diff --git a/src/main/java/org/apache/thrift/protocol/TCompactProtocol.java b/src/main/java/org/apache/thrift/protocol/TCompactProtocol.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9d5e7300c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/org/apache/thrift/protocol/TCompactProtocol.java
@@ -0,0 +1,861 @@
+/*
+ * Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. See the NOTICE file
+ * distributed with this work for additional information
+ * regarding copyright ownership. The ASF licenses this file
+ * to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
+ * "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance
+ * with the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+ * software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+ * "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+ * KIND, either express or implied. See the License for the
+ * specific language governing permissions and limitations
+ * under the License.
+ */
+
+
+package org.apache.thrift.protocol;
+
+import java.io.UnsupportedEncodingException;
+import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
+
+import org.apache.thrift.ShortStack;
+import org.apache.thrift.TException;
+import org.apache.thrift.transport.TTransport;
+
+/**
+ * TCompactProtocol2 is the Java implementation of the compact protocol specified
+ * in THRIFT-110. The fundamental approach to reducing the overhead of
+ * structures is a) use variable-length integers all over the place and b) make
+ * use of unused bits wherever possible. Your savings will obviously vary
+ * based on the specific makeup of your structs, but in general, the more
+ * fields, nested structures, short strings and collections, and low-value i32
+ * and i64 fields you have, the more benefit you'll see.
+ *
+ * This particular copy of the TCompactProtocol class is verbatim from 0.7.0 with one small change:
+ * the class is no longer final, so it can be changed as needed through inheritance.
+ */
+public  class TCompactProtocol extends TProtocol {
+
+  private final static TStruct ANONYMOUS_STRUCT = new TStruct("");
+  private final static TField TSTOP = new TField("", TType.STOP, (short)0);
+
+  private final static byte[] ttypeToCompactType = new byte[16];
+
+  static {
+    ttypeToCompactType[TType.STOP] = TType.STOP;
+    ttypeToCompactType[TType.BOOL] = Types.BOOLEAN_TRUE;
+    ttypeToCompactType[TType.BYTE] = Types.BYTE;
+    ttypeToCompactType[TType.I16] = Types.I16;
+    ttypeToCompactType[TType.I32] = Types.I32;
+    ttypeToCompactType[TType.I64] = Types.I64;
+    ttypeToCompactType[TType.DOUBLE] = Types.DOUBLE;
+    ttypeToCompactType[TType.STRING] = Types.BINARY;
+    ttypeToCompactType[TType.LIST] = Types.LIST;
+    ttypeToCompactType[TType.SET] = Types.SET;
+    ttypeToCompactType[TType.MAP] = Types.MAP;
+    ttypeToCompactType[TType.STRUCT] = Types.STRUCT;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * TProtocolFactory that produces TCompactProtocols.
+   */
+  public static class Factory implements TProtocolFactory {
+    public Factory() {}
+
+    @Override
+    public TProtocol getProtocol(TTransport trans) {
+      return new TCompactProtocol(trans);
+    }
+  }
+
+  private static final byte PROTOCOL_ID = (byte)0x82;
+  private static final byte VERSION = 1;
+  private static final byte VERSION_MASK = 0x1f; // 0001 1111
+  private static final byte TYPE_MASK = (byte)0xE0; // 1110 0000
+  private static final int  TYPE_SHIFT_AMOUNT = 5;
+
+  /**
+   * All of the on-wire type codes.
+   */
+  private static class Types {
+    public static final byte BOOLEAN_TRUE   = 0x01;
+    public static final byte BOOLEAN_FALSE  = 0x02;
+    public static final byte BYTE           = 0x03;
+    public static final byte I16            = 0x04;
+    public static final byte I32            = 0x05;
+    public static final byte I64            = 0x06;
+    public static final byte DOUBLE         = 0x07;
+    public static final byte BINARY         = 0x08;
+    public static final byte LIST           = 0x09;
+    public static final byte SET            = 0x0A;
+    public static final byte MAP            = 0x0B;
+    public static final byte STRUCT         = 0x0C;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Used to keep track of the last field for the current and previous structs,
+   * so we can do the delta stuff.
+   */
+  private ShortStack lastField_ = new ShortStack(15);
+
+  private short lastFieldId_ = 0;
+
+  /**
+   * If we encounter a boolean field begin, save the TField here so it can
+   * have the value incorporated.
+   */
+  private TField booleanField_ = null;
+
+  /**
+   * If we read a field header, and it's a boolean field, save the boolean
+   * value here so that readBool can use it.
+   */
+  private Boolean boolValue_ = null;
+
+  /**
+   * Create a TCompactProtocol.
+   *
+   * @param transport the TTransport object to read from or write to.
+   */
+  public TCompactProtocol(TTransport transport) {
+    super(transport);
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public void reset() {
+    lastField_.clear();
+    lastFieldId_ = 0;
+  }
+
+  //
+  // Public Writing methods.
+  //
+
+  /**
+   * Write a message header to the wire. Compact Protocol messages contain the
+   * protocol version so we can migrate forwards in the future if need be.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public void writeMessageBegin(TMessage message) throws TException {
+    writeByteDirect(PROTOCOL_ID);
+    writeByteDirect((VERSION & VERSION_MASK) | ((message.type << TYPE_SHIFT_AMOUNT) & TYPE_MASK));
+    writeVarint32(message.seqid);
+    writeString(message.name);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Write a struct begin. This doesn't actually put anything on the wire. We
+   * use it as an opportunity to put special placeholder markers on the field
+   * stack so we can get the field id deltas correct.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public void writeStructBegin(TStruct struct) throws TException {
+    lastField_.push(lastFieldId_);
+    lastFieldId_ = 0;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Write a struct end. This doesn't actually put anything on the wire. We use
+   * this as an opportunity to pop the last field from the current struct off
+   * of the field stack.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public void writeStructEnd() throws TException {
+    lastFieldId_ = lastField_.pop();
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Write a field header containing the field id and field type. If the
+   * difference between the current field id and the last one is small (< 15),
+   * then the field id will be encoded in the 4 MSB as a delta. Otherwise, the
+   * field id will follow the type header as a zigzag varint.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public void writeFieldBegin(TField field) throws TException {
+    if (field.type == TType.BOOL) {
+      // we want to possibly include the value, so we'll wait.
+      booleanField_ = field;
+    } else {
+      writeFieldBeginInternal(field, (byte)-1);
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * The workhorse of writeFieldBegin. It has the option of doing a
+   * 'type override' of the type header. This is used specifically in the
+   * boolean field case.
+   */
+  private void writeFieldBeginInternal(TField field, byte typeOverride) throws TException {
+    // short lastField = lastField_.pop();
+
+    // if there's a type override, use that.
+    byte typeToWrite = typeOverride == -1 ? getCompactType(field.type) : typeOverride;
+
+    // check if we can use delta encoding for the field id
+    if (field.id > lastFieldId_ && field.id - lastFieldId_ <= 15) {
+      // write them together
+      writeByteDirect((field.id - lastFieldId_) << 4 | typeToWrite);
+    } else {
+      // write them separate
+      writeByteDirect(typeToWrite);
+      writeI16(field.id);
+    }
+
+    lastFieldId_ = field.id;
+    // lastField_.push(field.id);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Write the STOP symbol so we know there are no more fields in this struct.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public void writeFieldStop() throws TException {
+    writeByteDirect(TType.STOP);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Write a map header. If the map is empty, omit the key and value type
+   * headers, as we don't need any additional information to skip it.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public void writeMapBegin(TMap map) throws TException {
+    if (map.size == 0) {
+      writeByteDirect(0);
+    } else {
+      writeVarint32(map.size);
+      writeByteDirect(getCompactType(map.keyType) << 4 | getCompactType(map.valueType));
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Write a list header.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public void writeListBegin(TList list) throws TException {
+    writeCollectionBegin(list.elemType, list.size);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Write a set header.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public void writeSetBegin(TSet set) throws TException {
+    writeCollectionBegin(set.elemType, set.size);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Write a boolean value. Potentially, this could be a boolean field, in
+   * which case the field header info isn't written yet. If so, decide what the
+   * right type header is for the value and then write the field header.
+   * Otherwise, write a single byte.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public void writeBool(boolean b) throws TException {
+    if (booleanField_ != null) {
+      // we haven't written the field header yet
+      writeFieldBeginInternal(booleanField_, b ? Types.BOOLEAN_TRUE : Types.BOOLEAN_FALSE);
+      booleanField_ = null;
+    } else {
+      // we're not part of a field, so just write the value.
+      writeByteDirect(b ? Types.BOOLEAN_TRUE : Types.BOOLEAN_FALSE);
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Write a byte. Nothing to see here!
+   */
+  @Override
+  public void writeByte(byte b) throws TException {
+    writeByteDirect(b);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Write an I16 as a zigzag varint.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public void writeI16(short i16) throws TException {
+    writeVarint32(intToZigZag(i16));
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Write an i32 as a zigzag varint.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public void writeI32(int i32) throws TException {
+    writeVarint32(intToZigZag(i32));
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Write an i64 as a zigzag varint.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public void writeI64(long i64) throws TException {
+    writeVarint64(longToZigzag(i64));
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Write a double to the wire as 8 bytes.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public void writeDouble(double dub) throws TException {
+    byte[] data = new byte[]{0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0};
+    fixedLongToBytes(Double.doubleToLongBits(dub), data, 0);
+    trans_.write(data);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Write a string to the wire with a varint size preceding.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public void writeString(String str) throws TException {
+    try {
+      byte[] bytes = str.getBytes("UTF-8");
+      writeBinary(bytes, 0, bytes.length);
+    } catch (UnsupportedEncodingException e) {
+      throw new TException("UTF-8 not supported!");
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Write a byte array, using a varint for the size.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public void writeBinary(ByteBuffer bin) throws TException {
+    int length = bin.limit() - bin.position();
+    writeBinary(bin.array(), bin.position() + bin.arrayOffset(), length);
+  }
+
+  private void writeBinary(byte[] buf, int offset, int length) throws TException {
+    writeVarint32(length);
+    trans_.write(buf, offset, length);
+  }
+
+  //
+  // These methods are called by structs, but don't actually have any wire
+  // output or purpose.
+  //
+
+  @Override
+  public void writeMessageEnd() throws TException {}
+  @Override
+  public void writeMapEnd() throws TException {}
+  @Override
+  public void writeListEnd() throws TException {}
+  @Override
+  public void writeSetEnd() throws TException {}
+  @Override
+  public void writeFieldEnd() throws TException {}
+
+  //
+  // Internal writing methods
+  //
+
+  /**
+   * Abstract method for writing the start of lists and sets. List and sets on
+   * the wire differ only by the type indicator.
+   */
+  protected void writeCollectionBegin(byte elemType, int size) throws TException {
+    if (size <= 14) {
+      writeByteDirect(size << 4 | getCompactType(elemType));
+    } else {
+      writeByteDirect(0xf0 | getCompactType(elemType));
+      writeVarint32(size);
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Write an i32 as a varint. Results in 1-5 bytes on the wire.
+   * TODO: make a permanent buffer like writeVarint64?
+   */
+  byte[] i32buf = new byte[5];
+  private void writeVarint32(int n) throws TException {
+    int idx = 0;
+    while (true) {
+      if ((n & ~0x7F) == 0) {
+        i32buf[idx++] = (byte)n;
+        // writeByteDirect((byte)n);
+        break;
+        // return;
+      } else {
+        i32buf[idx++] = (byte)((n & 0x7F) | 0x80);
+        // writeByteDirect((byte)((n & 0x7F) | 0x80));
+        n >>>= 7;
+      }
+    }
+    trans_.write(i32buf, 0, idx);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Write an i64 as a varint. Results in 1-10 bytes on the wire.
+   */
+  byte[] varint64out = new byte[10];
+  private void writeVarint64(long n) throws TException {
+    int idx = 0;
+    while (true) {
+      if ((n & ~0x7FL) == 0) {
+        varint64out[idx++] = (byte)n;
+        break;
+      } else {
+        varint64out[idx++] = ((byte)((n & 0x7F) | 0x80));
+        n >>>= 7;
+      }
+    }
+    trans_.write(varint64out, 0, idx);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Convert l into a zigzag long. This allows negative numbers to be
+   * represented compactly as a varint.
+   */
+  private long longToZigzag(long l) {
+    return (l << 1) ^ (l >> 63);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Convert n into a zigzag int. This allows negative numbers to be
+   * represented compactly as a varint.
+   */
+  private int intToZigZag(int n) {
+    return (n << 1) ^ (n >> 31);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Convert a long into little-endian bytes in buf starting at off and going
+   * until off+7.
+   */
+  private void fixedLongToBytes(long n, byte[] buf, int off) {
+    buf[off+0] = (byte)( n        & 0xff);
+    buf[off+1] = (byte)((n >> 8 ) & 0xff);
+    buf[off+2] = (byte)((n >> 16) & 0xff);
+    buf[off+3] = (byte)((n >> 24) & 0xff);
+    buf[off+4] = (byte)((n >> 32) & 0xff);
+    buf[off+5] = (byte)((n >> 40) & 0xff);
+    buf[off+6] = (byte)((n >> 48) & 0xff);
+    buf[off+7] = (byte)((n >> 56) & 0xff);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Writes a byte without any possibility of all that field header nonsense.
+   * Used internally by other writing methods that know they need to write a byte.
+   */
+  private byte[] byteDirectBuffer = new byte[1];
+  private void writeByteDirect(byte b) throws TException {
+    byteDirectBuffer[0] = b;
+    trans_.write(byteDirectBuffer);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Writes a byte without any possibility of all that field header nonsense.
+   */
+  private void writeByteDirect(int n) throws TException {
+    writeByteDirect((byte)n);
+  }
+
+
+  //
+  // Reading methods.
+  //
+
+  /**
+   * Read a message header.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public TMessage readMessageBegin() throws TException {
+    byte protocolId = readByte();
+    if (protocolId != PROTOCOL_ID) {
+      throw new TProtocolException("Expected protocol id " + Integer.toHexString(PROTOCOL_ID) + " but got " + Integer.toHexString(protocolId));
+    }
+    byte versionAndType = readByte();
+    byte version = (byte)(versionAndType & VERSION_MASK);
+    if (version != VERSION) {
+      throw new TProtocolException("Expected version " + VERSION + " but got " + version);
+    }
+    byte type = (byte)((versionAndType >> TYPE_SHIFT_AMOUNT) & 0x03);
+    int seqid = readVarint32();
+    String messageName = readString();
+    return new TMessage(messageName, type, seqid);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Read a struct begin. There's nothing on the wire for this, but it is our
+   * opportunity to push a new struct begin marker onto the field stack.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public TStruct readStructBegin() throws TException {
+    lastField_.push(lastFieldId_);
+    lastFieldId_ = 0;
+    return ANONYMOUS_STRUCT;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Doesn't actually consume any wire data, just removes the last field for
+   * this struct from the field stack.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public void readStructEnd() throws TException {
+    // consume the last field we read off the wire.
+    lastFieldId_ = lastField_.pop();
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Read a field header off the wire.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public TField readFieldBegin() throws TException {
+    byte type = readByte();
+
+    // if it's a stop, then we can return immediately, as the struct is over.
+    if (type == TType.STOP) {
+      return TSTOP;
+    }
+
+    short fieldId;
+
+    // mask off the 4 MSB of the type header. it could contain a field id delta.
+    short modifier = (short)((type & 0xf0) >> 4);
+    if (modifier == 0) {
+      // not a delta. look ahead for the zigzag varint field id.
+      fieldId = readI16();
+    } else {
+      // has a delta. add the delta to the last read field id.
+      fieldId = (short)(lastFieldId_ + modifier);
+    }
+
+    TField field = new TField("", getTType((byte)(type & 0x0f)), fieldId);
+
+    // if this happens to be a boolean field, the value is encoded in the type
+    if (isBoolType(type)) {
+      // save the boolean value in a special instance variable.
+      boolValue_ = (byte)(type & 0x0f) == Types.BOOLEAN_TRUE ? Boolean.TRUE : Boolean.FALSE;
+    }
+
+    // push the new field onto the field stack so we can keep the deltas going.
+    lastFieldId_ = field.id;
+    return field;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Read a map header off the wire. If the size is zero, skip reading the key
+   * and value type. This means that 0-length maps will yield TMaps without the
+   * "correct" types.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public TMap readMapBegin() throws TException {
+    int size = readVarint32();
+    byte keyAndValueType = size == 0 ? 0 : readByte();
+    return new TMap(getTType((byte)(keyAndValueType >> 4)), getTType((byte)(keyAndValueType & 0xf)), size);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Read a list header off the wire. If the list size is 0-14, the size will
+   * be packed into the element type header. If it's a longer list, the 4 MSB
+   * of the element type header will be 0xF, and a varint will follow with the
+   * true size.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public TList readListBegin() throws TException {
+    byte size_and_type = readByte();
+    int size = (size_and_type >> 4) & 0x0f;
+    if (size == 15) {
+      size = readVarint32();
+    }
+    byte type = getTType(size_and_type);
+    return new TList(type, size);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Read a set header off the wire. If the set size is 0-14, the size will
+   * be packed into the element type header. If it's a longer set, the 4 MSB
+   * of the element type header will be 0xF, and a varint will follow with the
+   * true size.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public TSet readSetBegin() throws TException {
+    return new TSet(readListBegin());
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Read a boolean off the wire. If this is a boolean field, the value should
+   * already have been read during readFieldBegin, so we'll just consume the
+   * pre-stored value. Otherwise, read a byte.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public boolean readBool() throws TException {
+    if (boolValue_ != null) {
+      boolean result = boolValue_.booleanValue();
+      boolValue_ = null;
+      return result;
+    }
+    return readByte() == Types.BOOLEAN_TRUE;
+  }
+
+  byte[] byteRawBuf = new byte[1];
+  /**
+   * Read a single byte off the wire. Nothing interesting here.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public byte readByte() throws TException {
+    byte b;
+    if (trans_.getBytesRemainingInBuffer() > 0) {
+      b = trans_.getBuffer()[trans_.getBufferPosition()];
+      trans_.consumeBuffer(1);
+    } else {
+      trans_.readAll(byteRawBuf, 0, 1);
+      b = byteRawBuf[0];
+    }
+    return b;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Read an i16 from the wire as a zigzag varint.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public short readI16() throws TException {
+    return (short)zigzagToInt(readVarint32());
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Read an i32 from the wire as a zigzag varint.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public int readI32() throws TException {
+    return zigzagToInt(readVarint32());
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Read an i64 from the wire as a zigzag varint.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public long readI64() throws TException {
+    return zigzagToLong(readVarint64());
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * No magic here - just read a double off the wire.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public double readDouble() throws TException {
+    byte[] longBits = new byte[8];
+    trans_.readAll(longBits, 0, 8);
+    return Double.longBitsToDouble(bytesToLong(longBits));
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Reads a byte[] (via readBinary), and then UTF-8 decodes it.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public String readString() throws TException {
+    int length = readVarint32();
+
+    if (length == 0) {
+      return "";
+    }
+
+    try {
+      if (trans_.getBytesRemainingInBuffer() >= length) {
+        String str = new String(trans_.getBuffer(), trans_.getBufferPosition(), length, "UTF-8");
+        trans_.consumeBuffer(length);
+        return str;
+      } else {
+        return new String(readBinary(length), "UTF-8");
+      }
+    } catch (UnsupportedEncodingException e) {
+      throw new TException("UTF-8 not supported!");
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Read a byte[] from the wire.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public ByteBuffer readBinary() throws TException {
+    int length = readVarint32();
+    if (length == 0) return ByteBuffer.wrap(new byte[0]);
+
+    byte[] buf = new byte[length];
+    trans_.readAll(buf, 0, length);
+    return ByteBuffer.wrap(buf);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Read a byte[] of a known length from the wire.
+   */
+  private byte[] readBinary(int length) throws TException {
+    if (length == 0) return new byte[0];
+
+    byte[] buf = new byte[length];
+    trans_.readAll(buf, 0, length);
+    return buf;
+  }
+
+  //
+  // These methods are here for the struct to call, but don't have any wire
+  // encoding.
+  //
+  @Override
+  public void readMessageEnd() throws TException {}
+  @Override
+  public void readFieldEnd() throws TException {}
+  @Override
+  public void readMapEnd() throws TException {}
+  @Override
+  public void readListEnd() throws TException {}
+  @Override
+  public void readSetEnd() throws TException {}
+
+  //
+  // Internal reading methods
+  //
+
+  /**
+   * Read an i32 from the wire as a varint. The MSB of each byte is set
+   * if there is another byte to follow. This can read up to 5 bytes.
+   */
+  private int readVarint32() throws TException {
+    int result = 0;
+    int shift = 0;
+    if (trans_.getBytesRemainingInBuffer() >= 5) {
+      byte[] buf = trans_.getBuffer();
+      int pos = trans_.getBufferPosition();
+      int off = 0;
+      while (true) {
+        byte b = buf[pos+off];
+        result |= (b & 0x7f) << shift;
+        if ((b & 0x80) != 0x80) break;
+        shift += 7;
+        off++;
+      }
+      trans_.consumeBuffer(off+1);
+    } else {
+      while (true) {
+        byte b = readByte();
+        result |= (b & 0x7f) << shift;
+        if ((b & 0x80) != 0x80) break;
+        shift += 7;
+      }
+    }
+    return result;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Read an i64 from the wire as a proper varint. The MSB of each byte is set
+   * if there is another byte to follow. This can read up to 10 bytes.
+   */
+  private long readVarint64() throws TException {
+    int shift = 0;
+    long result = 0;
+    if (trans_.getBytesRemainingInBuffer() >= 10) {
+      byte[] buf = trans_.getBuffer();
+      int pos = trans_.getBufferPosition();
+      int off = 0;
+      while (true) {
+        byte b = buf[pos+off];
+        result |= (long) (b & 0x7f) << shift;
+        if ((b & 0x80) != 0x80) break;
+        shift += 7;
+        off++;
+      }
+      trans_.consumeBuffer(off+1);
+    } else {
+      while (true) {
+        byte b = readByte();
+        result |= (long) (b & 0x7f) << shift;
+        if ((b & 0x80) != 0x80) break;
+        shift +=7;
+      }
+    }
+    return result;
+  }
+
+  //
+  // encoding helpers
+  //
+
+  /**
+   * Convert from zigzag int to int.
+   */
+  private int zigzagToInt(int n) {
+    return (n >>> 1) ^ -(n & 1);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Convert from zigzag long to long.
+   */
+  private long zigzagToLong(long n) {
+    return (n >>> 1) ^ -(n & 1);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Note that it's important that the mask bytes are long literals,
+   * otherwise they'll default to ints, and when you shift an int left 56 bits,
+   * you just get a messed up int.
+   */
+  private long bytesToLong(byte[] bytes) {
+    return
+      ((bytes[7] & 0xffL) << 56) |
+      ((bytes[6] & 0xffL) << 48) |
+      ((bytes[5] & 0xffL) << 40) |
+      ((bytes[4] & 0xffL) << 32) |
+      ((bytes[3] & 0xffL) << 24) |
+      ((bytes[2] & 0xffL) << 16) |
+      ((bytes[1] & 0xffL) <<  8) |
+      ((bytes[0] & 0xffL));
+  }
+
+  //
+  // type testing and converting
+  //
+
+  private boolean isBoolType(byte b) {
+    int lowerNibble = b & 0x0f;
+    return lowerNibble == Types.BOOLEAN_TRUE || lowerNibble == Types.BOOLEAN_FALSE;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Given a TCompactProtocol.Types constant, convert it to its corresponding
+   * TType value.
+   */
+  private byte getTType(byte type) throws TProtocolException {
+    switch ((byte)(type & 0x0f)) {
+      case TType.STOP:
+        return TType.STOP;
+      case Types.BOOLEAN_FALSE:
+      case Types.BOOLEAN_TRUE:
+        return TType.BOOL;
+      case Types.BYTE:
+        return TType.BYTE;
+      case Types.I16:
+        return TType.I16;
+      case Types.I32:
+        return TType.I32;
+      case Types.I64:
+        return TType.I64;
+      case Types.DOUBLE:
+        return TType.DOUBLE;
+      case Types.BINARY:
+        return TType.STRING;
+      case Types.LIST:
+        return TType.LIST;
+      case Types.SET:
+        return TType.SET;
+      case Types.MAP:
+        return TType.MAP;
+      case Types.STRUCT:
+        return TType.STRUCT;
+      default:
+        throw new TProtocolException("don't know what type: " + (byte)(type & 0x0f));
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Given a TType value, find the appropriate TCompactProtocol.Types constant.
+   */
+  private byte getCompactType(byte ttype) {
+    return ttypeToCompactType[ttype];
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main/java/parquet/format/Util.java b/src/main/java/parquet/format/Util.java
index 40e3ef559..6a9cc16fa 100644
--- a/src/main/java/parquet/format/Util.java
+++ b/src/main/java/parquet/format/Util.java
@@ -3,11 +3,11 @@
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.io.InputStream;
 import java.io.OutputStream;
-
 import org.apache.thrift.TBase;
 import org.apache.thrift.TException;
 import org.apache.thrift.protocol.TCompactProtocol;
 import org.apache.thrift.transport.TIOStreamTransport;
+import org.apache.thrift.transport.TTransport;
 
 /**
  * Utility to read/write metadata
@@ -35,11 +35,31 @@ public static FileMetaData readFileMetaData(InputStream from) throws IOException
   }
 
   private static TCompactProtocol protocol(OutputStream to) {
-    return new TCompactProtocol(new TIOStreamTransport(to));
+    return new TCompactInterningProtocol(new TIOStreamTransport(to));
   }
 
   private static TCompactProtocol protocol(InputStream from) {
-    return new TCompactProtocol(new TIOStreamTransport(from));
+    return new TCompactInterningProtocol(new TIOStreamTransport(from));
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Interns all strings it reads. This is a pretty blunt hammer,
+   * which we use only on Parquet footer metadata, which we know
+   * will have the schema repeated many times.
+   *
+   */
+  private static class TCompactInterningProtocol extends TCompactProtocol {
+    public TCompactInterningProtocol(TTransport transport) {
+      super(transport);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public String readString() throws TException {
+      return super.readString().intern();
+    }
+
+
+
   }
 
   private static <T extends TBase<?,?>> T read(InputStream from, T tbase) throws IOException {