介绍:
Then he turned to go home， but when he came to a place where two roads crossed， there was Little Claus driving the cattle.
之后他便转身回家了。可当他来到一处十字路口时，却碰到小克劳斯赶着牲口。
“How is this？” said Great Claus. “Did I not drown you just now？”
“这是怎么回事？”大克劳斯说，“我刚刚没淹死你么？"
“Yes，” said Little Claus； “you threw me into the river about half an hour ago.”
“没错，”小克劳斯回答， “大约半个钟头前你把我了河里。"
“But wherever did you get all these fine beasts？” asked Great Claus.
“可这些精良的牲口，你是从哪儿弄来的？”大克劳斯问“
“These beasts are sea-cattle，” replied Little Claus. “I'll tell you the whole story， and thank you for drowning me； I am above you now， I am really very rich. I was frightened， to be sure， while I lay tied up in the sack， and the wind whistled in my ears when you threw me into the river from the bridge， and I sank to the bottom immediately； but I did not hurt myself， for I fell upon beautifully soft grass which grows down there； and in a moment， the sack opened， and the sweetest little maiden came towards me. She had snow-white robes， and a wreath of green leaves on her wet hair. She took me by the hand， and said， 'So you are come， Little Claus， and here are some cattle for you to begin with. About a mile farther on the road， there is another herd for you.' Then I saw that the river formed a great highway for the people who live in the sea. They were walking and driving here and there from the sea to the land at the spot where the river terminates. The bed of the river was covered with the loveliest flowers and sweet fresh grass. The fish swam past me as rapidly as the birds do here in the air. How handsome all the people were， and what fine cattle were grazing on the hills and in the valleys！”
“这些是海牲口，”小克劳斯回答， “我来跟你讲一下事情的原委，而且要感谢你把我淹到水里。我现在在你之上了，我真的发财了！我被捆在袋子里，你从桥上把我扔进水里，风在我耳边呼啸，说真的，那时候我是多么害怕啊！我立刻就沉底了，不过没有伤到，因为我摔到了长在下面的漂亮柔软的草上。转眼袋子被打开了，一位无比可爱的少女朝我走来。她身着雪白的长袍，湿漉漉的头发上戴着绿叶花冠。她牵起我的手说：“你来了，小克劳斯，你先来赶这些牲口吧。沿着这条路大约一英里外，还有另外一群牲口是给你的。这时我看出这条河便是海里人的大路。他们从海底步行或驾车走到陆地，直到这条河的尽头。河床上布满了最为漂亮的花儿和新鲜的草。鱼儿快速从我身边游过，就像这里空中的鸟儿一样。所有的人都是那么漂亮，山丘上和山谷里吃草的牲口又是那么精良！”
“But why did you come up again，” said Great Claus， “if it was all so beautiful down there？ I should not have done so？”
“那你为什么又上来呢？”大克劳斯说， “如果下面真 那么漂亮的话，我是不会这么做的。"
“Well，” said Little Claus， “it was good policy on my part； you heard me say just now that I was told by the sea-maiden to go a mile farther on the road， and I should find a whole herd of cattle. By the road she meant the river， for she could not travel any other way； but I knew the winding of the river， and how it bends， sometimes to the right and sometimes to the left， and it seemed a long way， so I chose a shorter one； and， by coming up to the land， and then driving across the fields back again to the river， I shall save half a mile， and get all my cattle more quickly.”
“嗨，”小克劳斯说，“这正是我的聪明之举。我刚才跟你说过，美人鱼告诉我沿着大路再走一英里，就会发现一大群牲口。她说的大路就是河，因为她走不了别的路。但我知道河水蜿蜒，曲曲折折，时而向左，时而向右，要绕好长一段路，所以我选了一条捷径。到陆地上来，然后赶着牲口穿过田野再回到河里，这样可以少走半英里路，也能更快找到我的海牲口。"
“What a lucky fellow you are！” exclaimed Great Claus. “Do you think I should get any sea-cattle if I went down to the bottom of the river？”
“你真是个幸运的家伙！”大克劳斯叫道，“假如我去到河底，你觉得我也会得到海牲口吗？”
“Yes， I think so，” said Little Claus； “but I cannot carry you there in a sack， you are too heavy. However if you will go there first， and then creep into a sack， I will throw you in with the Greatest pleasure.”
“是的，我想会的，”小克劳斯说，“但把你装到袋子里扛到河边我可做不到，你太重了。但如果你先到那儿，然后爬进袋子，我倒很乐意把你扔进河里。”
“Thank you，” said Great Claus； “but remember， if I do not get any sea-cattle down there I shall come up again and give you a good thrashing.”
“谢谢！”大克劳斯说， “但记住，如果我在下边得不到海牲口，我会再上来，好好揍你一顿。"
“No， now， don't be too fierce about it！” said Little Claus， as they walked on towards the river. When they approached it， the cattle， who were very thirsty， saw the stream， and ran down to drink.
“不，嗳，别这么凶！”小克劳斯说，然后他们一起朝河边走去。到了河边，这些牲口都渴坏了，一见到水，便跑下去喝。
“See what a hurry they are in，” said Little Claus， “they are longing to get down again，”
“看它们多么着急！”小克劳斯说，“它们渴望回到河底。"
“Come， help me， make haste，” said Great Claus； “or you'll get beaten.”
“来，帮我，赶紧的，”大克劳斯说，“不然我就揍你一顿。”
So he crept into a large sack， which had been lying across the back of one of the oxen.
于是他钻进了一个大袋子，袋子一直放在一头公牛的背上。
“Put in a stone，” said Great Claus， “or I may not sink.”
“放进一块石头，”大克劳斯说，“不然我可能沉不下去。”
“Oh， there's not much fear of that，” he replied； still he put a large stone into the bag， and then tied it tightly， and gave it a push.
“哦，不用担心，”小克劳斯回答，于是往袋子里放了一大块石头，捆紧后，将其推了下去。
“Plump！” In went Great Claus， and immediately sank to the bottom of the river.
“扑通！”大克劳斯掉到河里，立刻沉底了。
“I'm afraid he will not find any cattle，” said Little Claus， and then he drove his own beasts homewards.
“恐怕他找不到任何牲口，”小克劳斯说完赶着自己的牲口回家了。
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