GREAT CLAUS AND LITTLE CLAUS. 41

thinking that it was Little Claus, “You lie there! Now you
shan’t trick me any more !”

Then he went home; but when he came toa place where there
was a cross road, he met Little Claus driving all his beasts.

“What’s this?” cried Great Claus. “Have I not drowned
you ?”

“Yes,” replied Little Claus, “ you threw me into the river less
than half an hour ago,”

“But wherever did you get all those fine beasts from?” asked
Great Claus.

“These beasts are sea-cattle,” replied Little Claus. “IIl tell
you the whole story,—and thank you for drowning me, for now
I’m at the top of the tree. I am really rich! How frightened
1 was when 1 lay huddled in the sack, and the wind whistled
about my ears when you threw me down from the bridge into the
cold water! I sank to the bottom immediately ; but I did not
knock myself, for the most splendid soft grass grows down there.
Upon that I fell; and immediately the sack was opened, and the
loveliest maiden, with snow-white garments and a green wreath
upon her wet hair, took me by the hand, and said, ‘ Are you come,
Little Claus? Here you have some cattle to begin with. A mile
farther along the road there is a whole herd more, which I will
give to you,’ And now I saw that the river formed a great high-
way for the people of the sea. Down in its bed they walked and
drove directly from the sea, and straight into the land, to where
the river ends. There it was so beautifully full of flowers and of
the freshest grass ; the fishes, which swam in the water, shot past
my ears, just as here the birds in the air. What pretty people
there were there, and what fine cattte pasturing on mounds and
in ditches !”

“But why did you come up again to us directly?” asked Great
Claus. “I should not have done that, if it is so beautiful down
there.”

“Why,” replied Little Claus, “in that I just acted with good
policy. You heard me tell you that the sea-maiden said, ‘A mile
farther along the road ’—and by the road she meant the river, for
she can’t go anywhere else—‘ there is a whole herd of cattle for
you.’ But I know what bends the stream makes—sometimes
this, sometimes that ; there’s a long way to go round : no, the
thing can be managed in a shorter way by coming here to the
-and, and driving across the fields towards the river again. In
this manner I save myself almost half a mile, and get all the
quicker to my sea-cattle !” .

“Oh, you are a fortunate man !” said Great Glaus. “Do you
think I should get some sea-cattle too if I went down to the
bottom of the river ?”

“Yes, I think so,” replied Little Claus. “ But I cannot carry
you in the sack as far as the river ; you are too heavy for met