andmother with one blow。Then he placed her on a cart； and drove into the town to theapothecary； and asked him if he would buy a dead body。
〃Whose is it； and where did you get it？〃 asked the apothecary。
〃It is my grandmother；〃 he replied； 〃I killed her with a blow；that I might get a bushel of money for her。〃
〃Heaven preserve us！〃 cried the apothecary； 〃you are out of yourmind。 Don't say such things； or you will lose your head。〃 And thenhe talked to him seriously about the wicked deed he had done； and toldhim that such a wicked man would surely be punished。 Great Claus gotso frightened that he rushed out of the surgery； jumped into the cart；whipped up his horses； and drove home quickly。 The apothecary andall the people thought him mad； and let him drive where he liked。
〃You shall pay for this；〃 said Great Claus； as soon as he got intothe highroad； 〃that you shall； Little Claus。〃 So as soon as he reachedhome he took the largest sack he could find and went over to LittleClaus。 〃You have played me another trick；〃 said he。 〃First； I killedall my horses； and then my old grandmother； and it is all yourfault； but you shall not make a fool of me any more。〃 So he laidhold of Little Claus round the body； and pushed him into the sack；which he took on his shoulders； saying； 〃Now I'm going to drown you inthe river。
He had a long way to go before he reached the river； and LittleClaus was not a very light weight to carry。 The road led by thechurch； and as they passed he could hear the organ playing and thepeople singing beautifully。 Great Claus put down the sack close to thechurch…door； and thought he might as well go in and hear a psalmbefore he went any farther。 Little Claus could not possibly get out ofthe sack； and all the people were in church； so in he went。
〃Oh dear； oh dear；〃 sighed Little Claus in the sack； as heturned and twisted about； but he found he could not loosen thestring with which it was tied。 Presently an old cattle driver； withsnowy hair； passed by； carrying a large staff in his hand； withwhich he drove a large herd of cows and oxen before him。 They stumbledagainst the sack in which lay Little Claus； and turned it over。 〃Ohdear；〃 sighed Little Claus； 〃I am very young； yet I am soon going toheaven。〃
〃And I； poor fellow；〃 said the drover； 〃I who am so old already；cannot get there。〃
〃Open the sack；〃 cried Little Claus； 〃creep into it instead of me；and you will soon be there。〃
〃With all my heart；〃 replied the drover； opening the sack； fromwhich sprung Little Claus as quickly as possible。 〃Will you takecare of my cattle？〃 said the old man； as he crept into the bag。
〃Yes；〃 said Little Claus； and he tied up the sack； and then walkedoff with all the cows and oxen。
When Great Claus came out of church； he took up the sack； andplaced it on his shoulders。 It appeared to have bee lighter； forthe old drover was not half so heavy as Little Claus。
〃How light he seems now；〃 said he。 〃Ah； it is because I havebeen to a church。〃 So he walked on to the river； which was deep andbroad； and threw the sack containing the old drover into the water；believing it to be Little Claus。 〃There you may lie！〃 he exclaimed；〃you will play me no more tricks now。〃 Then he turned to go home；but when he came to a place where two roads crossed； there wasLittle Claus driving the cattle。 〃How is this？〃 said Great Claus。 〃DidI not drown you just now？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Little Claus； 〃you threw me into the river abouthalf an hour ago。〃
〃But wherever did you get all these fine beasts？〃 asked GreatClaus。
〃These beasts are sea…cattle；〃 replied Little Claus。 〃I'll tellyou the whole story； and thank you for drowning me； I am above younow； I am really very rich。 I was frightened； to be sure； while Ilay tied up in the sack； and the wind whistled in my ears when youthrew me into the river from the bridge； and I sank to the bottomimmediately； but I did not hurt myself； for I fell upon beautifullysoft grass which grows down there； and in a moment； the sack opened；and the sweetest little maiden came towards me。 She had snow…whiterobes； and a wreath of green leaves on her wet hair。 She took me bythe hand； and said； 'So you are e； Little Claus； and here aresome cattle for you to begin with。 About a mile farther on the road；there is another herd for you。' Then I saw that the river formed agreat highway for the people who live in the sea。 They were walkingand driving here and there from the sea to the land at the； spot wherethe river terminates。 The bed of the river was covered with theloveliest flowers and sweet fresh grass。 The fish swam past me asrapidly as the birds do here in the air。 How handsome all the peoplewere； and what fine cattle were grazing on the hills and in thevalleys！〃
〃But why did you e up again；〃 said Great Claus； 〃if it wasall so beautiful down there？ I should not have done so？〃
〃Well；〃 said Little Claus； 〃it was good policy on my part； youheard me say just now that I was told by the sea…maiden to go a milefarther on the road； and I should find a whole herd of cattle。 Bythe road she meant the river； for she could not travel any otherway； but I knew the winding of the river； and how it bends；sometimes to the right and sometimes to the left； and it seemed a longway； so I chose a shorter one； and； by ing up to the land； and thendriving across the fields back again to the river； I shall save half amile； and get all my cattle more quickly。〃
〃What a lucky fellow you are！〃 exclaimed Great Claus。 〃Do youthink I should get any sea…cattle if I went down to the bottom ofthe river？〃
〃Yes； I think so；〃 said Little Claus； 〃but I cannot carry youthere in a sack； you are too heavy。 However if you will go therefirst； and then creep into a sack； I will throw you in with thegreatest pleasure。〃
〃Thank you；〃 said Great Claus； 〃but remember； if I do not getany sea…cattle down there I shall e up again and give you a goodthrashing。〃
〃No； now； don't be too fierce about it！〃 said Little Claus； asthey walked on towards the river。 When they approached it； the cattle；who were very thirsty； saw the stream； and ran down to drink。
〃See what a hurry they are in；〃 said Little Claus； 〃they arelonging to get down again；〃
〃e； help me； make haste；〃 said Great Claus； 〃or you'll getbeaten。〃 So he crept into a large sack； which had been lying acrossthe 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 alarge stone into the bag； and then tied it tightly； and gave it apush。
〃Plump！〃 In went Great Claus； and immediately sank to the bottomof the river。
〃I'm afraid he will not find any cattle；〃 said Little Claus； andthen he drove his own beasts homewards。
THE END。
1872
FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
LITTLE IDA'S FLOWERS
by Hans Christian Andersen
〃My poor flowers are quite dead；〃 said little Ida； 〃they were sopretty yesterday evening； and now all the leaves are hanging downquite withered。 What do they do that for；〃 she asked； of the studentwho sat on the sofa； she liked him very much； he could tell the mostamusing stories； and cut out the prettiest pictures； hearts； andladies dancing； castles with doors that op