little claus and big claus-第3节

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Claus　was　not　a　very　light　weight　to　carry。　The　road　led　by　the

church；　and　as　they　passed　he　could　hear　the　organ　playing　and　the

people　singing　beautifully。　Great　Claus　put　down　the　sack　close　to　the

church…door；　and　thought　he　might　as　well　go　in　and　hear　a　psalm

before　he　went　any　farther。　Little　Claus　could　not　possibly　get　out　of

the　sack；　and　all　the　people　were　in　church；　so　in　he　went。

　　　　〃Oh　dear；　oh　dear；〃　sighed　Little　Claus　in　the　sack；　as　he

turned　and　twisted　about；　but　he　found　he　could　not　loosen　the

string　with　which　it　was　tied。　Presently　an　old　cattle　driver；　with

snowy　hair；　passed　by；　carrying　a　large　staff　in　his　hand；　with

which　he　drove　a　large　herd　of　cows　and　oxen　before　him。　They　stumbled

against　the　sack　in　which　lay　Little　Claus；　and　turned　it　over。　〃Oh

dear；〃　sighed　Little　Claus；　〃I　am　very　young；　yet　I　am　soon　going　to

heaven。〃

　　　　〃And　I；　poor　fellow；〃　said　the　drover；　〃I　who　am　so　old　already；

cannot　get　there。〃

　　　　〃Open　the　sack；〃　cried　Little　Claus；　〃creep　into　it　instead　of　me；

and　you　will　soon　be　there。〃

　　　　〃With　all　my　heart；〃　replied　the　drover；　opening　the　sack；　from

which　sprung　Little　Claus　as　quickly　as　possible。　〃Will　you　take

care　of　my　cattle？〃　said　the　old　man；　as　he　crept　into　the　bag。

　　　　〃Yes；〃　said　Little　Claus；　and　he　tied　up　the　sack；　and　then　walked

off　with　all　the　cows　and　oxen。

　　　　When　Great　Claus　came　out　of　church；　he　took　up　the　sack；　and

placed　it　on　his　shoulders。　It　appeared　to　have　become　lighter；　for

the　old　drover　was　not　half　so　heavy　as　Little　Claus。

　　　　〃How　light　he　seems　now；〃　said　he。　〃Ah；　it　is　because　I　have

been　to　a　church。〃　So　he　walked　on　to　the　river；　which　was　deep　and

broad；　and　threw　the　sack　containing　the　old　drover　into　the　water；

believing　it　to　be　Little　Claus。　〃There　you　may　lie！〃　he　exclaimed；

〃you　will　play　me　no　more　tricks　now。〃　Then　he　turned　to　go　home；

but　when　he　came　to　a　place　where　two　roads　crossed；　there　was

Little　Claus　driving　the　cattle。　〃How　is　this？〃　said　Great　Claus。　〃Did

I　not　drown　you　just　now？〃

　　　　〃Yes；〃　said　Little　Claus；　〃you　threw　me　into　the　river　about

half　an　hour　ago。〃

　　　　〃But　wherever　did　you　get　all　these　fine　beasts？〃　asked　Great

Claus。

　　　　〃These　beasts　are　sea…cattle；〃　replied　Little　Claus。　〃I'll　tell

you　the　whole　story；　and　thank　you　for　drowning　me；　I　am　above　you

now；　I　am　really　very　rich。　I　was　frightened；　to　be　sure；　while　I

lay　tied　up　in　the　sack；　and　the　wind　whistled　in　my　ears　when　you

threw　me　into　the　river　from　the　bridge；　and　I　sank　to　the　bottom

immediately；　but　I　did　not　hurt　myself；　for　I　fell　upon　beautifully

soft　grass　which　grows　down　there；　and　in　a　moment；　the　sack　opened；

and　the　sweetest　little　maiden　came　towards　me。　She　had　snow…white

robes；　and　a　wreath　of　green　leaves　on　her　wet　hair。　She　took　me　by

the　hand；　and　said；　'So　you　are　come；　Little　Claus；　and　here　are

some　cattle　for　you　to　begin　with。　About　a　mile　farther　on　the　road；

there　is　another　herd　for　you。'　Then　I　saw　that　the　river　formed　a

great　highway　for　the　people　who　live　in　the　sea。　They　were　walking

and　driving　here　and　there　from　the　sea　to　the　land　at　the；　spot　where

the　river　terminates。　The　bed　of　the　river　was　covered　with　the

loveliest　flowers　and　sweet　fresh　grass。　The　fish　swam　past　me　as

rapidly　as　the　birds　do　here　in　the　air。　How　handsome　all　the　people

were；　and　what　fine　cattle　were　grazing　on　the　hills　and　in　the

valleys！〃

　　　　〃But　why　did　you　come　up　again；〃　said　Great　Claus；　〃if　it　was

all　so　beautiful　down　there？　I　should　not　have　done　so？〃

　　　　〃Well；〃　said　Little　Claus；　〃it　was　good　policy　on　my　part；　you

heard　me　say　just　now　that　I　was　told　by　the　sea…maiden　to　go　a　mile

farther　on　the　road；　and　I　should　find　a　whole　herd　of　cattle。　By

the　road　she　meant　the　river；　for　she　could　not　travel　any　other

way；　but　I　knew　the　winding　of　the　river；　and　how　it　bends；

sometimes　to　the　right　and　sometimes　to　the　left；　and　it　seemed　a　long

way；　so　I　chose　a　shorter　one；　and；　by　coming　up　to　the　land；　and　then

driving　across　the　fields　back　again　to　the　river；　I　shall　save　half　a

mile；　and　get　all　my　cattle　more　quickly。〃

　　　　〃What　a　lucky　fellow　you　are！〃　exclaimed　Great　Claus。　〃Do　you

think　I　should　get　any　sea…cattle　if　I　went　down　to　the　bottom　of

the　river？〃

　　　　〃Yes；　I　think　so；〃　said　Little　Claus；　〃but　I　cannot　carry　you

there　in　a　sack；　you　are　too　heavy。　However　if　you　will　go　there

first；　and　then　creep　into　a　sack；　I　will　throw　you　in　with　the

greatest　pleasure。〃

　　　　〃Thank　you；〃　said　Great　Claus；　〃but　remember；　if　I　do　not　get

any　sea…cattle　down　there　I　shall　come　up　again　and　give　you　a　good

thrashing。〃

　　　　〃No；　now；　don't　be　too　fierce　about　it！〃　said　Little　Claus；　as

they　walked　on　towards　the　river。　When　they　approached　it；　the　cattle；

who　were　very　thirsty；　saw　the　stream；　and　ran　down　to　drink。

　　　　〃See　what　a　hurry　they　are　in；〃　said　Little　Claus；　〃they　are

longing　to　get　down　again；〃

　　　　〃Come；　help　me；　make　haste；〃　said　Great　Claus；　〃or　you'll　get

beaten。〃　So　he　crept　into　a　large　sack；　which　had　been　lying　across

the　back　of　one　of　the　oxen。

　　　　〃Put　in　a　stone；〃　said　Great　Claus；　〃or　I　may　not　sink。〃

　　　　〃Oh；　there's　not　much　fear　of　that；〃　he　replied；　still　he　put　a

large　stone　into　the　bag；　and　then　tied　it　tightly；　and　gave　it　a

push。

　　　　〃Plump！〃　In　went　Great　Claus；　and　immediately　sank　to　the　bottom

of　the　river。

　　　　〃I'm　afraid　he　will　not　find　any　cattle；〃　said　Little　Claus；　and

then　he　drove　his　own　beasts　homewards。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

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