, he pulled him out of the bag and set him down, and felt his arms and legs. “You're rather tough,” says he; “but you're all I've got for supper, and you'll not taste bad boiled. But body o' me, I've forgot the herbs, and it's bitter you'll taste without herbs. Sally! Here, I say, Sally!” and he called Mrs. Miacca. So Mrs. Miacca came out of another room and said: “What d'ye want, my dear?” “Oh, here's a little boy for supper,” said Mr. Miacca, “and I've forgot the herbs. Mind him, will ye, while I go for them.” “All right, my love,” says Mrs. Miacca, and off he goes. Then Tommy Grimes said to Mrs. Miacca: “Does Mr. Miacca always have little boys for supper?” “Mostly, my dear,” said Mrs. Miacca, “if little boys are bad enough, and get in his way.” “And don't you have anything else but boy-meat? No pudding?” asked Tommy. “Ah, I loves pudding,” says Mrs. Miacca. “But it's not often the likes of me gets pudding.” “Why, my mother is making a pudding this very day,” said Tommy Grimes, “and I am sure she'd give you some, if I ask her. Shall I run and get some?” “Now, that's a thoughtful boy,” said Mrs. Miacca, “only don't be long and be sure to be back for supper.” So off Tommy pelters, and right glad he was to get off so cheap; and for many a long day he was as good as good could be, and never went round the corner of the street. But he couldn't always be good; and one day he went round the corner, and as luck would have it, he hadn't scarcely got round it when Mr. Miacca grabbed him up, popped him in his bag, and took him home. When he got him there, Mr. Miacca dropped him out; and when he saw him, he said: “Ah, you're the youngster what served me and my missus that shabby trick, leaving us without any supper. Well, you shan't do it again. I'll watch over you myself. Here, get under the sofa, and I'll set on it and watch the pot boil for you.” So poor Tommy Grimes had to creep under the sofa, and Mr. Miacca sat on it and waited for the pot to boil. And they waited, and they waited, but still the pot didn't boil, till at last Mr. Miacca got tired of waiting, and he said: “Here, you under there, I'm not going to wait any longer; put out your leg, and I'll stop your giving us the slip.” So Tommy put out a leg, and Mr. Miacca got a chopper, and chopped it off, and pops it in the pot. Suddenly he calls out: “Sally, my dear, Sally!” and nobody answered. So he went into the next room to look out for Mrs. Miacca, and while he was there, Tommy crept out from under the sofa and ran out of the door. For it was a leg of the sofa that he had put out. So Tommy Grimes ran home, and he never went round the corner again till he was old enough to go alone.
Moral of the Story
Disobedience can lead to dangerous situations, but cleverness can help you escape them.
Characters
Tommy Grimes ★ protagonist
Implied to be small enough to be carried in a bag and fit under a sofa.
Attire: Unknown, likely simple clothes of a child from the period.
Mischievous, clever, fearful, obedient (after his experiences).
Mr. Miacca ⚔ antagonist
Implied to be strong enough to carry a child in a bag and chop with a chopper.
Attire: Unknown, likely simple, possibly rustic or menacing attire.
Cannibalistic, forgetful, easily tricked, impatient.
Mrs. Miacca ◆ supporting
Unknown, likely a typical housewife of the period.
Attire: Unknown, likely a simple dress or apron of a housewife from the period.
Compliant, fond of pudding, easily distracted, somewhat naive.
Locations
The Street Corner
The specific corner of the street that Tommy is forbidden to go around, where Mr. Miacca waits to catch bad boys.
Mood: forbidden, dangerous, tempting
Tommy is repeatedly caught by Mr. Miacca here.
Mr. Miacca's House - Main Room
The main living area of Mr. Miacca's house, where Tommy is first brought, and later hides under a sofa.
Mood: threatening, domestic (in a sinister way), tense
Tommy is brought here for supper, escapes the first time, and later hides under the sofa before his second escape.
Mr. Miacca's House - Another Room
An adjacent room from which Mrs. Miacca emerges when called, and where Mr. Miacca goes to look for her.
Mood: unseen, mysterious, slightly less threatening than the main room
Mrs. Miacca is called from here, and Mr. Miacca goes into it, allowing Tommy to escape.
Story DNA
Moral
Disobedience can lead to dangerous situations, but cleverness can help you escape them.
Plot Summary
Tommy Grimes, a disobedient boy, repeatedly ignores his mother's warnings about Mr. Miacca, a child-eating monster. After being captured the first time, Tommy cleverly tricks Mrs. Miacca into letting him go by promising pudding. Upon his second capture, Mr. Miacca is more vigilant, but Tommy again uses his quick thinking, offering a sofa leg instead of his own when Mr. Miacca demands a limb. While Mr. Miacca is distracted, Tommy escapes for good, finally learning his lesson about obedience.
Themes
Emotional Arc
fear to relief to fear to relief
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Joseph Jacobs collected and retold English fairy tales, often simplifying them for children. This story reflects common cautionary themes found in folklore.
Plot Beats (14)
- Tommy Grimes, a disobedient boy, is warned by his mother not to go around the street corner due to Mr. Miacca.
- Tommy disobeys, is caught by Mr. Miacca, and put into a bag.
- Mr. Miacca takes Tommy home, plans to boil him for supper, and leaves him with Mrs. Miacca while he fetches herbs.
- Tommy learns from Mrs. Miacca that they eat bad boys and asks if they eat pudding.
- Tommy tricks Mrs. Miacca into letting him go home to get pudding from his mother, promising to return.
- Tommy escapes and is good for a long time, but eventually disobeys again.
- Tommy is recaptured by Mr. Miacca, who recognizes him and vows not to be tricked again.
- Mr. Miacca forces Tommy under the sofa and sits on it, waiting for the pot to boil.
- Impatient, Mr. Miacca demands Tommy put out a leg to be chopped.
- Tommy cleverly puts out a leg of the sofa instead of his own.
- Mr. Miacca chops the sofa leg and puts it in the pot.
- Mr. Miacca calls for Mrs. Miacca, gets no answer, and goes to look for her in another room.
- While Mr. Miacca is distracted, Tommy escapes from under the sofa and runs home.
- Tommy never goes around the corner again until he is an adult.
