按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
it all happened。〃 Then he sent a boy to GreatClaus to borrow a bushel measure。
〃What can he want it for？〃 thought Great Claus； so he smearedthe bottom of the measure with tar； that some of whatever was put intoit might stick there and remain。 And so it happened； for when themeasure returned； three new silver florins were sticking to it。
〃What does this mean？〃 said Great Claus； so he ran off directly toLittle Claus； and asked； 〃Where did you get so much money？〃
〃Oh； for my horse's skin； I sold it yesterday。〃
〃It was certainly well paid for then；〃 said Great Claus； and heran home to his house； seized a hatchet； and knocked all his fourhorses on the head； flayed off their skins； and took them to thetown to sell。 〃Skins； skins； who'll buy skins？〃 he cried； as he wentthrough the streets。 All the shoemakers and tanners came running；and asked how much he wanted for them。
〃A bushel of money； for each；〃 replied Great Claus。
〃Are you mad？〃 they all cried； 〃do you think we have money tospend by the bushel？〃
〃Skins； skins；〃 he cried again； 〃who'll buy skins？〃 but to all whoinquired the price； his answer was； 〃a bushel of money。〃
〃He is making fools of us；〃 said they all； then the shoemakerstook their straps； and the tanners their leather aprons； and beganto beat Great Claus。
〃Skins； skins！〃 they cried； mocking him； 〃yes； we'll mark yourskin for you； till it is black and blue。〃
〃Out of the town with him；〃 said they。 And Great Claus was obligedto run as fast as he could； he had never before been so thoroughlybeaten。
〃Ah；〃 said he； as he came to his house； 〃Little Claus shall pay mefor this； I will beat him to death。〃
Meanwhile the old grandmother of Little Claus died。 She had beencross； unkind； and really spiteful to him； but he was very sorry；and took the dead woman and laid her in his warm bed to see if hecould bring her to life again。 There he determined that she should liethe whole night； while he seated himself in a chair in a corner of theroom as he had often done before。 During the night； as he sat there；the door opened； and in came Great Claus with a hatchet。 He knewwell where Little Claus's bed stood； so he went right up to it； andstruck the old grandmother on the head。 thinking it must be LittleClaus。
〃There；〃 cried he； 〃now you cannot make a fool of me again；〃 andthen he went home。
〃That is a very wicked man；〃 thought Little Claus； 〃he meant tokill me。 It is a good thing for my old grandmother that she wasalready dead； or he would have taken her life。〃 Then he dressed hisold grandmother in her best clothes； borrowed a horse of his neighbor；and harnessed it to a cart。 Then he placed the old woman on the backseat； so that she might not fall out as he drove； and rode awaythrough the wood。 By sunrise they reached a large inn； where LittleClaus stopped and went to get something to eat。 The landlord was arich man； and a good man too； but as passionate as if he had been madeof pepper and snuff。
〃Good morning；〃 said he to Little Claus； 〃you are e betimesto…day。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Little Claus； 〃I am going to the town with my oldgrandmother； she is sitting at the back of the wagon； but I cannotbring her into the room。 Will you take her a glass of mead？ but youmust speak very loud； for she cannot hear well。〃
〃Yes； certainly I will；〃 replied the landlord； and； pouring outa glass of mead； he carried it out to the dead grandmother； who satupright in the cart。 〃Here is a glass of mead from your grandson；〃said the landlord。 The dead woman did not answer a word； but sat quitestill。 〃Do you not hear？〃 cried the landlord as loud as he could；〃here is a glass of mead from your grandson。〃
Again and again he bawled it out； but as she did not stir heflew into a passion； and threw the glass of mead in her face； itstruck her on the nose； and she fell backwards out of the cart； forshe was only seated there； not tied in。
Hallo！〃 cried Little Claus； rushing out of the door； and seizinghold of the landlord by the throat； 〃you have killed my grandmother；see； here is a great hole in her forehead。〃
〃Oh； how unfortunate；〃 said the landlord； wringing his hands。〃This all es of my fiery temper。 Dear Little Claus； I will give youa bushel of money； I will bury your grandmother as if she were my own；only keep silent； or else they will cut off my head； and that would bedisagreeable。〃
So it happened that Little Claus received another bushel of money；and the landlord buried his old grandmother as if she had been hisown。 When Little Claus reached home again； he immediately sent a boyto Great Claus； requesting him to lend him a bushel measure。 〃How isthis？〃 thought Great Claus； 〃did I not kill him？ I must go and see formyself。〃 So he went to Little Claus； and took the bushel measurewith him。 〃How did you get all this money？〃 asked Great Claus； staringwith wide open eyes at his neighbor's treasures。
〃You killed my grandmother instead of me；〃 said Little Claus；〃so I have sold her for a bushel of money。〃
〃That is a good price at all events；〃 said Great Claus。 So he wenthome； took a hatchet； and killed his old grandmother with one blow。Then he placed her on a cart； and drove into the town to theapothecary； and asked him if he would buy a dead body。
〃Whose is it； and where did you get it？〃 asked the apothecary。
〃It is my grandmother；〃 he replied； 〃I killed her with a blow；that I might get a bushel of money for her。〃
〃Heaven preserve us！〃 cried the apothecary； 〃you are out of yourmind。 Don't say such things； or you will lose your head。〃 And thenhe talked to him seriously about the wicked deed he had done； and toldhim that such a wicked man would surely be punished。 Great Claus gotso frightened that he rushed out of the surgery； jumped into the cart；whipped up his horses； and drove home quickly。 The apothecary andall the people thought him mad； and let him drive where he liked。
〃You shall pay for this；〃 said Great Claus； as soon as he got intothe highroad； 〃that you shall； Little Claus。〃 So as soon as he reachedhome he took the largest sack he could find and went over to LittleClaus。 〃You have played me another trick；〃 said he。 〃First； I killedall my horses； and then my old grandmother； and it is all yourfault； but you shall not make a fool of me any more。〃 So he laidhold of Little Claus round the body； and pushed him into the sack；which he took on his shoulders； saying； 〃Now I'm going to drown you inthe river。
He had a long way to go before he reached the river； and LittleClaus was not a very light weight to carry。 The road led by thechurch； and as they passed he could hear the organ playing and thepeople singing beautifully。 Great Claus put down the sack close to thechurch…door； and thought he might as well go in and hear a psalmbefore he went any farther。 Little Claus could not possibly get out ofthe sack； and all the people were in church； so in he went。
〃Oh dear； oh dear；〃 sighed Little Claus in the sack； as heturned and twisted about； but he found he could not loosen thestring with which it was tied。 Presently an old cattle driver； withsnowy hair； passed by； carrying a large staff in his hand； withwhich he drove a large herd of cows and oxen before him。 They stumbledagainst the sack in which lay Little Claus； and turned it over。 〃Ohdear；〃 sighed Little Claus； 〃I am very young； yet I am soon going toheaven。〃
〃And I； poor fellow；〃 said the drover； 〃I who am so old already；cannot get there。〃
〃Open the sack；〃 cried Little Claus； 〃creep into it instead of me；and you will soon be there。〃
〃With all my heart；〃 replied the drover； opening the sack； fromwhich sprung Little Claus as quickly as possible。 〃Will you takecare of my cattle？〃 said the old man； as he crept into the bag。
〃Yes；〃 said Little Claus； and he tied up the sack； and then walkedoff with all the cows and oxen。
When Great Claus came out of church； he took up the sack； andplaced it on his shoulders。 It appeared to have bee lighter； forthe old drover was not half so heavy as Little Claus。
〃How light he seems now；〃 said he。 〃Ah； it is because I havebeen to a church。〃 So he walked on to the river； which was deep andbroad； and threw the sack containing the old drover into the water；believing it to be Little Claus。 〃There you may lie！〃