’Alas！NowIhavenohorse！’saidLittleKlaus，beginningtocry。Thenheflayedtheskinoffhishorse，driedit，andputitinasack，whichhethrewoverhisshoulder，andwentintothetowntosellit。Hehadalongwaytogo，andhadtopassthroughagreatdarkforest。Adreadfulstormcameon，inwhichhelosthisway，andbeforehecouldgetontotherightroadnightcameon，anditwasimpossibletoreachthetownthatevening。
Rightinfrontofhimwasalargefarm-house。Thewindow-shutterswereclosed，butthelightcamethroughthechinks。’Ishouldverymuchliketobeallowedtospendthenightthere，’thoughtLittleKlaus；andhewentandknockedatthedoor。Thefarmer’swifeopenedit，butwhensheheardwhathewantedshetoldhimtogoaway；herhusbandwasnotathome，andshetookinnostrangers。
’Well，Imustliedownoutside，’saidLittleKlaus；andthefarmer’swifeshutthedoorinhisface。Closebystoodalargehaystack，andbetweenitandthehousealittleout-house，coveredwithaflatthatchedroof。
’Icanliedownthere，’thoughtLittleKlaus，lookingattheroof；’itwillmakeasplendidbed，ifonlythestorkwon’tflydownandbitemylegs。’Foralivestorkwasstandingontheroof，whereithaditsnest。SoLittleKlauscreptupintotheout-house，wherehelaydown，andmadehimselfcomfortableforthenight。Thewoodenshuttersoverthewindowswerenotshutatthetop，andhecouldjustseeintotheroom。
Therestoodalargetable，spreadwithwineandroastmeatandabeautifulfish。Thefarmer’swifeandthesextonsatatthetable，buttherewasnooneelse。Shewasfillinguphisglass，whilehestuckhisforkintothefishwhichwashisfavouritedish。
’Ifonecouldonlygetsomeofthat！’thoughtLittleKlaus，stretchinghisheadtowardsthewindow。Ah，whatdeliciouscakeshesawstandingthere！ItWASafeast！
Thenheheardsomeoneridingalongtheroadtowardsthehouse。
Itwasthefarmercominghome。Hewasaveryworthyman；buthehadonegreatpeculiarity——namely，thathecouldnotbeartoseeasexton。Ifhesawonehewasmadequitemad。Thatwaswhythesextonhadgonetosaygood-daytothefarmer’swifewhenheknewthatherhusbandwasnotathome，andthegoodwomanthereforeputinfrontofhimthebestfoodshehad。Butwhentheyheardthefarmercomingtheywerefrightened，andthefarmer’swifebeggedthesextontocreepintoagreatemptychest。Hedidso，asheknewthepoormancouldnotbeartoseeasexton。Thewifehastilyhidallthebeautifulfoodandthewineinheroven；forifherhusbandhadseenit，hewouldhavebeensuretoaskwhatitallmeant。
’Oh，dear！oh，dear！’groanedLittleKlausupintheshed，whenhesawthegoodfooddisappearing。
’Isanybodyupthere？’askedthefarmer，catchingsightofLittleKlaus。’Whyareyoulyingthere？Comewithmeintothehouse。’
ThenLittleKlaustoldhimhowhehadlosthisway，andbeggedtobeallowedtospendthenightthere。
’Yes，certainly，’saidthefarmer；’butwemustfirsthavesomethingtoeat！’
Thewifereceivedthembothverykindly，spreadalongtable，andgavethemalargeplateofporridge。Thefarmerwashungry，andatewithagoodappetite；butLittleKlauscouldnothelpthinkingofthedeliciousdishesoffishandroastmeatsandcakeswhichheknewwereintheoven。Underthetableathisfeethehadlaidthesackwiththehorse-skininit，for，asweknow，hewasgoingtothetowntosellit。Theporridgedidnottastegoodtohim，sohetroduponhissack，andthedryskininthesacksqueakedloudly。
’Hush！’saidLittleKlaustohissack，atthesametimetreadingonitagainsothatitsqueakedevenlouderthanbefore。
’Hallo！whathaveyougotinyoursack？’askedthefarmer。
’Oh，itisawizard！’saidLittleKlaus。’Hesaysweshouldnoteatporridge，forhehasconjuredthewholeovenfullofroastmeatsandfishandcakes。’
’Goodnessme！’saidthefarmer；andopeningtheovenhesawallthedelicious，temptingdisheshiswifehadhiddenthere，butwhichhenowbelievedthewizardinthesackhadconjuredupforthem。Thewifecouldsaynothing，butsheputthefoodatonceonthetable，andtheyatethefish，theroastmeat，andthecakes。LittleKlausnowtrodagainonhissack，sothattheskinsqueaked。
’Whatdoeshesaynow？’askedthefarmer。
’Hesays，’repliedLittleKlans，’thathehasalsoconjuredupforusthreebottlesofwine；theyarestandinginthecornerbytheoven！’
Thewifehadtofetchthewinewhichshehadhidden，andthefarmerdrankandgrewverymerry。HewouldverymuchliketohavehadsuchawizardasLittleKlaushadinthesack。
’CanheconjureuptheDevil？’askedthefarmer。’Ishouldliketoseehimverymuch，forIfeeljustnowinverygoodspirits！’
’Yes，’saidLittleKlaus；’mywizardcandoeverythingthatI
ask。Isn’tthattrue？’heasked，treadingonthesacksothatitsqueaked。’Doyouhear？Hesays’’Yes；’’butthattheDevillookssouglythatweshouldnotliketoseehim。’
’Oh！I’mnotatallafraid。Whatdoeshelooklike？’
’Hewillshowhimselfintheshapeofasexton！’
’Isay！’saidthefarmer，’hemustbeugly！YoumustknowthatI
can’tbeartolookatasexton！Butitdoesn’tmatter。IknowthatitistheDevil，andIsha’n’tmind！Ifeeluptoitnow。
Buthemustnotcometoonearme！’
’Imustaskmywizard，’saidLittleKlaus，treadingonthesackandputtinghiseartoit。
’Whatdoeshesay？’
’Hesaysyoucanopenthechestinthecornerthere，andyouwillseetheDevilsquattinginsideit；butyoumustholdthelidsothatheshallnotescape。’
’Willyouhelpmetoholdhim？’beggedthefarmer，goingtowardsthechestwherehiswifehadhiddentherealsexton，whowassittinginsideinaterriblefright。Thefarmeropenedthelidalittleway，andsawhiminside。
’Ugh！’heshrieked，springingback。’Yes，nowIhaveseenhim；
helookedjustlikeoursexton。Oh，itwashorrid！’
Sohehadtodrinkagain，andtheydranktillfaronintothenight。
’YouMUSTsellmethewizard，’saidthefarmer。’Askanythingyoulike！Iwillpayyoudownabushelfulofmoneyonthespot。’
’No，Ireallycan’t，’saidLittleKlans。’JustthinkhowmanythingsIcangetfromthiswizard！’
’Ah！Ishouldliketohavehimsomuch！’saidthefarmer，beggingveryhard。
’Well！’saidLittleKlausatlast，’asyouhavebeensogoodastogivemeshelterto-night，Iwillsellhim。Youshallhavethewizardforabushelofmoney，butImusthavefullmeasure。’
’Thatyoushall，’saidthefarmer。’Butyoumusttakethechestwithyou。Iwon’tkeepitanotherhourinthehouse。Whoknowsthatheisn’tintherestill？’
LittleKlausgavethefarmerhissackwiththedryskin，andgotinsteadagoodbushelfulofmoney。Thefarmeralsogavehimawheelbarrowtocarryawayhismoneyandthechest。’Farewell，’
saidLittleKlaus；andawayhewentwithhismoneyandthebigchest，whereinsatthesexton。
Ontheothersideofthewoodwasalargedeepriver。Thewaterflowedsorapidlythatyoucouldscarcelyswimagainstthestream。
Agreatnewbridgehadbeenbuiltoverit，onthemiddleofwhichLittleKlausstopped，andsaidaloudsothatthesextonmighthear:
’Now，whatamItodowiththisstupidchest？Itisasheavyasifitwerefilledwithstones！Ishallonlybetired，draggingitalong；Iwillthrowitintotheriver。Ifitswimshometome，wellandgood；andifitdoesn’t，it’snomatter。’
Thenhetookthechestwithonehandandlifteditupalittle，asifheweregoingtothrowitintothewater。
’No，don’tdothat！’calledoutthesextoninthechest。’Letmegetoutfirst！’
’Oh，oh！’saidLittleKlaus，pretendingthathewasafraid。’Heisstillinthere！Imustthrowhimquicklyintothewatertodrownhim！’
’Oh！no，no！’criedthesexton。’Iwillgiveyouawholebushelfulofmoneyifyouwillletmego！’
’Ah，that’squiteanotherthing！’saidLittleKlaus，openingthechest。Thesextoncreptoutveryquickly，pushedtheemptychestintothewaterandwenttohishouse，wherehegaveLittleKlausabushelofmoney。Onehehadhadalreadyfromthefarmer，andnowhehadhiswheelbarrowfullofmoney。
’Well，Ihavegotagoodpriceforthehorse！’saidhetohimselfwhenheshookallhismoneyoutinaheapinhisroom。’ThiswillputBigKlausinaragewhenhehearshowrichIhavebecomethroughmyonehorse；butIwon’ttellhimjustyet！’
SohesentaboytoBigKlaustoborrowabushelmeasurefromhim。
’Nowwhatcanhewantwithit？’thoughtBigKlaus；andhesmearedsometaratthebottom，sothatofwhateverwasmeasuredalittleshouldremaininit。Andthisisjustwhathappened；forwhenhegothismeasureback，threenewsilverfive-shillingpieceswerestickingtoit。
Whatdoesthismean？’saidBigKlaus，andheranoffatoncetoLittleKlaus。
’Wheredidyougetsomuchmoneyfrom？’
’Oh，thatwasfrommyhorse-skin。Isoldityesterdayevening。’
’That’scertainlyagoodprice！’saidBigKlaus；andrunninghomeingreathaste，hetookanaxe，knockedallhisfourhorsesonthehead，skinnedthem，andwentintothetown。
