’Skins！skins！Whowillbuyskins？’hecriedthroughthestreets。
Alltheshoemakersandtannerscamerunningtoaskhimwhathewantedforthem。’Abushelofmoneyforeach，’saidBigKlaus。
’Areyoumad？’theyallexclaimed。’Doyouthinkwehavemoneybythebushel？’
’Skins！skins！Whowillbuyskins？’hecriedagain，andtoallwhoaskedhimwhattheycost，heanswered，’Abushelofmoney。’
’Heismakinggameofus，’theysaid；andtheshoemakersseizedtheiryardmeasuresandthetannerstheirleathernapronsandtheygaveBigKlausagoodbeating。’Skins！skins！’theycriedmockingly；yes，wewilltanYOURskinforyou！Outofthetownwithhim！’theyshouted；andBigKlaushadtohurryoffasquicklyashecould，ifhewantedtosavehislife。
’Aha！’saidhewhenhecamehome，’LittleKlausshallpaydearlyforthis。Iwillkillhim！’
LittleKlaus’grandmotherhadjustdied。Thoughshehadbeenveryunkindtohim，hewasverymuchdistressed，andhetookthedeadwomanandlaidherinhiswarmbedtotryifhecouldnotbringherbacktolife。Thereshelaythewholenight，whilehesatinthecornerandsleptonachair，whichhehadoftendonebefore。Andinthenightashesattherethedooropened，andBigKlauscameinwithhisaxe。HeknewquitewellwhereLittleKlaus’sbedstood，andgoinguptoithestruckthegrandmotherontheheadjustwherehethoughtLittleKlauswouldbe。
’There！’saidhe。’Nowyouwon’tgetthebestofmeagain！’Andhewenthome。
’Whataverywickedman！’thoughtLittleKlaus。’Hewasgoingtokillme！Itwasagoodthingformygrandmotherthatshewasdeadalready，orelsehewouldhavekilledher！’
ThenhedressedhisgrandmotherinherSundayclothes，borrowedahorsefromhisneighbour，harnessedthecarttoit，sathisgrandmotheronthebackseatsothatshecouldnotfalloutwhenhedrove，andawaytheywent。Whenthesunrosetheywereinfrontofalargeinn。LittleKlausgotdown，andwentintogetsomethingtodrink。Thehostwasveryrich。Hewasaveryworthybuthot-temperedman。
’Goodmorning！’saidhetoLittleKlaus。’Youareearlyontheroad。’
’Yes，’saidLittleKlaus。’Iamgoingtothetownwithmygrandmother。Sheissittingoutsideinthecart；Icannotbringherin。Willyounotgiveheraglassofmead？Butyouwillhavetospeakloud，forsheisveryhardofhearing。’
’Ohyes，certainlyIwill！’saidthehost；and，pouringoutalargeglassofmead，hetookitouttothedeadgrandmother，whowassittinguprightinthecart。
’Hereisaglassofmeadfromyourson，’saidthehost。Butthedeadwomandidnotansweraword，andsatstill。’Don’tyouhear？’criedthehostasloudashecould。’Hereisaglassofmeadfromyourson！’
Thenheshoutedthesamethingagain，andyetagain，butshenevermovedinherplace；andatlasthegrewangry，threwtheglassinherface，sothatshefellbackintothecart，forshewasnottiedinherplace。
’Hullo！’criedLittleKlaus，runningoutofthedoor，andseizingthehostbythethroat。’Youhavekilledmygrandmother！Look！
thereisagreatholeinherforehead！’
’Oh，whatamisfortune！’criedthehost，wringinghishands。’Itallcomesfrommyhottemper！DearLittleKlaus！Iwillgiveyouabushelofmoney，andwillburyyourgrandmotherasifsheweremyown；onlydon’ttellaboutit，orIshallhavemyheadcutoff，andthatwouldbeveryuncomfortable。’
SoLittleKlausgotabushelofmoney，andthehostburiedhisgrandmotherasifshehadbeenhisown。
NowwhenLittleKlausagainreachedhomewithsomuchmoneyhesenthisboytoBigKlaustoborrowhisbushelmeasure。
’What’sthis？’saidBigKlaus。’Didn’tIkillhim？Imustseetothismyself！’
SohewenthimselftoLittleKlauswiththemeasure。
’Well，now，wheredidyougetallthismoney？’askedhe，openinghiseyesattheheap。
’Youkilledmygrandmother——notme，’saidLittleKlaus。’Isoldher，andgotabushelofmoneyforher。’
’Thatisindeedagoodprice！’saidBigKlaus；and，hurryinghome，hetookanaxeandkilledhisgrandmother，laidherinthecart，anddroveofftotheapothecary’s，andaskedwhetherhewantedtobuyadeadbody。
’Whoisit，andhowdidyougetit？’askedtheapothecary。
’Itismygrandmother，’saidBigKlaus。’Ikilledherinordertogetabushelofmoney。’
’Youaremad！’saidtheapothecary。’Don’tmentionsuchthings，oryouwillloseyourhead！’Andhebegantotellhimwhatadreadfulthinghehaddone，andwhatawickedmanhewas，andthatheoughttobepunished；tillBigKlauswassofrightenedthathejumpedintothecartanddrovehomeashardashecould。
Theapothecaryandallthepeoplethoughthemustbemad，sotheylethimgo。
’Youshallpayforthis！’saidBigKlausashedrovehome。’Youshallpayforthisdearly，LittleKlaus！’
Soassoonashegothomehetookthelargestsackhecouldfind，andwenttoLittleKlausandsaid:’Youhavefooledmeagain！
FirstIkilledmyhorses，thenmygrandmother！Itisallyourfault；butyousha’n’tdoitagain！’AndheseizedLittleKlaus，pushedhiminthesack，threwitoverhisshoulder，cryingout’NowIamgoingtodrownyou！’
Hehadtogoalongwaybeforehecametotheriver，andLittleKlauswasnotverylight。Theroadpassedbythechurch；theorganwassounding，andthepeopleweresingingmostbeautifully。
BigKlausputdownthesackwithLittleKlausinitbythechurch-door，andthoughtthathemightaswellgoinandhearapsalmbeforegoingonfarther。LittleKlauscouldnotgetout，andeverybodywasinchurch；sohewentin。
’Oh，dear！oh，dear！’groanedLittleKlausinthesack，twistingandturninghimself。Buthecouldnotundothestring。
Therecamebyanold，oldshepherd，withsnow-whitehairandalongstaffinhishand。Hewasdrivingaherdofcowsandoxen。
Thesepushedagainstthesacksothatitwasoverturned。
’Alas！’moanedLittleKlans，’IamsoyoungandyetImustdie！’
’AndI，poorman，’saidthecattle-driver，’IamsooldandyetI
cannotdie！’
’Openthesack，’calledoutLittleKlaus；’creepinhereinsteadofme，andyouwilldieinamoment！’
’Iwillgladlydothat，’saidthecattle-driver；andheopenedthesack，andLittleKlausstruggledoutatonce。
’Youwilltakecareofthecattle，won’tyou？’askedtheoldman，creepingintothesack，whichLittleKlausfastenedupandthenwentonwiththecowsandoxen。SoonafterBigKlauscameoutofthechurch，andtakingupthesackonhisshouldersitseemedtohimasifithadbecomelighter；fortheoldcattle-driverwasnothalfasheavyasLittleKlaus。
’Howeasyheistocarrynow！ThatmustbebecauseIheardpartoftheservice。’
Sohewenttotheriver，whichwasdeepandbroad，threwinthesackwiththeolddriver，andcalledafterit，forhethoughtLittleKlauswasinside:
’Downyougo！Youwon’tmockmeanymorenow！’
Thenhewenthome；butwhenhecametothecross-roads，therehemetLittleKlaus，whowasdrivinghiscattle。
’What’sthis？’saidBigKlaus。’Haven’tIdrownedyou？’
’Yes，’repliedLittleKlaus；’youthrewmeintotheriveragoodhalf-hourago！’
’Buthowdidyougetthosesplendidcattle？’askedBigKlaus。
’Theyaresea-cattle！’saidLittleKlaus。’Iwilltellyouthewholestory，andIthankyouforhavingdrownedme，becausenowI
amondrylandandreallyrich！HowfrightenedIwaswhenIwasinthesack！Howthewindwhistledinmyearsasyouthrewmefromthebridgeintothecoldwater！Isankatoncetothebottom；butIdidnothurtmyselfforunderneathwasgrowingthemostbeautifulsoftgrass。Ifellonthis，andimmediatelythesackopened；theloveliestmaideninsnow-whitegarments，withagreengarlandroundherwethair，tookmebythehand，andsaid！
’’AreyouLittleKlaus？Herearesomecattleforyoutobeginwith，andamilefartherdowntheroadthereisanotherherd，whichIwillgiveyouasapresent！’’NowIsawthattheriverwasagreathigh-roadforthesea-people。Alongittheytravelunderneathfromtheseatothelandtilltheriverends。Itwassobeautiful，fullofflowersandfreshgrass；thefisheswhichwereswimminginthewatershotpastmyearsasthebirdsdohereintheair。Whatlovelypeopletherewere，andwhatfinecattleweregrazingintheditchesanddykes！’
’Butwhydidyoucomeuptousagain？’askedBigKlaus。’I
shouldnothavedoneso，ifitissobeautifuldownbelow！’
’Oh！’saidLittleKlaus，’thatwasjustsopoliticofme。YouheardwhatItoldyou，thatthesea-maidensaidtomeamilefartheralongtheroad——andbytheroadshemeanttheriver，forshecangobynootherway——therewasanotherherdofcattlewaitingforme。ButIknowwhatwindingstherivermakes，nowhere，nowthere，sothatitisalongwayround。Thereforeitmakesitmuchshorterifonecomesonthelandanddrivesacrossthefieldtotheriver。ThusIhavesparedmyselfquitehalfamile，andhavecomemuchquickertomysea-cattle！’