36-the story of big klaus-第3节

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'And　I；　poor　man；'　said　the　cattle…driver；　'I　am　so　old　and　yet　I

cannot　die！'



'Open　the　sack；'　called　out　Little　Klaus；　'creep　in　here　instead

of　me；　and　you　will　die　in　a　moment！'



'I　will　gladly　do　that；'　said　the　cattle…driver；　and　he　opened

the　sack；　and　Little　Klaus　struggled　out　at　once。



'You　will　take　care　of　the　cattle；　won't　you？'　asked　the　old　man；

creeping　into　the　sack；　which　Little　Klaus　fastened　up　and　then

went　on　with　the　cows　and　oxen。　　Soon　after　Big　Klaus　came　out　of

the　church；　and　taking　up　the　sack　on　his　shoulders　it　seemed　to

him　as　if　it　had　become　lighter；　for　the　old　cattle…driver　was

not　half　as　heavy　as　Little　Klaus。　



'How　easy　he　is　to　carry　now！　　That　must　be　because　I　heard　part

of　the　service。'



So　he　went　to　the　river；　which　was　deep　and　broad；　threw　in　the

sack　with　the　old　driver；　and　called　after　it；　for　he　thought

Little　Klaus　was　inside：



'Down　you　go！　　You　won't　mock　me　any　more　now！'



Then　he　went　home；　but　when　he　came　to　the　cross…roads；　there　he

met　Little　Klaus；　who　was　driving　his　cattle。



'What's　this？'　said　Big　Klaus。　　'Haven't　I　drowned　you？'



'Yes；'　replied　Little　Klaus；　'you　threw　me　into　the　river　a　good

half…hour　ago！'



'But　how　did　you　get　those　splendid　cattle？'　asked　Big　Klaus。



'They　are　sea…cattle！'　said　Little　Klaus。　　'I　will　tell　you　the

whole　story；　and　I　thank　you　for　having　drowned　me；　because　now　I

am　on　dry　land　and　really　rich！　　How　frightened　I　was　when　I　was

in　the　sack！　　How　the　wind　whistled　in　my　ears　as　you　threw　me

from　the　bridge　into　the　cold　water！　　I　sank　at　once　to　the

bottom；　but　I　did　not　hurt　myself　for　underneath　was　growing　the

most　beautiful　soft　grass。　　I　fell　on　this；　and　immediately　the

sack　opened；　the　loveliest　maiden　in　snow…white　garments；　with　a

green　garland　round　her　wet　hair；　took　me　by　the　hand；　and　said！　

''Are　you　Little　Klaus？　　Here　are　some　cattle　for　you　to　begin

with；　and　a　mile　farther　down　the　road　there　is　another　herd；

which　I　will　give　you　as　a　present！''　Now　I　saw　that　the　river

was　a　great　high…road　for　the　sea…people。　　Along　it　they　travel

underneath　from　the　sea　to　the　land　till　the　river　ends。　　It　was

so　beautiful；　full　of　flowers　and　fresh　grass；　the　fishes　which

were　swimming　in　the　water　shot　past　my　ears　as　the　birds　do　here

in　the　air。　　What　lovely　people　there　were；　and　what　fine　cattle

were　grazing　in　the　ditches　and　dykes！'



'But　why　did　you　come　up　to　us　again？'　asked　Big　Klaus。　　'I

should　not　have　done　so；　if　it　is　so　beautiful　down　below！'



'Oh！'　said　Little　Klaus；　'that　was　just　so　politic　of　me。　　You

heard　what　I　told　you；　that　the　sea…maiden　said　to　me　a　mile

farther　along　the　roadand　by　the　road　she　meant　the　river；　for

she　can　go　by　no　other　waythere　was　another　herd　of　cattle

waiting　for　me。　　But　I　know　what　windings　the　river　makes；　now

here；　now　there；　so　that　it　is　a　long　way　round。　　Therefore　it

makes　it　much　shorter　if　one　comes　on　the　land　and　drives　across

the　field　to　the　river。　　Thus　I　have　spared　myself　quite　half　a

mile；　and　have　come　much　quicker　to　my　sea…cattle！'



'Oh；　you're　a　lucky　fellow！'　said　Big　Klaus。　　'Do　you　think　I

should　also　get　some　cattle　if　I　went　to　the　bottom　of　the

river？'



'Oh；　yes！　　I　think　so；'　said　Little　Klaus。　　'But　I　can't　carry

you　in　a　sack　to　the　river；　you　are　too　heavy　for　me！　　If　you

like　to　go　there　yourself　and　then　creep　into　the　sack；　I　will

throw　you　in　with　the　greatest　of　pleasure。'



'Thank　you；'　said　Big　Klaus；　'but　if　I　don't　get　any　sea…cattle

when　I　come　there；　you　will　have　a　good　hiding；　mind！'



'Oh；　no！　　Don't　be　so　hard　on　me！'　　Then　they　went　to　the　river。　

When　the　cattle；　which　were　thirsty；　caught　sight　of　the　water；

they　ran　as　quickly　as　they　could　to　drink。



'Look　how　they　are　running！'　said　Little　Klaus。　　'They　want　to　go

to　the　bottom　again！'



'Yes；　but　help　me　first；'　said　Big　Klaus；　'or　else　you　shall　have

a　beating！'



And　so　he　crept　into　the　large　sack；　which　was　lying　on　the　back

of　one　of　the　oxen。　　'Put　a　stone　in；　for　I　am　afraid　I　may　not

reach　the　bottom；'　said　Big　Klaus。



'It　goes　all　right！'　said　Little　Klaus；　but　still　he　laid　a　big

stone　in　the　sack；　fastened　it　up　tight；　and　then　pushed　it　in。　

Plump！　　there　was　Big　Klaus　in　the　water；　and　he　sank　like　lead

to　the　bottom。



'I　doubt　if　he　will　find　any　cattle！'　said　Little　Klaus　as　he

drove　his　own　home。