’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！’