askedthefarmer,lookingupanddiscoveringlittleclaus."whyareyoulyingupthere?comedown,andcomeintothehousewithme."solittleclauscamedownandtoldthefarmerhowhehadlosthiswayandbeggedforanight'slodging.

"allright,"saidthefarmer;"butwemusthavesomethingtoeatfirst."

thewomanreceivedthembothverykindly,laidtheclothonalargetable,andplacedbeforethemadishofporridge.thefarmerwasveryhungry,andatehisporridgewithagoodappetite,butlittleclauscouldnothelpthinkingoftheniceroastmeat,fishandpies,whichheknewwereintheoven.underthetable,athisfeet,laythesackcontainingthehorse'sskin,whichheintendedtosellatthenexttown.nowlittleclausdidnotrelishtheporridgeatall,sohetrodwithhisfootonthesackunderthetable,andthedryskinsqueakedquiteloud."hush!"saidlittleclaustohissack,atthesametimetreadinguponitagain,tillitsqueakedlouderthanbefore.

"hallo!whathaveyougotinyoursack!"askedthefarmer.

"oh,itisaconjuror,"saidlittleclaus;"andhesaysweneednoteatporridge,forhehasconjuredtheovenfullofroastmeat,fish,andpie."

"wonderful!"criedthefarmer,startingupandopeningtheovendoor;andtherelayallthenicethingshiddenbythefarmer'swife,butwhichhesupposedhadbeenconjuredtherebythewizardunderthetable.thewomandarednotsayanything;sosheplacedthethingsbeforethem,andtheybothateofthefish,themeat,andthepastry.

thenlittleclaustrodagainuponhissack,anditsqueakedasbefore."whatdoeshesaynow?"askedthefarmer.

"hesays,"repliedlittleclaus,"thattherearethreebottlesofwineforus,standinginthecorner,bytheoven."

sothewomanwasobligedtobringoutthewinealso,whichshehadhidden,andthefarmerdrankittillhebecamequitemerry.hewouldhavelikedsuchaconjuroraslittleclauscarriedinhissack."couldheconjureuptheevilone?"askedthefarmer."ishouldliketoseehimnow,whileiamsomerry."

"oh,yes!"repliedlittleclaus,"myconjurorcandoanythingiaskhim,-canyounot?"heasked,treadingatthesametimeonthesacktillitsqueaked."doyouhear?heanswers'yes,'buthefearsthatweshallnotliketolookathim."

"oh,iamnotafraid.whatwillhebelike?"

"well,heisverymuchlikeasexton."

"ha!"saidthefarmer,"thenhemustbeugly.doyouknowicannotendurethesightofasexton.however,thatdoesn'tmatter,ishallknowwhoitis;soishallnotmind.nowthen,ihavegotupmycourage,butdon'tlethimcometoonearme."

"stop,imustasktheconjuror,"saidlittleclaus;sohetrodonthebag,andstoopedhiseardowntolisten.