“But wherever did you get all these fine beasts?” asked GREat Claus.
“these beasts are sea-cattle，” replied Little Claus. “I'll tell you the whole story， and thankyou for drowning me; I am above you now， I am really very rich. I was frightened， to besure， while I lay tied up in the sack， and the wind whistled in my ears when you threw me intothe river from the bridge， and I sank to the bottom immediately; but I did not hurt myself，for I fell upon beautifully soft grass which grows down there; and in a moment， the sackopened， and the sweetest little maiden came towards me. She had snow-white robes， and awreath of GREen leaves on her wet hair. She took me by the hand， and said， 'So you arecome， Little Claus， and here are some cattle for you to begin with. About a mile farther onthe road， there is another herd for you.' Then I saw that the river formed a great highway forthe people who live in the sea. They were walking and driving here and there from the sea tothe land at the， spot where the river terminates. The bed of the river was covered with theloveliest flowers and sweet fresh grass. The fish swam past me as rapidly as the birds do herein the air. How handsome all the people were， and what fine cattle were grazing on the hillsand in the valleys!”
“But why did you come up again，” said GREat Claus， “if it was all so beautiful downthere? I should not have done so?”
“Well，” said Little Claus， “it was good policy on my part; you heard me say just now thatI was told by the sea-maiden to go a mile farther on the road， and I should find a whole herdof cattle. By the road she meant the river， for she could not travel any other way; but I knewthe winding of the river， and how it bends， sometimes to the right and sometimes to theleft， and it seemed a long way， so I chose a shorter one; and， by coming up to the land，and then driving across the fields back again to the river， I shall save half a mile， and get allmy cattle more quickly.”
“What a lucky fellow you are!” exclaimed GREat Claus. “Do you think I should get any sea-cattle if I went down to the bottom of the river?”
“Yes， I think so，” said Little Claus; “but I cannot carry you there in a sack， you are tooheavy. However if you will go there first， and then creep into a sack， I will throw you in withthe GREatest pleasure.”
“Thank you，” said GREat Claus; “but remember， if I do not get any sea-cattle downthere I shall come up again and give you a good thrashing.”
“No， now， don't be too fierce about it!” said Little Claus， as they walked on towards theriver. When they approached it， the cattle， who were very thirsty， saw the stream， andran down to drink.
“See what a hurry they are in，” said Little Claus， “they are longing to get down again，”
“Come， help me， make haste，” said GREat Claus; “or you'll get beaten.” So he creptinto a large sack， which had been lying across the back of one of the oxen.
“Put in a stone，” said GREat Claus， “or I may not sink.”
“Oh， there's not much fear of that，” he replied; still he put a large stone into the bag，and then tied it tightly， and gave it a push.
“Plump!” In went GREat Claus， and immediately sank to the bottom of the river.
“I'm afraid he will not find any cattle，” said Little Claus， and then he drove his own beastshomewards.
从前有两个人住在一个村子里。他们的名字是一样的——两个人都叫克劳斯。不过一个有四匹马，另一个只有一匹马。为了把他们两人分得清楚，大家就把有四匹马的那个叫大克劳斯，把只有一匹马的那个叫小克劳斯。现在我们可以听听他们每人做了些甚么事情吧，因为这是一个真实的故事。
小克劳斯一星期中每天要替大克劳斯犁田，而且还要把自己仅有的一匹马借给他使用。大克劳斯用自己的四匹马来帮助他，可是每星期只帮助他一天，而且这还是在星期天。好呀!小克劳斯多么喜欢在那五匹牲口的上空啪嗒啪嗒地响着鞭子啊!在这一天，它们就好像全部已变成了他自己的财产。太阳在高高兴兴地照着，所有教堂塔尖上的钟都敲出做礼拜的钟声。大家都穿起了最漂亮的衣服，胳膊底下夹着圣诗集，走到教堂里去听牧师讲道。他们都看到了小克劳斯用他的五匹牲口在犁田。他是那么高兴，他把鞭子在这几匹牲口的上空抽得啪嗒啪嗒地响了又响，同时喊着：“我的五匹马儿哟!使劲呀!”“你可不能这么喊啦!”大克劳斯说。“因为你只有一匹马呀。”
不过，去做礼拜的人在旁边走过的时候，小克劳斯就忘记了他不应该说这样的话。他又喊起来：“我的五匹马儿哟，使劲呀!”“现在我得请求你不要喊这一套了，”大克劳斯说。“假如你再这样说的话，我可要砸碎你这匹牲口的脑袋，叫它当场倒下来死掉，那么它就完蛋了。”“我决不再说那句话，”小克劳斯说。但是，当有人在旁边走过、对他点点头、道一声日安的时候，他又高兴起来，觉得自己有五匹牲口犁田，究竟是了不起的事。所以他又啪嗒啪嗒地挥起鞭子来，喊着：“我的五匹马儿哟，使劲呀!”“我可要在你的马儿身上”使劲“一下了。”大克劳斯说，於是他就拿起一个拴马桩，在小克劳斯唯一的马儿头上打了一下。这牲口倒下来，立刻就死了。“哎，我现在连一匹马儿也没有了!”小克劳斯说，同时哭起来。
过了一会儿他剥下马儿的皮，把它放在风里吹乾。然后把它装进一个袋子，背在背上，到城里去卖这张马皮。