’Areyouweaving，mylittledear？’
’Yes，granny，Iamweaving，’answeredthecat。
Whenthewitchsawthatthechildrenhadescapedher，shewasfurious，and，hittingthecatwithaporringer，shesaid:’Whydidyouletthechildrenleavethehut？Whydidyounotscratchtheireyesout？’
Butthecatcurledupitstailandputitsbackup，andanswered:
’Ihaveservedyoualltheseyearsandyounevereventhrewmeabone，butthedearchildrengavemetheirownpieceofham。’
Thenthewitchwasfuriouswiththewatch-dogandwiththebirch-trees，becausetheyhadletthechildrenpass。Butthedoganswered:
’Ihaveservedyoualltheseyearsandyounevergavemesomuchasahardcrust，butthedearchildrengavemetheirownloafofbread。’
Andthebirchrustleditsleaves，andsaid:’IhaveservedyoulongerthanIcansay，andyounevertiedabitoftwineevenroundmybranches；andthedearchildrenboundthemupwiththeirbrightestribbons。’
Sothewitchsawtherewasnohelptobegotfromheroldservants，andthatthebestthingshecoulddowastomountonherbroomandsetoffinpursuitofthechildren。Andasthechildrenrantheyheardthesoundofthebroomsweepingthegroundclosebehindthem，soinstantlytheythrewthehandkerchiefdownovertheirshoulder，andinamomentadeep，broadriverflowedbehindthem。
Whenthewitchcameuptoit，ittookheralongtimebeforeshefoundaplacewhichshecouldfordoveronherbroom-stick；butatlastshegotacross，andcontinuedthechasefasterthanbefore。Andasthechildrenrantheyheardasound，andthelittlesisterputhereartotheground，andheardthebroomsweepingtheearthclosebehindthem；so，quickasthought，shethrewthecombdownontheground，andinaninstant，asthecathadsaid，adenseforestsprungup，inwhichtherootsandbranchesweresocloselyintertwined，thatitwasimpossibletoforceawaythroughit。Sowhenthewitchcameuptoitonherbroomshefoundthattherewasnothingforitbuttoturnroundandgobacktoherhut。
Butthetwinsranstraightontilltheyreachedtheirownhome。
Thentheytoldtheirfatherallthattheyhadsuffered，andhewassoangrywiththeirstep-motherthathedroveheroutofthehouse，andneverletherreturn；butheandthechildrenlivedhappilytogether；andhetookcareofthemhimself，andneverletastrangercomenearthem。
FromtheBukowniaer。VanWliolocki。
Therewasonceuponatimeacouplewhohadnochildren，andtheyprayedHeaveneverydaytosendthemachild，thoughitwerenobiggerthanahazel-nut。AtlastHeavenheardtheirprayerandsentthemachildexactlythesizeofahazel-nut，anditnevergrewaninch。Theparentswereverydevotedtothelittlecreature，andnursedandtendeditcarefully。Theirtinysontoowasascleverashecouldbe，andsosharpandsensiblethatalltheneighboursmarvelledoverthewisethingshesaidanddid。
WhentheHazel-nutchildwasfifteenyearsold，andwassittingonedayinanegg-shellonthetablebesidehismother，sheturnedtohimandsaid，’Youarenowfifteenyearsold，andnothingcanbedonewithyou。Whatdoyouintendtobe？’
’Amessenger，’answeredtheHazel-nutchild。
Thenhismotherburstoutlaughingandsaid，’Whatanidea！Youamessenger！Why，yourlittlefeetwouldtakeanhourtogothedistanceanordinarypersoncoulddoinaminute！’
ButtheHazel-nutchildreplied，’NeverthelessImeantobeamessenger！Justsendmeamessageandyou’llseethatIshallbebackinnexttonotime。’
Sohismothersaid，’Verywell，gotoyourauntintheneighbouringvillage，andfetchmeacomb。’TheHazel-nutchildjumpedquicklyoutoftheegg-shellandranoutintothestreet。
Herehefoundamanonhorsebackwhowasjustsettingoutfortheneighbouringvillage。Hecreptupthehorse’sleg，satdownunderthesaddle，andthenbegantopinchthehorseandtoprickitwithapin。Thehorseplungedandrearedandthensetoffatahardgallop，whichitcontinuedinspiteofitsrider’seffortstostopit。Whentheyreachedthevillage，theHazel-nutchildleftoffprickingthehorse，andthepoortiredcreaturepursueditswayatasnail’space。TheHazel-nutchildtookadvantageofthis，andcreptdownthehorse’sleg；thenherantohisauntandaskedherforacomb。Onthewayhomehemetanotherrider，anddidthereturnjourneyinexactlythesameway。Whenhehandedhismotherthecombthathisaunthadgivenhim，shewasmuchamazedandaskedhim，’Buthowdidyoumanagetogetbacksoquickly？’
’Ah！mother，’hereplied，’youseeIwasquiterightwhenIsaidIknewamessengerwastheprofessionforme。’
Hisfathertoopossessedahorsewhichheoftenusedtotakeoutintothefieldstograze。OnedayhetooktheHazel-nutchildwithhim。Atmiddaythefatherturnedtohissmallsonandsaid，’Stayhereandlookafterthehorse。Imustgohomeandgiveyourmotheramessage，butIshallbebacksoon。’
Whenhisfatherhadgone，arobberpassedbyandsawthehorsegrazingwithoutanyonewatchingit，forofcoursehecouldnotseetheHazel-nutchildhiddeninthegrass。Sohemountedthehorseandrodeaway。ButtheHazel-nutchild，whowasthemostactivelittlecreature，climbedupthehorse’stailandbegantobiteitontheback，enragingthecreaturetosuchanextentthatitpaidnoattentiontothedirectiontherobbertriedtomakeitgoin，butgallopedstraighthome。Thefatherwasmuchastonishedwhenhesawastrangerridinghishorse，buttheHazel-nutchildclimbeddownquicklyandtoldhimallthathadhappened，andhisfatherhadtherobberarrestedatonceandputintoprison。
OneautumnwhentheHazel-nutchildwastwentyyearsoldhesaidtohisparents:’Farewell，mydearfatherandmother。Iamgoingtosetoutintotheworld，andassoonasIhavebecomerichI
willreturnhometoyou。’
Theparentslaughedatthelittleman’swords，butdidnotbelievehimforamoment。IntheeveningtheHazel-nutchildcreptontotheroof，wheresomestorkshadbuilttheirnest。
Thestorkswerefastasleep，andheclimbedontothebackofthefather-storkandboundasilkcordroundthejointofoneofitswings，thenhecreptamongitssoftdownyfeathersandfellasleep。
Thenextmorningthestorksflewtowardsthesouth，forwinterwasapproaching。TheHazel-nutchildflewthroughtheaironthestork’sback，andwhenhewantedtorestheboundhissilkcordontothejointofthebird’sotherwing，sothatitcouldnotflyanyfarther。Inthiswayhereachedthecountryoftheblackpeople，wherethestorkstookuptheirabodeclosetothecapital。WhenthepeoplesawtheHazel-nutchildtheyweremuchastonished，andtookhimwiththestorktotheKingofthecountry。TheKingwasdelightedwiththelittlecreatureandkepthimalwaysbesidehim，andhesoongrewsofondofthelittlemanthathegavehimadiamondfourtimesasbigashimself。TheHazel-nutchildfastenedthediamondfirmlyunderthestork’sneckwitharibbon，andwhenhesawthattheotherstorksweregettingreadyfortheirnorthernflight，heuntiedthesilkcordfromhisstork’swings，andawaytheywent，gettingnearerhomeeveryminute。AtlengththeHazel-nutchildcametohisnativevillage；thenheundidtheribbonfromthestork’sneckandthediamondfelltotheground；hecovereditfirstwithsandandstones，andthenrantogethisparents，sothattheymightcarrythetreasurehome，forhehimselfwasnotabletoliftthegreatdiamond。
SotheHazel-nutchildandhisparentslivedinhappinessandprosperityafterthistilltheydied。
Inacertainvillagetherelivedtwopeoplewhohadboththesamename。BothwerecalledKlaus，butoneownedfourhorsesandtheotheronlyone。Inordertodistinguishtheonefromtheother，theonewhohadfourhorseswascalledBigKlaus，andtheonewhohadonlyonehorse，LittleKlaus。Nowyoushallhearwhatbefellthemboth，forthisisatruestory。
ThewholeweekthroughLittleKlaushadtoploughforBigKlaus，andlendhimhisonehorse；thenBigKlauslenthimhisfourhorses，butonlyonceaweek，andthatwasonSunday。Hurrah！
howloudlyLittleKlauscrackedhiswhipoverallthefivehorses！fortheywereindeedasgoodashisonthisoneday。
Thesunshonebrightly，andallthebellsinthechurch-towerswerepealing；thepeopleweredressedintheirbestclothes，andweregoingtochurch，withtheirhymnbooksundertheirarms，toheartheministerpreach。TheysawLittleKlausploughingwiththefivehorses；buthewassohappythathekeptoncrackinghiswhip，andcallingout’Gee-up，myfivehorses！’
’Youmustn’tsaythat，’saidBigKlaus。’Onlyonehorseisyours。’
ButassoonassomeoneelsewasgoingbyLittleKlausforgotthathemustnotsayit，andcalledout’Gee-up，myfivehorses！’
’Nowyouhadbetterstopthat，’saidBigKlaus，’forifyousayitoncemoreIwillgiveyourhorsesuchacrackontheheadthatitwilldropdowndeadonthespot！’
’Ireallywon’tsayitagain！’saidLittleKlaus。Butassoonasmorepeoplepassedby，andnoddedhimgood-morning，hebecamesohappyinthinkinghowwellitlookedtohavefivehorsesploughinghisfieldthat，crackinghiswhip，hecalledout’Gee-up，myfivehorses！’
’I’llseetoyourhorses！’saidBigKlaus；and，seizinganironbar，hestruckLittleKlaus’onehorsesuchablowontheheadthatitfelldownanddiedonthespot。
