touched the stone floor.

"How do you find yourself, Claus?" said the little manikin, calling
Claus by his name.

"So good!" said Claus, taking off his hat to the other.

"And what would you like to have, Claus?" said the little man.

"I would like," said Claus, "to have some money, if you please."

"Take what you want," said the little man, "only do not forget to take
the best with you."

Oh no; Claus would not forget the best; so he held the staff tighter
than ever in his fist--for what could be better than the staff that
brought him there? So he went here and there, filling his pockets with
the gold and silver money till they bulged out like the pockets of a
thief in the orchard; but all the time he kept tight hold of his staff,
I can tell you.

When he had as much as his pockets could hold, he thanked the little
manikin and went his way, and the stone door closed behind him.

And now Claus lived like a calf in the green corn-field. Everything he
had was of the best, and he had twice as much of that as any of the
neighbors. Then how brother Hans stared and scratched his head and
wondered, when he saw how Claus sat in the sun all day, doing nothing
but smoking his pipe and eating of the best, as though he were a born
prince! Every day Claus went to the little man in the hill with his