"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?