"nowimustbegyounottosaythatagain,"saidbigclaus;"forifyoudo,ishallhityourhorseonthehead,sothathewilldropdeadonthespot,andtherewillbeanendofhim."

"ipromiseyouiwillnotsayitanymore,"saidtheother;butassoonaspeoplecameby,noddingtohim,andwishinghim"goodday,"hebecamesopleased,andthoughthowgranditlookedtohavefivehorsesploughinginhisfield,thathecriedoutagain,"gee-up,allmyhorses!"

"i'llgee-upyourhorsesforyou,"saidbigclaus;andseizingahammer,hestrucktheonehorseoflittleclausonthehead,andhefelldeadinstantly.

"oh,nowihavenohorseatall,saidlittleclaus,weeping.butafterawhilehetookoffthedeadhorse'sskin,andhungthehidetodryinthewind.thenheputthedryskinintoabag,and,placingitoverhisshoulder,wentoutintothenexttowntosellthehorse'sskin.hehadaverylongwaytogo,andhadtopassthroughadark,gloomyforest.presentlyastormarose,andhelosthisway,andbeforehediscoveredtherightpath,eveningcameon,anditwasstillalongwaytothetown,andtoofartoreturnhomebeforenight.neartheroadstoodalargefarmhouse.theshuttersoutsidethewindowswereclosed,butlightsshonethroughthecrevicesatthetop."imightgetpermissiontostayhereforthenight,"thoughtlittleclaus;sohewentuptothedoorandknocked.thefarmer'swifeopenedthedoor;butwhensheheardwhathewanted,shetoldhimtogoaway,asherhusbandwouldnotallowhertoadmitstrangers."thenishallbeobligedtolieouthere,"saidlittleclaustohimself,asthefarmer'swifeshutthedoorinhisface.neartothefarmhousestoodalargehaystack,andbetweenitandthehousewasasmallshed,withathatchedroof."icanlieupthere,"saidlittleclaus,ashesawtheroof;"itwillmakeafamousbed,butihopethestorkwillnotflydownandbitemylegs;"foronitstoodalivingstork,whosenestwasintheroof.solittleclausclimbedtotheroofoftheshed,andwhileheturnedhimselftogetcomfortable,hediscoveredthatthewoodenshutters,whichwereclosed,didnotreachtothetopsofthewindowsofthefarmhouse,sothathecouldseeintoaroom,inwhichalargetablewaslaidoutwithwine,roastmeat,andasplendidfish.thefarmer'swifeandthesextonweresittingatthetabletogether;andshefilledhisglass,andhelpedhimplenteouslytofish,whichappearedtobehisfavoritedish."ificouldonlygetsome,too,"thoughtlittleclaus;andthen,ashestretchedhisnecktowardsthewindowhespiedalarge,beautifulpie,-indeedtheyhadagloriousfeastbeforethem.

atthismomentheheardsomeoneridingdowntheroad,towardsthefarmhouse.itwasthefarmerreturninghome.hewasagoodman,butstillhehadaverystrangeprejudice,-hecouldnotbearthesightofasexton.ifoneappearedbeforehim,hewouldputhimselfinaterriblerage.inconsequenceofthisdislike,thesextonhadgonetovisitthefarmer'swifeduringherhusband'sabsencefromhome,andthegoodwomanhadplacedbeforehimthebestshehadinthehousetoeat.whensheheardthefarmercomingshewasfrightened,andbeggedthesextontohidehimselfinalargeemptychestthatstoodintheroom.hedidso,forheknewherhusbandcouldnotendurethesightofasexton.thewomanthenquicklyputawaythewine,andhidalltherestofthenicethingsintheoven;forifherhusbandhadseenthemhewouldhaveaskedwhattheywerebroughtoutfor.

"oh,dear,"sighedlittleclausfromthetopoftheshed,ashesawallthegoodthingsdisappear.

"isanyoneupthere?"