In a village there once lived two
men who had the same name. They were both called Claus. One of them
had four horses, but the other had only one; so to distinguish them,
people called the owner of the four horses, “Great Claus,” and he
who had only one, “Little Claus.” Now we shall hear what happened to
them, for this is a true story.
Through the whole week, Little Claus was obliged to plough for
Great Claus, and lend him his one horse; and once a week, on a
Sunday, Great Claus lent him all his four horses. Then how Little
Claus would smack his whip over all five horses, they were as good
as his own on that one day. The sun shone brightly, and the church
bells were ringing merrily as the people passed by, dressed in their
best clothes, with their prayer-books under their arms. They were
going to hear the clergyman preach. They looked at Little Claus
ploughing with his five horses, and he was so proud that he smacked
his whip, and said, “Gee-up, my five horses.”
“You must not say that,” said Big Claus; “for only one of them
belongs to you.” But Little Claus soon forgot what he ought to say,
and when any one passed he would call out, “Gee-up, my five horses!”
“Now I must beg you not to say that again,” said Big Claus; “for
if you do, I shall hit your horse on the head, so that he will drop
dead on the spot, and there will be an end of him.”
“I promise you I will not say it any more,” said the other; but
as soon as people came by, nodding to him, and wishing him “Good
day,” he became so pleased, and thought how grand it looked to have
five horses ploughing in his field, that he cried out again,
“Gee-up, all my horses!”
“I’ll gee-up your horses for you,” said Big Claus; and seizing a
hammer, he struck the one horse of Little Claus on the head, and he
fell dead instantly. |