Hop-o'-my-thumb

1830, Uncredited (John Poole), The New Monthly Magazine and Literary Journal, Part 1: Original Papers, page 81, As to changing them for a pack of your little hop-o'-my-thumbs, no bigger than the one you lent me t'other night — ! suppose I should ask you to let me have the mare you rode to cover o'Thursday — and a clever mare she is, […] .

"In the first place,” answered Hobbleday, somewhat tartly, “I suppose our Daubson, who painted the famous grenadier in Yawkins's skittle-ground, knew very well what he was about: he wasn't going to paint hop-o'-my-thumbs that might be mistaken for drummer-boys.[…]"

"[…]And who are these little hop-o'-my-thumbs?” as Arun and Is jumped down from the cart.