What Is The Story Of Big Claus And Little Claus?

In this macabre Hans Andersen story, Big Claus kills Little Claus's only horse. Little Claus goes off to sell its hide, and on the way shelters outside a farmhouse. By eavesdropping on the farmer's wife (who is entertaining the parish clerk) he manages to trick his way into a good dinner and a sum of money; he pretends that he has a wizard in his sack which tells him things, and "reluctantly" sells the sack of horsehide to the farmer. By this and other tricks, he is able to return to his village quite wealthy, and tells the envious Big Claus that he got all this money by selling the skin of his dead grandmother. Big Claus responds by murdering, and trying to sell, his own grandmother; and when that doesn't work, trying to drown Little Claus for tricking him. However, Little Claus soon escapes, and by further trickery induces his enemy to jump in the water himself, to look for the riches which Little Claus has convinced him are there. Big Claus drowns and Little Claus takes his property.

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