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THE STORY OF BIG KLAUS AND LITTLE KLAUS
In a certain village there lived two people who had both the same
name。 Both were called Klaus； but one owned four horses and the
other only one。 In order to distinguish the one from the other；
the one who had four horses was called Big Klaus； and the one who
had only one horse； Little Klaus。 Now you shall hear what befell
them both； for this is a true story。
The whole week through Little Klaus had to plough for Big Klaus；
and lend him his one horse； then Big Klaus lent him his four
horses； but only once a week； and that was on Sunday。 Hurrah！
how loudly Little Klaus cracked his whip over all the five
horses！ for they were indeed as good as his on this one day。
The sun shone brightly； and all the bells in the church…towers
were pealing； the people were dressed in their best clothes； and
were going to church； with their hymn books under their arms； to
hear the minister preach。 They saw Little Klaus ploughing with
the five horses； but he was so happy that he kept on cracking his
whip； and calling out 'Gee…up； my five horses！'
'You mustn't say that；' said Big Klaus。 'Only one horse is
yours。'
But as soon as someone else was going by Little Klaus forgot that
he must not say it； and called out 'Gee…up； my five horses！'
'Now you had better stop that；' said Big Klaus； 'for if you say
it once more I will give your horse such a crack on the head that
it will drop down dead on the spot！'
'I really won't say it again！' said Little Klaus。 But as soon as
more people passed by； and nodded him good…morning； he became so
happy in thinking how well it looked to have five horses
ploughing his field that； cracking his whip； he called out
'Gee…up； my five horses！'
'I'll see to your horses！' said Big Klaus； and； seizing an iron
bar； he struck Little Klaus' one horse such a blow on the head
that it fell down and died on the spot。
'Alas！ Now I have no horse！' said Little Klaus； beginning to
cry。 Then he flayed the skin off his horse； dried it； and put it
in a sack； which he threw over his shoulder； and went into the
town to sell it。 He had a long way to go； and had to pass
through a great dark forest。 A dreadful storm came on； in which
he lost his way； and before he could get on to the right road
night came on； and it was impossible to reach the town that
evening。
Right in front of him was a large farm…house。 The
window…shutters were closed； but the light came through the
chinks。 'I should very much like to be allowed to spend the
night there；' thought Little Klaus； and he went and knocked at
the door。 The farmer's wife opened it； but when she heard what
he wanted she told him to go away； her husband was not at home；
and she took in no strangers。
'Well； I must lie down outside；' said Little Klaus； and the
farmer's wife shut the door in his face。 Close by stood a large
haystack； and between it and the house a little out…house；
covered with a flat thatched roof。
'I can lie down there；' thought Little Klaus； looking at the
roof； 'it will make a splendid bed； if only the stork won't fly
down and bite my legs。' For a live stork was standing on the
roof； where it had its nest。 So Little Klaus crept up into the
out…house； where he lay down； and made himself comfortable for
the night。 The wooden shutters over the windows were not shut at
the top； and he could just see into the room。
There stood a large table； spread with wine and roast meat and a
beautiful fish。 The farmer's wife and the sexton sat at the
table； but there was no one else。 She was filling up his glass；
while he stuck his fork into the fish which was his favourite
dish。
'If one could only get some of that！' thought Little Klaus；
stretching his head towards the window。 Ah； what delicious cakes
he saw standing there！ It WAS a feast！
Then he heard someone riding along the road towards the house。
It was the farmer coming home。 He was a very worthy man； but he
had one great peculiaritynamely； that he could not bear to see
a sexton。 If he saw one he was made quite mad。 That was why the
sexton had gone to say good…day to the farmer's wife when he knew
that her husband was not at home； and the good woman therefore
put in front of him the best food she had。 But when they heard
the farmer coming they were frightened； and the farmer's wife
begged the sexton to creep into a great empty chest。 He did so；
as he knew the poor man could not bear to see a sexton。 The wife
hastily hid all the beautiful food and the wine in her oven； for
if her husband had seen it； he would have been sure to ask what
it all meant。
'Oh； dear！ oh； dear！' groaned Little Klaus up in the shed； when
he saw the good food disappearing。
'Is anybody up there？' asked the farmer； catching sight of Little
Klaus。 'Why are you lying there？ Come with me into the house。'
Then Little Klaus told him how he had lost his way； and begged to
be allowed to spend the night there。
'Yes； certainly；' said the farmer； 'but we must first have
something to eat！'
The wife received them both very kindly； spread a long table； and
gave them a large plate of porridge。 The farmer was hungry； and
ate with a good appetite； but Little Klaus could not help
thinking of the delicious dishes of fish and roast meats and
cakes which he knew were in the oven。 Under the table at his
feet he had laid the sack with the horse…skin in it； for； as we
know； he was going to the town to sell it。 The porridge did not
taste good to him； so he trod upon his sack； and the dry skin in
the sack squeaked loudly。
'Hush！' said Little Klaus to his sack； at the same time treading
on it again so that it squeaked even louder than before。
'Hallo！ what have you got in your sack？' asked the farmer。
'Oh； it is a wizard！' said Little Klaus。 'He says we should not
eat porridge； for he has conjured the whole oven full of roast
meats and fish and cakes。'
'Goodness me！' said the farmer； and opening the oven he saw all
the delicious； tempting dishes his wife had hidden there； but
which he now believed the wizard in the sack had conjured up for
them。 The wife could say nothing； but she put the food at once
on the table； and they ate the fish； the roast meat； and the
cakes。 Little Klaus now trod again on his sack； so that the skin
squeaked。
'What does he say now？' asked the farmer。
'He says；' replied Little Klans； 'that he has also conjured up
for us three bottles of wine； they are standing in the corner by
the oven！'
The wife had to fetch the wine which she had hidden； and the
farmer drank and grew very merry。 He would very much like to
have had such a wizard as Little Klaus had in the sack。
'Can he conjure up the Devil？' asked the farmer。 'I should like
to see him very much； for I feel just now in very good spirits！'
'Yes；' said Little Klaus； 'my wizard can do everything that I
ask。 Isn't that true？' he asked； treading on the sack so that it
squeaked。 'Do you hear？ He says ''Yes；'' but that the Devil
looks so ugly that we should not like to see him。'
'Oh！ I'm not at all afraid。 What does he look like？'
'He will show himself in the shape of a sexton！'
'I say！' said the farmer； 'he must be ugly！ You must know that I
can't bear to look at a sexton！ But it doesn't matter。 I know
that it is the Devil； and I sha'n't mind！ I feel up to it now。
But he must not come too near me！'
'I must ask my wizard；' said Little Klaus； treading on the sack
and putting his ear to it。
'What does he say？'
'He says you can open the chest in the corner there； and you will
see the Devil squatting inside it； but you must hold the lid so
that he shall not escape。'
'Will you help me to hold him？' begged the farmer； going towards
the chest where his wife had hidden the real sexton； who was
sitting inside in a terrible fright。 The farmer opened the lid a
little way； and saw him inside。
'Ugh！' he shrieked； springing back。 'Yes； now I have seen him；
he looked just like our sexton。 Oh； it was horrid！'
So he had to drink again； and they drank till far on into the
night。
'You MUST sell me the wizard；' said the farmer。 'Ask anything
you like！ I will pay you down a bushelful of money on the spot。'
'No； I really can't；' said Little Klans。 'Just think how many
things I can get from this wizard！'
'Ah！ I should like to have him so much！' said the farmer；
begging very hard。
'Well！' said Little Klaus at last； 'as you have been so good as
to give me shelter to…night； I will sell him。 You shall have the
wizard for a bushel of money； but I must have full measure。'
'That you shall；' said the farmer。 'But you must take the chest
with you。 I won't keep it another hour in the house。 Who knows
that he isn't in there still？'
Little Kl