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'Yes；' said Little Klaus； 'my wizard can do everything that I
ask。 Isn't that true？' he asked； treading on the sack so that it
squeaked。 'Do you hear？ He says ''Yes；'' but that the Devil
looks so ugly that we should not like to see him。'
'Oh！ I'm not at all afraid。 What does he look like？'
'He will show himself in the shape of a sexton！'
'I say！' said the farmer； 'he must be ugly！ You must know that I
can't bear to look at a sexton！ But it doesn't matter。 I know
that it is the Devil； and I sha'n't mind！ I feel up to it now。
But he must not come too near me！'
'I must ask my wizard；' said Little Klaus； treading on the sack
and putting his ear to it。
'What does he say？'
'He says you can open the chest in the corner there； and you will
see the Devil squatting inside it； but you must hold the lid so
that he shall not escape。'
'Will you help me to hold him？' begged the farmer； going towards
the chest where his wife had hidden the real sexton； who was
sitting inside in a terrible fright。 The farmer opened the lid a
little way； and saw him inside。
'Ugh！' he shrieked； springing back。 'Yes； now I have seen him；
he looked just like our sexton。 Oh； it was horrid！'
So he had to drink again； and they drank till far on into the
night。
'You MUST sell me the wizard；' said the farmer。 'Ask anything
you like！ I will pay you down a bushelful of money on the spot。'
'No； I really can't；' said Little Klans。 'Just think how many
things I can get from this wizard！'
'Ah！ I should like to have him so much！' said the farmer；
begging very hard。
'Well！' said Little Klaus at last； 'as you have been so good as
to give me shelter to…night； I will sell him。 You shall have the
wizard for a bushel of money； but I must have full measure。'
'That you shall；' said the farmer。 'But you must take the chest
with you。 I won't keep it another hour in the house。 Who knows
that he isn't in there still？'
Little Klaus gave the farmer his sack with the dry skin； and got
instead a good bushelful of money。 The farmer also gave him a
wheelbarrow to carry away his money and the chest。 'Farewell；'
said Little Klaus； and away he went with his money and the big
chest； wherein sat the sexton。
On the other side of the wood was a large deep river。 The water
flowed so rapidly that you could scarcely swim against the
stream。
A great new bridge had been built over it； on the middle of which
Little Klaus stopped； and said aloud so that the sexton might
hear：
'Now； what am I to do with this stupid chest？ It is as heavy as
if it were filled with stones！ I shall only be tired； dragging
it along； I will throw it into the river。 If it swims home to
me； well and good； and if it doesn't； it's no matter。'
Then he took the chest with one hand and lifted it up a little；
as if he were going to throw it into the water。
'No； don't do that！' called out the sexton in the chest。 'Let me
get out first！'
'Oh； oh！' said Little Klaus； pretending that he was afraid。 'He
is still in there！ I must throw him quickly into the water to
drown him！'
'Oh！ no； no！' cried the sexton。 'I will give you a whole
bushelful of money if you will let me go！'
'Ah； that's quite another thing！' said Little Klaus； opening the
chest。 The sexton crept out very quickly； pushed the empty chest
into the water and went to his house； where he gave Little Klaus
a bushel of money。 One he had had already from the farmer； and
now he had his wheelbarrow full of money。
'Well； I have got a good price for the horse！' said he to himself
when he shook all his money out in a heap in his room。 'This
will put Big Klaus in a rage when he hears how rich I have become
through my one horse； but I won't tell him just yet！'
So he sent a boy to Big Klaus to borrow a bushel measure from
him。
'Now what can he want with it？' thought Big Klaus； and he smeared
some tar at the bottom； so that of whatever was measured a little
should remain in it。 And this is just what happened； for when he
got his measure back； three new silver five…shilling pieces were
sticking to it。
What does this mean？' said Big Klaus； and he ran off at once to
Little Klaus。
'Where did you get so much money from？'
'Oh； that was from my horse…skin。 I sold it yesterday evening。'
'That's certainly a good price！' said Big Klaus； and running home
in great haste； he took an axe； knocked all his four horses on
the head； skinned them； and went into the town。
'Skins！ skins！ Who will buy skins？' he cried through the
streets。
All the shoemakers and tanners came running to ask him what he
wanted for them。 'A bushel of money for each；' said Big Klaus。
'Are you mad？' they all exclaimed。 'Do you think we have money
by the bushel？'
'Skins！ skins！ Who will buy skins？' he cried again； and to all
who asked him what they cost； he answered； 'A bushel of money。'
'He is making game of us；' they said； and the shoemakers seized
their yard measures and the tanners their leathern aprons and
they gave Big Klaus a good beating。 'Skins！ skins！' they cried
mockingly； yes； we will tan YOUR skin for you！ Out of the town
with him！' they shouted； and Big Klaus had to hurry off as
quickly as he could； if he wanted to save his life。
'Aha！' said he when he came home； 'Little Klaus shall pay dearly
for this。 I will kill him！'
Little Klaus' grandmother had just died。 Though she had been
very unkind to him； he was very much distressed； and he took the
dead woman and laid her in his warm bed to try if he could not
bring her back to life。 There she lay the whole night； while he
sat in the corner and slept on a chair； which he had often done
before。 And in the night as he sat there the door opened； and
Big Klaus came in with his axe。 He knew quite well where Little
Klaus's bed stood； and going up to it he struck the grandmother
on the head just where he thought Little Klaus would be。
'There！' said he。 'Now you won't get the best of me again！' And
he went home。
'What a very wicked man！' thought Little Klaus。 'He was going to
kill me！ It was a good thing for my grandmother that she was
dead already； or else he would have killed her！'
Then he dressed his grandmother in her Sunday clothes； borrowed a
horse from his neighbour； harnessed the cart to it； sat his
grandmother on the back seat so that she could not fall out when
he drove； and away they went。 When the sun rose they were in
front of a large inn。 Little Klaus got down； and went in to get
something to drink。 The host was very rich。 He was a very
worthy but hot…tempered man。
'Good morning！' said he to Little Klaus。 'You are early on the
road。'
'Yes；' said Little Klaus。 'I am going to the town with my
grandmother。 She is sitting outside in the cart； I cannot bring
her in。 Will you not give her