and fourth flights, and pitched them
down one after another, so that all the bones in their bodies rattled.

At last Hans reached the bell without further hindrance. When he looked
up, to make sure that all was right, he saw another headless little man
sitting crouched together in the bell. He had loosened the clapper, and
seemed to be waiting for Hans to pull the bell-rope, to drop the heavy
clapper on his head, which would certainly have killed him. "Wait a
while, my little friend," cried Hans; "we haven't bargained for this.
You may have seen how I rolled your little comrades downstairs without
tiring their own legs! You yourself shall follow them. But because you
sit the highest, you shall make the proudest journey. I'll pitch you out
of the loophole, so that you'll have no wish to come back again."

As he spoke, he raised the ladder, intending to drag the little man out
of the bell and fulfil his threat. The dwarf saw his danger, and began
to beg, "Dear brother, spare my wretched life, and I promise that
neither my brothers nor I will again interfere with the bellringer at
night. I may seem small and contemptible, but who knows whether I may
not some day be able to do more for your welfare than offer you a
beggar's thanks?"

"Poor little fellow!" laughed Hans. "Your ransom wouldn't be worth a
gnat. But as I'm in a good humour just now, I'm willing to spare your
life. But take care not to come in my way again, for I might not be
inclined to trifle with you another time."

The headless dwarf gave him his humble thanks, clambered down the
bell-rope like a squirrel, and bolted down the belfry-stairs as if he
was on fire, while Hans tolled the bell to his heart's content.

When the parson heard the bell tolling at midnight he was surprised and
pleased at having at last found a servant who had withstood the ordeal.

After Hans had finished his work he went into the hayloft, and lay down
to sleep.

The parson was in the habit of getting up early in the morning, and
going to see whether his people were about their work. All were in their
places except the new servant, and nobody had seen anything of him. When
eleven o'clock came, and Hans still made no appearance, the parson
became anxious, and began to fear that the bell-ringer had met his death
like those before him. But when the rattle was used to call the workmen
to dinner, Hans likewise appeared among them.

"Where have you been all morning?" asked the parson