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〃Hallo！〃 shouted Jack the Dullard。 〃Here am I！ Look what I havefound on the high road。〃 And he showed them what it was； and it wasa dead crow。
〃Dullard！〃 exclaimed the brothers； 〃what are you going to dowith that？〃
〃With the crow？ why； I am going to give it to the Princess。〃
〃Yes； do so；〃 said they； and they laughed； and rode on。
〃Hallo； here I am again！ just see what I have found now： you don'tfind that on the high road every day！〃
And the brothers turned round to see what he could have found now。
〃Dullard！〃 they cried； 〃that is only an old wooden shoe； and theupper part is missing into the bargain； are you going to give thatalso to the Princess？〃
〃Most certainly I shall；〃 replied Jack the Dullard； and againthe brothers laughed and rode on； and thus they got far in advanceof him； but…
〃Hallo… hop rara！〃 and there was Jack the Dullard again。 〃It isgetting better and better；〃 he cried。 〃Hurrah！ it is quite famous。〃
〃Why； what have you found this time？〃 inquired the brothers。
〃Oh；〃 said Jack the Dullard； 〃I can hardly tell you。 How gladthe Princess will be！〃
〃Bah！〃 said the brothers； 〃that is nothing but clay out of theditch。〃
〃Yes； certainly it is；〃 said Jack the Dullard； 〃and clay of thefinest sort。 See； it is so wet； it runs through one's fingers。〃 And hefilled his pocket with the clay。
But his brothers galloped on till the sparks flew； andconsequently they arrived a full hour earlier at the town gate thancould Jack。 Now at the gate each suitor was provided with a number；and all were placed in rows immediately on their arrival； six ineach row； and so closely packed together that they could not movetheir arms； and that was a prudent arrangement； for they wouldcertainly have e to blows； had they been able； merely because oneof them stood before the other。
All the inhabitants of the country round about stood in greatcrowds around the castle； almost under the very windows； to see thePrincess receive the suitors； and as each stepped into the hall； hispower of speech seemed to desert him； like the light of a candlethat is blown out。 Then the Princess would say； 〃He is of no use！ Awaywith him out of the hall！〃
At last the turn came for that brother who knew the dictionaryby heart； but he did not know it now； he had absolutely forgotten italtogether； and the boards seemed to re…echo with his footsteps； andthe ceiling of the hall was made of looking…glass； so that he sawhimself standing on his head； and at the window stood three clerks anda head clerk； and every one of them was writing down every single wordthat was uttered； so that it might be printed in the newspapers； andsold for a penny at the street corners。 It was a terrible ordeal；and they had； moreover； made such a fire in the stove； that the roomseemed quite red hot。
〃It is dreadfully hot here！〃 observed the first brother。
〃Yes；〃 replied the Princess； 〃my father is going to roast youngpullets today。〃
〃Baa！〃 there he stood like a baa…lamb。 He had not been preparedfor a speech of this kind； and had not a word to say； though heintended to say something witty。 〃Baa！〃
〃He is of no use！〃 said the Princess。 〃Away with him！〃
And he was obliged to go accordingly。 And now the second brothercame in。
〃It is terribly warm here！〃 he observed。
〃Yes； we're roasting pullets to…day；〃 replied the Princess。
〃What… what were you… were you pleased to ob…〃 stammered he… andall the clerks wrote down； 〃pleased to ob…〃
〃He is of no use！〃 said the Princess。 〃Away with him！〃
Now came the turn of Jack the Dullard。 He rode into the hall onhis goat。
〃Well； it's most abominably hot here。〃
〃Yes； because I'm roasting young pullets；〃 replied the Princess。
〃Ah； that's lucky！〃 exclaimed Jack the Dullard； 〃for I supposeyou'll let me roast my crow at the same time？〃
〃With the greatest pleasure；〃 said the Princess。 〃But have youanything you can roast it in？ for I have neither pot nor pan。〃
〃Certainly I have！〃 said Jack。 〃Here's a cooking utensil with atin handle。〃
And he brought out the old wooden shoe； and put the crow into it。
〃Well； that is a famous dish！〃 said the Princess。 〃But whatshall we do for sauce？〃
〃Oh； I have that in my pocket；〃 said Jack； 〃I have so much of itthat I can afford to throw some away；〃 and he poured some of theclay out of his pocket。
〃I like that！〃 said the Princess。 〃You can give an answer； and youhave something to say for yourself； and so you shall be my husband。But are you aware that every word we speak is being taken down； andwill be published in the paper to…morrow？ Look yonder； and you willsee in every window three clerks and a head clerk； and the old headclerk is the worst of all； for he can't understand anything。〃
But she only said this to frighten Jack the Dullard； and theclerks gave a great crow of delight； and each one spurted a blot outof his pen on to the floor。
〃Oh； those are the gentlemen； are they？〃 said Jack； 〃then I willgive the best I have to the head clerk。〃 And he turned out hispockets； and flung the wet clay full in the head clerk's face。
〃That was very cleverly done；〃 observed the Princess。 〃I could nothave done that； but I shall learn in time。〃
And accordingly Jack the Dullard was made a king； and received acrown and a wife； and sat upon a throne。 And this report we have wetfrom the press of the head clerk and the corporation of printers…but they are not to be depended upon in the least。
THE END。
1872
FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
LITTLE CLAUS AND BIG CLAUS
by Hans Christian Andersen
IN a village there once lived two men who had the same name。They were both called Claus。 One of them had four horses； but theother had only one； so to distinguish them； people called the owner ofthe four horses； 〃Great Claus；〃 and he who had only one； 〃LittleClaus。〃 Now we shall hear what happened to them； for this is a truestory。
Through the whole week； Little Claus was obliged to plough forGreat Claus； and lend him his one horse； and once a week； on a Sunday；Great Claus lent him all his four horses。 Then how Little Clauswould smack his whip over all five horses； they were as good as hisown on that one day。 The sun shone brightly； and the church bells wereringing merrily as the people passed by； dressed in their bestclothes； with their prayer…books under their arms。 They were goingto hear the clergyman preach。 They looked at Little Claus ploughingwith his five horses； and he was so proud that he smacked his whip；and said； 〃Gee…up； my five horses。〃
〃You must not say that；〃 said Big Claus； 〃for only one of thembelongs to you。〃 But Little Claus soon forgot what he ought to say；and when any one passed he would call out； 〃Gee…up； my five horses！〃
〃Now I must beg you not to say that again；〃 said Big Claus； 〃forif you do； I shall hit your horse on the head； so that he will dropdead on the spot； and there will be an end of him。〃
〃I promise you I will not say it any more；〃 said the other； but assoon as people came by； nodding to him； and wishing him 〃Good day；〃 hebecame so pleased； and thought how grand it looked to have five horsesploughing in his field； that he cried out again； 〃Gee…up； all myhorses！〃
〃I'll gee…up your horses for you；〃 said Big Claus； and seizing ahammer； he struck the one horse of Little Claus on the head； and hefell dead instantly。
〃Oh； now I have no horse at all； said Little Claus； weeping。 Butafter a while he took off the dead horse's skin； and hung the hideto dry in the wind。 Then he put the dry skin into a bag； and；placing it over his shoulder； went out into the next town to sellthe horse's skin。 He had a very long way to go； and had to passthrough a dark； gloomy forest。 Presently a storm arose； and he losthis way； and before he discovered the right path； evening came on； andit was still a long way to the town； and too far to return home beforenight。 Near the road stood a large farmhouse。 The shutters outside thewindows were closed； but lights shone through the crevices at the top。〃I might get permission to stay here for the night；〃 thought LittleClaus； so he went up to the door and knocked。 The farmer's wife openedthe door； but when she heard what he wanted； she told him to goaway； as her husband would not all