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GREAT CLAUS AND LITTLE CLAUS 21
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.'
1 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. |
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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. |
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