he roof, where it had its
nest. So Little Klaus crept up into the out-house, where he lay down,
and made himself comfortable for the night. The wooden shutters over
the windows were not shut at the top, and he could just see into the
room.

There stood a large table, spread with wine and roast meat and a
beautiful fish. The farmer's wife and the sexton sat at the table, but
there was no one else. She was filling up his glass, while he stuck
his fork into the fish which was his favourite dish.

'If one could only get some of that!' thought Little Klaus, stretching
his head towards the window. Ah, what delicious cakes he saw standing
there! It _was_ a feast!

Then he heard someone riding along the road towards the house. It was
the farmer coming home. He was a very worthy man; but he had one great
peculiarity--namely, that he could not bear to see a sexton. If he saw
one he was made quite mad. That was why the sexton had gone to say
good-day to the farmer's wife when he knew that her husband was not at
home, and the good woman therefore put in front of him the best food
she had. But when they heard the farmer coming they were frightened,
and the farmer's wife begged the sexton to creep into a great empty
chest. He did so, as he knew the poor man could not bear to see a
sexton. The wife hastily hid all the beautiful food and the wine in
her oven; for if her husband had seen it, he would have been sure to
ask what it all meant.

[Illustration: "Gee-up my Five Horses!" "I'll See to Your Horses"]

'Oh, dear! oh, dear!' groaned Little Klaus up in the shed, when he saw
the good food disappearing.

'Is anybody up there?' asked the farmer, catching sight of Little
Klaus. 'Why are you lying there? Come with me into the house.'

Then Little Klaus told him how he had lost his way, and begged to be
allowed to spend the night there.

'Yes, certainly,' said the farmer; 'but we must first have something
to eat!'

The wife received them both very kindly, spread a long table, and gave
them a large plate of porridge. The farmer was hungry, and ate with a
good appetite; but Little Klaus could not help thinking of the
delicious dishes of fish and roast meats and cakes which he knew were
in the oven. Under the table at his feet he had laid the sack with the
horse-skin in it, for, as we know, he was going to the town to sell
it. The porridge did not taste good to him, so he trod upon his sack,
and the dry skin in the sack squeaked