ied it up and went
his way, driving the cows and the oxen.

In a little while Great Claus came out of the church. He took the sack
upon his shoulders and thought as he did so that it had certainly grown
lighter since he had put it down, for the old cattle-drover was not more
than half as heavy as Little Claus.

"How light he is to carry now! That must be because I have heard a psalm
in the church."

He went on to the river, which was both deep and broad, threw the sack
containing the old drover into the water, and called after him, thinking
it was Little Claus, "Now lie there! You won't trick me again!"

He turned to go home, but when he came to the place where there was a
crossroad he met Little Claus driving his cattle.

"What's this?" cried he. "Haven't I drowned you?"

"Yes," said Little Claus, "you threw me into the river, half an hour
ago."

"But where did you get all those fine cattle?" asked Great Claus.

"These beasts are sea cattle," said Little Claus, "and I thank you
heartily for drowning me, for now I'm at the top of the tree. I'm a very
rich man, I can tell you. But I was frightened when you threw me into
the water huddled up in the sack. I sank to the bottom immediately, but
I did not hurt myself, for the grass is beautifully soft down there. I
fell upon it, and the sack was opened, and the most beautiful maiden in
snow-white garments and a green wreath upon her hair took me by the
hand, and said to me, 'Have you come, Little Claus? Here are cattle for
you, and a mile further up the road there is another herd!'

"Then I saw that she meant the river and that it was the highway for the
sea folk. Down at the bottom of it they walk directly from the sea,
straight into the land where the river ends. Lovely flowers and
beautiful fresh grass were there. The fishes which swam there glided
about me like birds in the air. How nice the people were, and what fine
herds of cattle there were, pasturing on the mounds and about the
ditches!"

"But why did you come up so quickly then?" asked Great Claus. "I
shouldn't have done that if it was so fine down there."

"Why, that was just my cunning. You know, I told you that the mermaid
said there was a whole herd of cattle for me a mile further up the
stream. Well, you see, I know how the river bends this way and that, and
how long a distance it would have been to go that way. If you can come
up on the land and take the short cuts, driving across fields and down