Page:Fairy tales and other stories (Andersen, Craigie).djvu/33

 Rh for me! But if you will go there, and creep into the sack yourself, I will throw you in with a great deal of pleasure.'

'Thanks!' said Great Claus; 'but if I don't get any sea-cattle when I am down there, I shall beat you, you may be sure!'

'Oh, no; don't be so fierce!'

And so they went together to the river. When the beasts, which were thirsty, saw the stream, they ran as fast as they could to get at the water.

'See how they hurry!' cried Little Claus. 'They are longing to get back to the bottom.'

'Yes, but help me first!' said Great Claus, 'or else you shall be beaten.'

And so he crept into the great sack, which had been laid across the back of one of the oxen.

'Put a stone in, for I'm afraid I shan't sink else,' said Great Claus.

'That will be all right,' replied Little Claus; and he put a big stone into the sack, tied the rope tightly, and pushed against it. Plump! There lay Great Claus in the river, and sank at once to the bottom.

'I'm afraid he won't find the cattle!' said Little Claus; and then he drove homeward with what he had.

THE PRINCESS ON THE PEA

There was once a Prince who wanted to marry a princess; but she was to be a real princess. So he travelled about, all through the world, to find a real one, but everywhere there was something in the way. There were princesses enough, but whether they were real princesses he could not quite make out: there was always something that did not seem quite right. So he came home again, and was quite sad; for he wished so much to have a real princess.

One evening a terrible storm came on. It lightened and thundered, the rain streamed down; it was quite fearful! Then there was a knocking at the town-gate, and the old King went out to open it.