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                     FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

                           LITTLE CLAUS AND BIG CLAUS

                           by Hans Christian Andersen



    IN a village there once lived two men who had the same name。

They were both called Claus。 One of them had four horses; but the

other had only one; so to distinguish them; people called the owner of

the four horses; 〃Great Claus;〃 and he who had only one; 〃Little

Claus。〃 Now we shall hear what happened to them; for this is a true

story。

    Through the whole week; Little Claus was obliged to plough for

Great Claus; and lend him his one horse; and once a week; on a Sunday;

Great Claus lent him all his four horses。 Then how Little Claus

would smack his whip over all five horses; they were as good as his

own on that one day。 The sun shone brightly; and the church bells were

ringing merrily as the people passed by; dressed in their best

clothes; with their prayer…books under their arms。 They were going

to hear the clergyman preach。 They looked at Little Claus ploughing

with his five horses; and he was so proud that he smacked his whip;

and said; 〃Gee…up; my five horses。〃

    〃You must not say that;〃 said Big Claus; 〃for only one of them

belongs to you。〃 But Little Claus soon forgot what he ought to say;

and when any one passed he would call out; 〃Gee…up; my five horses!〃

    〃Now I must beg you not to say that again;〃 said Big Claus; 〃for

if you do; I shall hit your horse on the head; so that he will drop

dead on the spot; and there will be an end of him。〃

    〃I promise you I will not say it any more;〃 said the other; but as

soon as people came by; nodding to him; and wishing him 〃Good day;〃 he

became so pleased; and thought how grand it looked to have five horses

ploughing in his field; that he cried out again; 〃Gee…up; all my

horses!〃

    〃I'll gee…up your horses for you;〃 said Big Claus; and seizing a

hammer; he struck the one horse of Little Claus on the head; and he

fell dead instantly。

    〃Oh; now I have no horse at all; said Little Claus; weeping。 But

after a while he took off the dead horse's skin; and hung the hide

to dry in the wind。 Then he put the dry skin into a bag; and;

placing it over his shoulder; went out into the next town to sell

the horse's skin。 He had a very long way to go; and had to pass

through a dark; gloomy forest。 Presently a storm arose; and he lost

his way; and before he discovered the right path; evening came on; and

it was still a long way to the town; and too far to return home before

night。 Near the road stood a large farmhouse。 The shutters outside the

windows were closed; but lights shone through the crevices at the top。

〃I might get permission to stay here for the night;〃 thought Little

Claus; so he went up to the door and knocked。 The farmer's wife opened

the door; but when she heard what he wanted; she told him to go

away; as her husband would not allow her to admit strangers。 〃Then I

shall be obliged to lie out here;〃 said Little Claus to himself; as

the farmer's wife shut the door in his face。 Near to the farmhouse

stood a large haystack; and between it and the house was a small shed;

with a thatched roof。 〃I can lie up there;〃 said Little Claus; as he

saw the roof; 〃it will make a famous bed; but I hope the stork will

not fly down and bite my legs;〃 for on it stood a living stork;

whose nest was in the roof。 So Little Claus climbed to the roof of the

shed; and while he turned himself to get comfortable; he discovered

that the wooden shutters; which were closed; did not reach to the tops

of the windows of the farmhouse; so that he could see into a room;

in which a large table was laid out with wine; roast meat; and a

splendid fish。 The farmer's wife and the sexton were sitting at the

table together; and she filled his glass; and helped him plenteously

to fish; which appeared to be his favorite dish。 〃If I could only

get some; too;〃 thought Little Claus; and then; as he stretched his

neck towards the window he spied a large; beautiful pie;… indeed

they had a glorious feast before them。

    At this moment he heard some one riding down the road; towards the

farmhouse。 It was the farmer returning home。 He was a good man; but

still he had a very strange prejudice;… he could not bear the sight of

a sexton。 If one appeared before him; he would put himself in a

terrible rage。 In consequence of this dislike; the sexton had gone

to visit the farmer's wife during her husband's absence from home; and

the good woman had placed before him the best she had in the house

to eat。 When she heard the farmer coming she was frightened; and

begged the sexton to hide himself in a large empty chest that stood in

the room。 He did so; for he knew her husband could not endure the

sight of a sexton。 The woman then quickly put away the wine; and hid

all the rest of the nice things in the oven; for if her husband had

seen them he would have asked what they were brought out for。

    〃Oh; dear;〃 sighed Little Claus from the top of the shed; as he

saw all the good things disappear。

    〃Is any one up there?〃 asked the farmer; looking up and

discovering Little Claus。 〃Why are you lying up there? Come down;

and come into the house with me。〃 So Little Claus came down and told

the farmer how he had lost his way and begged for a night's lodging。

    〃All right;〃 said the farmer; 〃but we must have something to eat

first。〃

    The woman received them both very kindly; laid the cloth on a

large table; and placed before them a dish of porridge。 The farmer was

very hungry; and ate his porridge with a good appetite; but Little

Claus could not help thinking of the nice roast meat; fish and pies;

which he knew were in the oven。 Under the table; at his feet; lay

the sack containing the horse's skin; which he intended to sell at the

next town。 Now Little Claus did not relish the porridge at all; so

he trod with his foot on the sack under the table; and the dry skin

squeaked quite loud。 〃Hush!〃 said Little Claus to his sack; at the

same time treading upon it again; till it squeaked louder than before。

    〃Hallo! what have you got in your sack!〃 asked the farmer。

    〃Oh; it is a conjuror;〃 said Little Claus; 〃and he says we need

not eat porridge; for he has conjured the oven full of roast meat;

fish; and pie。〃

    〃Wonderful!〃 cried the farmer; starting up and opening the oven

door; and there lay all the nice things hidden by the farmer's wife;

but which he supposed had been conjured there by the wizard under

the table。 The woman dared not say anything; so she placed the

things before them; and they both ate of the fish; the meat; and the

pastry。

    Then Little Claus trod again upon his sack; and it squeaked as

before。 〃What does he say now?〃 asked the farmer。

    〃He says;〃 replied Little Claus; 〃that there are three bottles

of wine for us; standing in the corner; by the oven。〃

    So the woman was obliged to bring out the wine also; which she had

hidden; and the farmer drank it till he became quite merry。 He would

have liked such a conjuror as Little Claus carried in his sack。 〃Could

he conjure up the evil one?〃 asked the farmer。 〃I should like to see

him now; while I am so merry。〃

    〃Oh; yes!〃 replied Little Claus; 〃my conjuror can do anything I

ask him;… can you not?〃 he asked; treading at the same time on the

sack till it squeaked。 〃Do you hear? he answers 'Yes;' but he fears

that we shall not like to look at him。〃

    〃Oh; I am not afraid。 What will he be like?〃

    〃Well; he is very much like a sexton。〃

    〃Ha!〃 said the farmer; 〃then he must be ugly。 Do you know I cannot

endure the sight of a sexton。 However; that doesn't matter; I shall

know who it is; so I shall not mind。 Now then; I have got up my

courage; but don't let him come too near me。〃

    〃Stop; I must ask the conjuror;〃 said Little Claus; so he trod

on the bag; and stooped his ear down to listen。

    〃What does he say?〃

    〃He says that you must go and open that large chest which stands

in the corner; and you will see the evil one crouching down inside;

but you must hold the lid firmly; that he may not slip out。〃

    〃Will you come and help me hold it?〃 said the farmer; going

towards the chest in which his wife had hidden the sexton; who now lay

inside; very much frightened。 The farmer opened the lid a very

little way; and peeped in。

    〃Oh;〃 cried he; springing backwards; 〃I saw him; and he is exactly

like our sexton。 How dreadful it is!〃 So after that he was obliged

to drink again; and they sat and drank till far into the night。

    〃You must sell your conjuror to me;〃 said the farmer; 〃ask as much

as you like; I will pay it; indeed I would give you directly a whole

bushel of gold。〃

    〃No; indeed; I cannot;〃 said Little Claus; 〃only think how much

profit I could make out of this conjuror。〃

    〃But I should like to have him;〃 said the fanner; still continuing

his entreaties。

    〃Well;〃 said Little Claus at length; 〃you have been so good as

to give me a night's lodging; I will not refuse you; you shall have

the

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