"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?