Little Claus and big Claus


Grand Claus et petit Claus


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.
Dans une ville demeuraient deux hommes qui s'appelaient du même nom, Claus; mais l'un avait quatre chevaux, et l'autre n'en avait qu'un seul: donc, pour les distinguer, l'on appelait le premier grand Claus. et l'autre petit Claus. Écoutez bien maintenant ce qui leur arriva, car c'est une histoire véritable!

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."
Pendant toute la semaine, petit Claus était obligé de labourer la terre de grand Claus et de lui prêter son unique cheval; en revanche, grand Claus l'aidait avec ses quatre chevaux une fois par semaine, c'est-à-dire tous les dimanches seulement. Hutsch! comme petit Claus faisait alors claquer son fouet au-dessus des cinq chevaux! Il les regardait comme les siens. Le soleil brillait si magnifique! Toutes les cloches appelaient le monde à l'église; les hommes et les femmes revêtus de leurs plus beaux habits passaient devant petit Claus, qui, labourant la terre d'un air joyeux, faisait claquer son fouet en s'écriant: "Hue donc, mes chevaux!"

"You must not say that," said Big Claus; "for only one of them belongs to you."
"Ne dis donc pas mes chevaux," lui cria une fois grand Claus, "il n'y en a qu'un qui est à toi."

But Little Claus soon forgot what he ought to say, and when any one passed he would call out, "Gee-up, my five horses!"
Mais petit Claus oublia bientôt cet avertissement, et, en voyant quelques autres personnes passer, il ne put s'empêcher de s'écrier de nouveau: "Hue donc, mes chevaux!"

"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."
"Pour la dernière fois, lui dit grand Claus, ne répète plus ces paroles! Si cela t'arrive encore, je porterai un tel coup au front de ton cheval, qu'il tombera mort sur-le-champ.

"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!"
"Je ne le dirai plus," répondit petit Claus. Mais lorsqu'il passa encore du monde qui le saluait amicalement de la tête, il devint bien content; et fier, de pouvoir labourer son champ avec cinq chevaux, il fit claquer son fouet en s'écriant: "Hue donc, mes chevaux!"

"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.
"J'apprendrai le hue donc! à tes chevaux," dit le grand Claus; puis il prit une massue, et appliqua un coup si fort au front du cheval de petit Claus qu'il tomba mort sur-le-champ.

"Oh, now I have no horse at all," said Little Claus, weeping. But after a while he took off the dead horse's skin, and hung the hide to dry in the wind. Then he put the dry skin into a bag, and, placing it over his shoulder, went out into the next town to sell the horse's skin.
Son maître se prit à pleurer et à se lamenter; ensuite il écorcha la bête morte, fît sécher la peau au vent, la mit dans un sac, et se rendit à la ville pour la vendre.

He had a very long way to go, and had to pass through a dark, gloomy forest. Presently a storm arose, and he lost his way, and before he discovered the right path, evening came on, and it was still a long way to the town, and too far to return home before night.
Le chemin était long et passait par une grande forêt; il faisait un temps affreux. Petit Claus s'égara, et avant qu'il eût retrouvé le bon chemin, la nuit survint; il lui fallut renoncer à rentrer en ville.

Near the road stood a large farmhouse. The shutters outside the windows were closed, but lights shone through the crevices at the top. "I might get permission to stay here for the night," thought Little Claus; so he went up to the door and knocked.
Près de la route se trouvait une grande ferme, et, quoique les volets fussent fermés, on y voyait briller de la lumière. "Peut-être j'y pourrai passer la nuit," pensa-t-il, et il frappa à la porte

The farmer's wife opened the door; but when she heard what he wanted, she told him to go away, as her husband would not allow her to admit strangers.
La femme lui ouvrit; mais, lorsqu'elle apprit ce qu'il voulait, elle lui dit de passer son chemin; son mari était sorti, et elle ne recevait pas d'étrangers.

"Then I shall be obliged to lie out here," said Little Claus to himself, as the farmer's wife shut the door in his face.
"Soit, je coucherai dehors," répondit-il. Et la femme referma la porte.

Near to the farmhouse stood a large haystack, and between it and the house was a small shed, with a thatched roof.
Près de la maison était une grange au toit de chaume remplie de foin.

"I can lie up there," said Little Claus, as he saw the roof; "it will make a famous bed, but I hope the stork will not fly down and bite my legs;" for on it stood a living stork, whose nest was in the roof.
"J'y coucherai bien," dit petit Claus, "le lit est bon, et il n'y a pas de danger que la cigogne me morde les jambes." Sur le toit perchait une cigogne à côté de son nid.

So Little Claus climbed to the roof of the shed, and while he turned himself to get comfortable, he discovered that the wooden shutters, which were closed, did not reach to the tops of the windows of the farmhouse, so that he could see into a room, in which a large table was laid out with wine, roast meat, and a splendid fish. The farmer's wife and the sexton were sitting at the table together; and she filled his glass, and helped him plenteously to fish, which appeared to be his favorite dish.
Il rampa dans la grange, où il se coucha. Il se retourna plusieurs fois pour bien dormir. Les volets de la maison ne se fermant pas entièrement, il put voir ce qui se passait dans la chambre.

"If I could only get some, too," thought Little Claus; and then, as he stretched his neck towards the window he spied a large, beautiful pie,– indeed they had a glorious feast before them.
Au milieu, se dressait une grande table ornée d'un rôti, d'un poisson et de plusieurs bouteilles de vin. La paysanne et le chantre étaient assis joyeusement et se régalaient.

At this moment he heard some one riding down the road, towards the farmhouse. It was the farmer returning home.
"Comme ils sont heureux!" dit petit Claus. Et il allongea la tête pour mieux voir. La femme servit un gâteau délicieux. Grand Dieu, quel festin!

He was a good man, but still he had a very strange prejudice,– he could not bear the sight of a sexton. If one appeared before him, he would put himself in a terrible rage. In consequence of this dislike, the sexton had gone to visit the farmer's wife during her husband's absence from home, and the good woman had placed before him the best she had in the house to eat. When she heard the farmer coming she was frightened, and begged the sexton to hide himself in a large empty chest that stood in the room. He did so, for he knew her husband could not endure the sight of a sexton. The woman then quickly put away the wine, and hid all the rest of the nice things in the oven; for if her husband had seen them he would have asked what they were brought out for.
Tout à coup un homme à cheval s'approcha de la maison; c'était le mari de la paysanne qui rentrait chez lui.

"Oh, dear," sighed Little Claus from the top of the shed, as he saw all the good things disappear.
Tout le monde l'estimait comme un brave homme, mais il avait une maladie étrange: il ne pouvait apercevoir un chantre sans entrer en fureur. Connaissant cette particularité, le chantre avait profité de l'occasion pour rendre une visite à la femme et lui dire bonjour, pendant que le mari était absent; et la bonne femme lui avait fait honneur en lui servant un délicieux repas. Pour éviter des désagréments, lorsqu'elle entendit son mari qui venait, elle pria son convive de se cacher dans un grand coffre vide; ce qu'il fit volontiers, connaissant la maladie du paysan. Puis la femme serra promptement le manger et le vin dans le four, pour que son mari ne lui adressât pas de question embarrassante.

"Is any one up there?" asked the farmer, looking up and discovering Little Claus. "Why are you lying up there? Come down, and come into the house with me."
Quel dommage! soupira petit Claus dans la grange en voyant disparaître le gâteau.

So Little Claus came down and told the farmer how he had lost his way and begged for a night's lodging.
- Qui est là-haut? s'écria le paysan en se tournant, et il aperçut petit Claus. Pourquoi te coucher là? Viens plutôt dans la chambre"

"All right," said the farmer; "but we must have something to eat first."
Petit Claus lui raconta comment il s'était égaré, et lui demanda l'hospitalité pour la nuit.

The woman received them both very kindly, laid the cloth on a large table, and placed before them a dish of porridge. The farmer was very hungry, and ate his porridge with a good appetite, but Little Claus could not help thinking of the nice roast meat, fish and pies, which he knew were in the oven.
"Très-volontiers! répondit le paysan, mais mangeons d'abord un morceau."

Under the table, at his feet, lay the sack containing the horse's skin, which he intended to sell at the next town. Now Little Claus did not relish the porridge at all, so he trod with his foot on the sack under the table, and the dry skin squeaked quite loud.
La femme les reçut tous deux avec amabilité, prépara de nouveau la table, et servit un grand plat de riz. Le paysan, qui avait faim, en mangea de bon appétit; mais petit Claus pensait au délicieux rôti, au gâteau et au vin cachés dans le four.

"Hush!" said Little Claus to his sack, at the same time treading upon it again, till it squeaked louder than before.
Il avait jeté sous la table le sac contenant la peau de cheval; comme il ne pouvait supporter le riz, il appuya ses pieds sur le sac, et fit craquer la peau sèche.

"Hallo! what have you got in your sack!" asked the farmer.
"Chut! dit-il à son sac; mais, au même moment, il le fit craquer plus fort.

"Oh, it is a conjuror," said Little Claus; "and he says we need not eat porridge, for he has conjured the oven full of roast meat, fish, and pie."
- Qu'y a-t-il dans le sac? demanda le paysan.

"Wonderful!" cried the farmer, starting up and opening the oven door; and there lay all the nice things hidden by the farmer's wife, but which he supposed had been conjured there by the wizard under the table. The woman dared not say anything; so she placed the things before them, and they both ate of the fish, the meat, and the pastry. Then Little Claus trod again upon his sack, and it squeaked as before.
- Un sorcier, répondit Claus; il ne veut pas que nous mangions du riz. Il me dit que, par un effet de sa magie, il se trouve dans le four un rôti, du poisson et un gâteau.

"What does he say now?" asked the farmer.
"Ce n'est pas possible," dit le paysan en ouvrant promptement le four; il découvrit les mets superbes que sa femme y avait serrés, et crut que le sorcier avait fait ce prodige. La femme, sans oser rien dire, posa tout sur la table, et ils se mirent à manger du poisson, du rôti et du gâteau. Claus fit de nouveau craquer sa peau.

"He says," replied Little Claus, "that there are three bottles of wine for us, standing in the corner, by the oven." So the woman was obliged to bring out the wine also, which she had hidden, and the farmer drank it till he became quite merry. He would have liked such a conjuror as Little Claus carried in his sack.
"Que dit-il à présent? demanda le paysan.

"Could he conjure up the evil one?" asked the farmer. "I should like to see him now, while I am so merry."
- Il dit que, près du four, il a fait venir trois bouteilles de vin." La femme leur servit le vin, et son mari se mit à boire en s'égayant de plus en plus. Il eût bien voulu posséder un sorcier pareil à celui du sac de petit Claus.

"Oh, yes!" replied Little Claus, "my conjuror can do anything I ask him,– can you not?" he asked, treading at the same time on the sack till it squeaked. "Do you hear? he answers 'Yes,' but he fears that we shall not like to look at him."
"Je voudrais qu'il me montrât le diable, dit le paysan; cela me ferait plaisir, car je suis tout à fait en train.

"Oh, I am not afraid. What will he be like?"
- Mon sorcier peut tout ce que je lui demande." Puis il fit craquer le sac: "Entends-tu? il dit que oui. Mais le diable est bien terrible à voir.

"Well, he is very much like a sexton."
- Oh! je n'ai pas peur. Quelle mine a-t-il?

"Ha!" said the farmer, "then he must be ugly. Do you know I cannot endure the sight of a sexton. However, that doesn't matter, I shall know who it is; so I shall not mind. Now then, I have got up my courage, but don't let him come too near me."
- Il paraîtra devant nous sous la forme d'un chantre.

"Stop, I must ask the conjuror," said Little Claus; so he trod on the bag, and stooped his ear down to listen.
- Ouf! que c'est vilain! je ne peux pas supporter la vue d'un chantre. N'importe; comme je saurai que c'est le diable, j'aurai du courage. Seulement, qu'il ne m'approche pas!"

"What does he say?"
Petit Claus approcha son oreille du sac comme pour écouter le sorcier.

"He says that you must go and open that large chest which stands in the corner, and you will see the evil one crouching down inside; but you must hold the lid firmly, that he may not slip out."
"Que dit-il?

"Will you come and help me hold it?" said the farmer, going towards the chest in which his wife had hidden the sexton, who now lay inside, very much frightened.
- Il dit que, si vous voulez ouvrir ce grand coffre, là-bas au coin, vous y verrez le diable; mais il faut bien tenir le couvercle, pour qu'il ne s'échappe pas.

The farmer opened the lid a very little way, and peeped in. "Oh," cried he, springing backwards, "I saw him, and he is exactly like our sexton. How dreadful it is!"
- Aidez-moi à le tenir," dit le paysan en s'approchant du coffre où la femme avait caché le véritable chantre tout tremblant de frayeur.

So after that he was obliged to drink again, and they sat and drank till far into the night.
Le couvercle fut soulevé. "Ouf! s'écria le paysan en faisant un bond en arrière, je l'ai vu! Il ressemble tout à fait au chantre de notre église; il est horrible!"

"You must sell your conjuror to me," said the farmer; "ask as much as you like, I will pay it; indeed I would give you directly a whole bushel of gold."
Ensuite ils se remirent à boire bien avant dans la nuit.

"No, indeed, I cannot," said Little Claus; "only think how much profit I could make out of this conjuror."
"Vends-moi ton sorcier, dit le paysan, je t'en donnerai tout ce que tu voudras; tout un boisseau rempli d'argent, si tu l'exiges.

"But I should like to have him," said the fanner, still continuing his entreaties.
- Je ne le puis, répondit petit Claus. Songe un peu combien il m'est utile.

"Well," said Little Claus at length, "you have been so good as to give me a night's lodging, I will not refuse you; you shall have the conjuror for a bushel of money, but I will have quite full measure."
- Pourtant tu me rendrais bien heureux! dit le paysan en insistant.

"So you shall," said the farmer; "but you must take away the chest as well. I would not have it in the house another hour; there is no knowing if he may not be still there."
- Soit! dit enfin petit Claus, puisque tu m'as donné l'hospitalité, je te céderai le sorcier pour un boisseau rempli d'argent, mais fais-moi bonne mesure.

So Little Claus gave the farmer the sack containing the dried horse's skin, and received in exchange a bushel of money– full measure. The farmer also gave him a wheelbarrow on which to carry away the chest and the gold.
- Tu seras satisfait; seulement, je te priera d'emporter le coffre; je ne veux pas qu'il reste une heure encore dans la maison. Peut-être le diable y est-il toujours."

"Farewell," said Little Claus, as he went off with his money and the great chest, in which the sexton lay still concealed.
Sur ce, petit Claus donna au paysan son sac avec la peau sèche; il reçut en échange tout un boisseau rempli d'argent, et, par-dessus le marché, une grande brouette pour transporter l'argent et le coffre.

On one side of the forest was a broad, deep river, the water flowed so rapidly that very few were able to swim against the stream. A new bridge had lately been built across it, and in the middle of this bridge Little Claus stopped, and said, loud enough to be heard by the sexton, "Now what shall I do with this stupid chest; it is as heavy as if it were full of stones: I shall be tired if I roll it any farther, so I may as well throw it in the river; if it swims after me to my house, well and good, and if not, it will not much matter."
"Adieu!" dit-il, et il s'éloigna.

So he seized the chest in his hand and lifted it up a little, as if he were going to throw it into the water.
De l'autre côté de la forêt, il s'arrêta sur un pont tout neuf, qui servait à traverser une rivière profonde, et il dit à haute voix:

"No, leave it alone," cried the sexton from within the chest; "let me out first."
"Que ferais-je de ce mauvais coffre? Il pèse comme s'il était rempli de pierres. Je suis déjà fatigué de le rouler; il vaut mieux que je le jette dans la rivière. Si l'eau le porte à ma maison, tant mieux, sinon je m'en passerai."

"Oh," exclaimed Little Claus, pretending to be frightened, "he is in there still, is he? I must throw him into the river, that he may be drowned."
Puis il souleva le coffre d'une main, comme s'il voulait le jeter dans l'eau.

"Oh, no; oh, no," cried the sexton; "I will give you a whole bushel full of money if you will let me go."
"Attends donc, attends donc! s'écria le chantre dans le coffre, laisse-moi d'abord sortir.

"Why, that is another matter," said Little Claus, opening the chest. The sexton crept out, pushed the empty chest into the water, and went to his house, then he measured out a whole bushel full of gold for Little Claus, who had already received one from the farmer, so that now he had a barrow full.
- Ouf! s'écria petit Claus, feignant de s'effrayer le diable y est encore, il faut que je le noie bien vite!

"I have been well paid for my horse," said he to himself when he reached home, entered his own room, and emptied all his money into a heap on the floor. "How vexed Great Claus will be when he finds out how rich I have become all through my one horse; but I shall not tell him exactly how it all happened."
- Non, non! cria le chantre, épargne-moi, et je te donnerai un boisseau d'argent.

Then he sent a boy to Great Claus to borrow a bushel measure.
"C'est différent," répondit petit Claus en ouvrant le coffre. Le chantre sortit, poussa le coffre vide dans l'eau, et retourna chez lui donner au petit Claus son boisseau d'argent. Claus eut ainsi de quoi remplir sa brouette. Rentré chez lui, dans sa chambre, il fit rouler par terre toutes les pièces de monnaie.

"What can he want it for?" thought Great Claus; so he smeared the bottom of the measure with tar, that some of whatever was put into it might stick there and remain. And so it happened; for when the measure returned, three new silver florins were sticking to it.
"Voilà une peau de cheval bien vendue! s'écria-t-il. Grand Claus mourra de dépit lorsqu'il apprendra toute la richesse que mon unique cheval m'a rapportée."

"What does this mean?" said Great Claus; so he ran off directly to Little Claus, and asked, "Where did you get so much money?"
Puis il envoya un garçon chez grand Claus, pour le prier de lui prêter un boisseau vide.

"Oh, for my horse's skin, I sold it yesterday."
"Que veut-il en faire?" pensa grand Claus. Et il enduisit le fond de goudron, afin qu'il y restât quelque chose d'attaché. Lorsque le boisseau lui fut rendu, il y trouva collées trois pièces de dix sous.

"It was certainly well paid for then," said Great Claus; and he ran home to his house, seized a hatchet, and knocked all his four horses on the head, flayed off their skins, and took them to the town to sell.
"Comment! s'écria-t-il, où diable a-t-il pris tout cela?" Et il courut immédiatement chez petit Claus. "D'où tiens-tu tout cet argent? »

"Skins, skins, who'll buy skins?" he cried, as he went through the streets.
- De ma peau de cheval, que j'ai vendue hier au soir.

All the shoemakers and tanners came running, and asked how much he wanted for them.
- Tu en as tiré un bon prix," dit grand Claus; puis il retourna bien vite chez lui, prit une hache, abattit ses quatre chevaux, les écorcha et porta leur peau à la ville.

"A bushel of money, for each," replied Great Claus.
"Des peaux! des peaux! qui veut acheter des peaux?" cria-t-il dans toutes les rues.

"Are you mad?" they all cried; "do you think we have money to spend by the bushel?"
Tous les cordonniers et les corroyeurs accoururent pour lui en demander le prix.

"Skins, skins," he cried again, "who'll buy skins?" but to all who inquired the price, his answer was, "a bushel of money."
"Un boisseau d'argent pour chacune, répondit grand Claus.

"He is making fools of us," said they all; then the shoemakers took their straps, and the tanners their leather aprons, and began to beat Great Claus.
- Es-tu fou? crois-tu que nous ayons de l'argent par boisseaux?

"Skins, skins!" they cried, mocking him; "yes, we'll mark your skin for you, till it is black and blue." - "Out of the town with him," said they. And Great Claus was obliged to run as fast as he could, he had never before been so thoroughly beaten.
- Des peaux! des peaux! continua-t-il, qui veut acheter des peaux?" Et, si quelqu'un les marchandait: "Un boisseau d'argent pour chacune, répondait-il toujours.

"Ah," said he, as he came to his house; "Little Claus shall pay me for this; I will beat him to death."
- Il veut se moquer de nous," s'écria enfin tout le monde. Puis les cordonniers prirent leurs courroies, les corroyeurs leurs tabliers, et ils se mirent à frapper rudement grand Claus.

Meanwhile the old grandmother of Little Claus died. She had been cross, unkind, and really spiteful to him; but he was very sorry, and took the dead woman and laid her in his warm bed to see if he could bring her to life again. There he determined that she should lie the whole night, while he seated himself in a chair in a corner of the room as he had often done before.
"Nous arrangerons si bien ta peau, qu'elle deviendra rouge et bleue, dirent-ils; veux-tu te sauver, veux-tu te sauver!" Et grand Claus, au milieu des coups, se sauva hors de la ville.

During the night, as he sat there, the door opened, and in came Great Claus with a hatchet. He knew well where Little Claus's bed stood; so he went right up to it, and struck the old grandmother on the head. thinking it must be Little Claus.
"Bon! dit-il une fois rentré chez lui; c'est petit Claus qui est la cause de tout cela. Je vais le tuer."

"There," cried he, "now you cannot make a fool of me again;" and then he went home.
Cependant la vieille nourrice de petit Claus était morte, et, quoiqu'elle se fût montrée bien méchante envers lui, il la pleura. Il coucha la femme morte dans son lit, pour voir s'il ne pourrait pas. la rappeler à la vie, et resta toute la nuit dans un coin, sur une chaise.

"That is a very wicked man," thought Little Claus; "he meant to kill me. It is a good thing for my old grandmother that she was already dead, or he would have taken her life."
Au milieu de la nuit, la porte s'ouvrit, et grand Claus entra avec sa hache. Connaissant l'endroit où était placé le lit de petit Claus, il s'en approcha tout doucement, et appliqua un coup violent au front de la vieille nourrice morte.

Then he dressed his old grandmother in her best clothes, borrowed a horse of his neighbor, and harnessed it to a cart. Then he placed the old woman on the back seat, so that she might not fall out as he drove, and rode away through the wood. By sunrise they reached a large inn, where Little Claus stopped and went to get something to eat.
"Maintenant, tu ne me tromperas plus! dit-il en s'éloignant, car il croyait avoir tué son ennemi.

The landlord was a rich man, and a good man too; but as passionate as if he had been made of pepper and snuff.
- Quel méchant homme! s'écria petit Claus; c'est moi qu'il voulait tuer. Heureusement pour ma vieille nourrice qu'elle était déjà morte."

"Good morning," said he to Little Claus; "you are come betimes to-day."
Il revêtit ensuite la vieille femme de ses habits de dimanche, emprunta un cheval à son voisin et l'attela à sa voiture. Puis il plaça la vieille sur le siège de derrière, de façon qu'elle ne pût tomber, et il traversa ainsi la forêt. Arrivé à une auberge, petit Claus s'arrêta pour demander quelque chose à manger.

"Yes," said Little Claus; "I am going to the town with my old grandmother; she is sitting at the back of the wagon, but I cannot bring her into the room. Will you take her a glass of mead? but you must speak very loud, for she cannot hear well."
L'aubergiste était un homme très-riche, bon diable au fond, mais emporté comme si son corps eût été rempli de poivre et de tabac.

"Yes, certainly I will," replied the landlord; and, pouring out a glass of mead, he carried it out to the dead grandmother, who sat upright in the cart.
"Bonjour! dit-il à petit Claus; comme tu es endimanché aujourd'hui!

"Here is a glass of mead from your grandson," said the landlord. The dead woman did not answer a word, but sat quite still.
- Oui, répondit Claus en descendant; je vais conduire ma vieille nourrice à la ville. Apporte-lui un verre d'hydromel pour se rafraîchir, et parle-lui bien haut, car elle n'entend presque pas.

"Do you not hear?" cried the landlord as loud as he could; "here is a glass of mead from your grandson."
- Je n'y manquerai pas, dit l'aubergiste; et il alla verser un grand verre d'hydromel, qu'il porta à la vieille dans la voiture.

Again and again he bawled it out, but as she did not stir he flew into a passion, and threw the glass of mead in her face; it struck her on the nose, and she fell backwards out of the cart, for she was only seated there, not tied in.
"Voici un verre d'hydromel," cria-t-il à la femme morte; mais elle ne bougea pas.

"Hallo!" cried Little Claus, rushing out of the door, and seizing hold of the landlord by the throat; "you have killed my grandmother; see, here is a great hole in her forehead."
"Est-ce que vous ne m'entendez pas? cria-t-il de toutes ses forces; voici un verre d'hydromel de la part de votre maître."

"Oh, how unfortunate," said the landlord, wringing his hands. "This all comes of my fiery temper. Dear Little Claus, I will give you a bushel of money; I will bury your grandmother as if she were my own; only keep silent, or else they will cut off my head, and that would be disagreeable."
Mais il avait beau s'épuiser à crier, la vieille ne bougeait pas. Alors, emporté par la colère, il lui jeta le verre à la figure avec une telle violence, qu'elle tomba en arrière dans la voiture n'étant retenue par aucune attache.

So it happened that Little Claus received another bushel of money, and the landlord buried his old grandmother as if she had been his own.
En ce moment, petit Claus survint. "Mille malheurs! s'écria-t-il en empoignant l'aubergiste par la poitrine, tu as tué ma nourrice, regarde le trou que tu lui as fait au front.

When Little Claus reached home again, he immediately sent a boy to Great Claus, requesting him to lend him a bushel measure.
- Oui! malheur à moi! répondit l'aubergiste en tordant ses mains, j'ai encore une fois cédé à mon emportement. Mon cher petit Claus, je te remplirai un boisseau d'argent, et je ferai enterrer ta nourrice comme si elle était ma mère, si tu veux ne pas me trahir. Le bourreau me couperait la tête que tu n'en serais pas plus avancé, et cela me ferait beaucoup de mal, à moi."

"How is this?" thought Great Claus; "did I not kill him? I must go and see for myself." So he went to Little Claus, and took the bushel measure with him.
Claus accepta, reçut un troisième boisseau d'argent, et chargea l'aubergiste de l'enterrement.

"How did you get all this money?" asked Great Claus, staring with wide open eyes at his neighbor's treasures.
Revenu chez lui, il envoya un garçon chez grand Claus pour lui emprunter un boisseau vide.

"You killed my grandmother instead of me," said Little Claus; "so I have sold her for a bushel of money."
"Qu'est-ce à dire? s'écria celui-ci; je ne l'ai donc pas tué! Il faut que je le voie moi-même." Et il se rendit aussitôt auprès de petit Claus avec le boisseau.

"That is a good price at all events," said Great Claus. So he went home, took a hatchet, and killed his old grandmother with one blow. Then he placed her on a cart, and drove into the town to the apothecary, and asked him if he would buy a dead body.
Comme il ouvrit de grands yeux en apercevant tout cet argent! "Comment as-tu gagné ce trésor? demanda-t-il.

"Whose is it, and where did you get it?" asked the apothecary.
- Tu as tué ma nourrice à ma place; j'ai vendu son corps, et l'on m'en a donné un boisseau d'argent.

"It is my grandmother," he replied; "I killed her with a blow, that I might get a bushel of money for her."
- C'est un bon prix!" dit grand Claus. Puis il se dépêcha de rentrer chez lui, prit une hache et tua sa vieille nourrice. Ensuite il la plaça dans sa voiture, partit pour la ville, et demanda à l'apothicaire s'il voulait acheter un cadavre.

"Heaven preserve us!" cried the apothecary, "you are out of your mind. Don't say such things, or you will lose your head." And then he talked to him seriously about the wicked deed he had done, and told him that such a wicked man would surely be punished. Great Claus got so frightened that he rushed out of the surgery, jumped into the cart, whipped up his horses, and drove home quickly. The apothecary and all the people thought him mad, and let him drive where he liked.
"Voyons, répondit l'apothicaire; mais d'abord dis-moi d'où tu le tiens.

"You shall pay for this," said Great Claus, as soon as he got into the highroad, "that you shall, Little Claus." So as soon as he reached home he took the largest sack he could find and went over to Little Claus. "You have played me another trick," said he. "First, I killed all my horses, and then my old grandmother, and it is all your fault; but you shall not make a fool of me any more." So he laid hold 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 in the river."
- C'est ma nourrice que j'ai tuée pour la vendre un boisseau d'argent.

He had a long way to go before he reached the river, and Little Claus was not a very light weight to carry. The road led by the church, and as they passed he could hear the organ playing and the people singing beautifully. Great Claus put down the sack close to the church-door, and thought he might as well go in and hear a psalm before he went any farther. Little Claus could not possibly get out of the sack, and all the people were in church; so in he went.
- Grand Dieu! es-tu fou de dire de pareilles choses, au risque de te faire couper la tête?" Mais ayant appris la vérité, il fit comprendre au méchant homme toute l'horreur de sa conduite et la peine qu'il avait méritée. Là-dessus, grand Claus effrayé sauta dans sa voiture, fouetta les chevaux et s'en retourna au galop. Tout le monde le croyait fou.

"Oh dear, oh dear," sighed Little Claus in the sack, as he turned and twisted about; but he found he could not loosen the string with which it was tied. Presently an old cattle driver, with snowy hair, passed by, carrying a large staff in his hand, with which he drove a large herd of cows and oxen before him. They stumbled against the sack in which lay Little Claus, and turned it over.
"Je me vengerai! s'écria-t-il sur la grande route, je me vengerai de petit Claus!" Et, dès qu'il fut rentré, il prit un grand sac, alla chez petit Claus et lui dit: "J'ai été ta dupe une seconde fois! Après avoir abattu mes quatre chevaux, j'ai tué ma nourrice; toi seul es cause de tout le mal, mais tu ne me tromperas plus." Puis, il saisit petit Claus par le milieu du corps, le fourra dans le sac, et le jeta sur ses épaules en disant: "Je m'en vais te noyer!"

"Oh dear," sighed Little Claus, "I am very young, yet I am soon going to heaven."
Le chemin jusqu'à la rivière était long, et petit Claus lourd à porter: c'est pourquoi le meurtrier entra dans un cabaret pour se rafraîchir, laissant le sac derrière la maison, où personne ne passait.

"And I, poor fellow," said the drover, "I who am so old already, cannot get there."
« Hélas! hélas!" soupira petit Claus dans le sac se tournant et se retournant; mais il ne put arriver à délier la corde. Par hasard, une vache, échappée de la prairie se sauva de ce côté, et un vieux berger courut à sa poursuite pour lui faire rejoindre son troupeau. Voyant le sac qui remuait, il s'arrêta. « Qui est là? s'écria-t-il.

"Open the sack," cried Little Claus; "creep into it instead of me, and you will soon be there."
- Un pauvre jeune homme qui doit tout à l'heure entrer au paradis.

"With all my heart," replied the drover, opening the sack, from which sprung Little Claus as quickly as possible.
- Tu es bien dégoûté! Moi, pauvre vieillard, je serais bien content d'y entrer le plus tôt possible.

"Will you take care 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 walked off with all the cows and oxen.
- Et bien! mon brave, ouvre le sac et mets-toi à ma place; bientôt tu y seras.

When Great Claus came out of church, he took up the sack, and placed it on his shoulders. It appeared to have become lighter, for the old drover was not half so heavy as Little Claus. "How light he seems now," said he. "Ah, it is because I have been to a church." So he walked on to the river, which was deep and broad, 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."
- De tout mon cœur! dit le vieux berger en ouvrant le sac pour faire sortir le petit Claus. « Mais me promets-tu de garder mon troupeau? »

Then he turned to go home, but when he came to a place where two roads crossed, there was Little Claus driving the cattle.
« Certainement!" Et le vieillard entra dans le sac, que petit Claus referma. Après cela, Claus réunit tout le bétail, et s'en alla en le poussant devant lui.

"How is this?" said Great Claus. "Did I not drown you just now?"
Quelques moments après grand Claus sortit du cabaret et remit le sac sur son dos. Il le trouva bien léger, car le vieux maigre berger pesait bien moins que petit Claus. "C'est l'eau-de-vie qui m'a donné des forces, dit-il, tant mieux." Et arrivé à la rivière, il y jeta le berger en criant: "Maintenant tu ne me tromperas plus!"

"Yes," said Little Claus; "you threw me into the river about half an hour ago."
Puis il prit le chemin de sa maison; mais, à l'endroit où les routes se croisaient, il rencontra petit Claus poussant devant lui un troupeau de bétail.

"But wherever did you get all these fine beasts?" asked Great Claus.
"Quoi! s'écria grand Claus, ne t'ai-je pas noyé?

"These beasts are sea-cattle," replied Little Claus. "I'll tell you the whole story, and thank you for drowning me; I am above you now, I am really very rich. I was frightened, to be sure, while I lay tied up in the sack, and the wind whistled in my ears when you threw me into the 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 sack opened, and the sweetest little maiden came towards me. She had snow-white robes, and a wreath of green leaves on her wet hair. She took me by the hand, and said, 'So you are come, Little Claus, and here are some 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 a great highway for the people who live in the sea. They were walking and driving here and there from the sea to the land at the, spot where the river terminates. The bed of the river was covered with the loveliest flowers and sweet fresh grass. The fish swam past me as rapidly as the birds do here in the air. How handsome all the people were, and what fine cattle were grazing on the hills and in the valleys!"
- Si! tu m'as jeté dans la rivière, il y a une demi-heure.

"But why did you come up again," said Great Claus, "if it was all so beautiful down there? I should not have done so?"
- Et d'où te vient ce beau troupeau de bétail?

"Well," said Little Claus, "it was good policy on my part; you heard me say just now that I was told by the sea-maiden to go a mile farther on the road, and I should find a whole herd of cattle. By the road she meant the river, for she could not travel any other way; 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 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 all my cattle more quickly."
- C'est du bétail de la mer! Je vais tout te raconter, en te remerciant d'abord de m'avoir noyé; car maintenant je suis riche pour jamais, comme tu le vois. Enfermé dans le sac, je frémissais de peur; et le vent me sifflait autour des oreilles, lorsque tu me jetas dans l'eau froide. J'allai immédiatement au fond, mais sans me faire de mal, vu qu'il y pousse une longue herbe moelleuse. Bientôt le sac fut ouvert, et une charmante demoiselle, habillée de blanc, portant une couronne de verdure sur la tête, me prit la main en me disant: "Je t'ai attendu, mon petit Claus; regarde quel joli cadeau je vais te faire." Et elle me montra un troupeau de bétail. Je la remerciai bien poliment, en la priant de me montrer le chemin pour retourner à terre; ce qu'elle fit avec la plus grande amabilité. Vois-tu, grand Claus, la rivière n'est pour le peuple de la mer qu'une grande route bordée de beaux arbres, de champs verdoyants et de fleurs parfumées. Je sentais les poissons nager autour de ma tête, comme les oiseaux volent dans l'air; partout dans les vallées paissait un bétail gras et magnifique. Bientôt j'arrivai avec mon troupeau à une montée qui menait à terre, et me voici!

"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?"
- Tu as bien de la chance! dit grand Claus; crois-tu que moi aussi j'aurai un troupeau de bétail, si je vais au fond de la rivière?

"Yes, I think so," said Little Claus; "but I cannot carry you there in a sack, you are too heavy. However if you will go there first, and then creep into a sack, I will throw you in with the greatest pleasure."
- Sans doute, mais je ne pourrai te porter dans le sac jusque-là, tu es trop lourd: si tu veux y aller et te fourrer dans le sac après, je t'y pousserai volontiers.

"Thank you," said Great Claus; "but remember, if I do not get any sea-cattle down there I shall come up again and give you a good thrashing."
- Tu es un bon garçon, petit Claus; mais rappelle-toi bien que, si je ne reviens pas avec un troupeau de bétail de la mer, je t'administrerai une bonne volée de coups de bâton.

"No, now, don't be too fierce about it!" said Little Claus, as they walked on towards the river. When they approached it, the cattle, who were very thirsty, saw the stream, and ran down to drink.
- Il n'y a pas de danger," répondit petit Claus; et ils se mirent en route. Lorsque les bêtes, qui avaient soif, aperçurent l'eau, elles coururent de toutes leurs forces pour boire.

"See what a hurry they are in," said Little Claus, "they are longing to get down again,"
"Regarde comme elles se dépêchent, dit petit Claus; il leur tarde de retourner au fond.

"Come, help me, make haste," said Great Claus; "or you'll get beaten." So he crept into 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."
- Allons, vite! aide-moi, répondit grand Claus en entrant dans le sac; et, pour plus de sûreté, ajoute une grosse pierre; sans cela, je risquerais peut-être de ne pas arriver au fond.

"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.
- Sois tranquille! dit petit Claus, tu y arriveras." Cependant il y ajouta une énorme pierre, ficela le sac, et le poussa dans la rivière. Ploum! voilà grand Claus qui tombe au fond.

"I'm afraid he will not find any cattle," said Little Claus, and then he drove his own beasts homewards.
"J'ai bien peur qu'il n'y rencontre pas la demoiselle au bétail," dit petit Claus; puis il reconduisit son troupeau sur la grande route, et revint bien content chez lui.