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.
"whatdoeshesay?"
"hesaysthatyoumustgoandopenthatlargechestwhichstandsinthecorner,andyouwillseetheevilonecrouchingdowninside;butyoumustholdthelidfirmly,thathemaynotslipout."
"willyoucomeandhelpmeholdit?"saidthefarmer,goingtowardsthechestinwhichhiswifehadhiddenthesexton,whonowlayinside,verymuchfrightened.thefarmeropenedthelidaverylittleway,andpeepedin.
"oh,"criedhe,springingbackwards,"isawhim,andheisexactlylikeoursexton.howdreadfulitis!"soafterthathewasobligedtodrinkagain,andtheysatanddranktillfarintothenight.
"youmustsellyourconjurortome,"saidthefarmer;"askasmuchasyoulike,iwillpayit;indeediwouldgiveyoudirectlyawholebushelofgold."
"no,indeed,icannot,"saidlittleclaus;"onlythinkhowmuchprofiticouldmakeoutofthisconjuror."
"butishouldliketohavehim,"saidthefanner,stillcontinuinghisentreaties.
"well,"saidlittleclausatlength,"youhavebeensogoodastogivemeanight'slodging,iwillnotrefuseyou;youshallhavetheconjurorforabushelofmoney,butiwillhavequitefullmeasure."
"soyoushall,"saidthefarmer;"butyoumusttakeawaythechestaswell.iwouldnothaveitinthehouseanotherhour;thereisnoknowingifhemaynotbestillthere."
solittleclausgavethefarmerthesackcontainingthedriedhorse'sskin,andreceivedinexchangeabushelofmoney-fullmeasure.thefarmeralsogavehimawheelbarrowonwhichtocarryawaythechestandthegold.
"farewell,"saidlittleclaus,ashewentoffwithhismoneyandthegreatchest,inwhichthesextonlaystillconcealed.ononesideoftheforestwasabroad,deepriver,thewaterflowedsorapidlythatveryfewwereabletoswimagainstthestream.anewbridgehadlatelybeenbuiltacrossit,andinthemiddleofthisbridgelittleclausstopped,andsaid,loudenoughtobeheardbythesexton,"nowwhatshallidowiththisstupidchest;itisasheavyasifitwerefullofstones:ishallbetiredifirollitanyfarther,soimayaswellthrowitintheriver;ifitswimsaftermetomyhouse,wellandgood,andifnot,itwillnotmuchmatter."
soheseizedthechestinhishandandlifteditupalittle,asifheweregoingtothrowitintothewater.
"no,leaveitalone,"criedthesextonfromwithinthechest;"letmeoutfirst."
"oh,"exclaimedlittleclaus,pretendingtobefrightened,"heisintherestill,ishe?