little claus and big claus-第1节

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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