English Original
Once upon a time, in a certain village, there lived two men with the same name, Klaus. One owned four horses and was called Big Klaus; the other owned only one horse and was called Little Klaus.
Little Klaus had to plough for Big Klaus all week and lend him his horse. In return, Big Klaus lent his four horses to Little Klaus only on Sundays. One Sunday, Little Klaus was so happy ploughing with all five horses that he kept shouting, "Gee-up, my five horses!" Big Klaus warned him to stop, but Little Klaus couldn't resist. Enraged, Big Klaus killed Little Klaus's only horse with an iron bar.
Heartbroken, Little Klaus skinned the horse, dried the hide, and set off to town to sell it. Lost in a stormy forest at night, he sought shelter at a farmhouse but was turned away by the farmer's wife. He slept in a shed and, peeking inside, saw the wife and the sexton enjoying a feast. Hearing the farmer return, the wife hid the food and the sexton in a chest.
Invited in by the farmer, Little Klaus was given porridge. He stepped on his sack containing the horsehide, making it squeak. He claimed it was a wizard who said they shouldn't eat porridge but the feast hidden in the oven. The amazed farmer found the food and wine. Little Klaus further "consulted" the wizard, who said the Devil was in the chest. The farmer peeked, saw the sexton, and was terrified, believing it was the Devil.
The farmer bought the "wizard" (the dry hide) for a bushel of money. Little Klaus left with the money and the chest containing the sexton. At a bridge over a river, he pretended to throw the chest in. The terrified sexton offered a bushel of money to be freed. Little Klaus agreed, becoming even richer.
Back home, Little Klaus sent for Big Klaus's bushel measure. Big Klaus, finding coins stuck to it, demanded to know how Little Klaus got so rich. "I sold my horsehide," said Little Klaus. Greedy Big Klaus killed his own four horses, skinned them, and went to town demanding a bushel of money per skin. He was mocked and beaten by the townspeople.
Furious, Big Klaus vowed to kill Little Klaus. That night, he broke into Little Klaus's house and struck what he thought was Little Klaus in bed. It was actually Little Klaus's recently deceased grandmother. The next day, Little Klaus dressed his grandmother, propped her in a cart, and told an innkeeper she was hard of hearing. When the innkeeper threw a glass at her for not responding, Little Klaus accused him of murder. The frightened innkeeper paid a bushel of money to keep it quiet.
Big Klaus, learning of this new wealth, was told Little Klaus "sold his grandmother." He immediately killed his own grandmother and tried to sell her body to an apothecary, who drove him away in horror.
Blinded by rage, Big Klaus stuffed Little Klaus into a sack to drown him. Stopping at a church, he left the sack outside. An old shepherd passed by, wishing for death. Little Klaus convinced him to take his place in the sack. Big Klaus, returning, threw the sack into the river, believing he had drowned Little Klaus.
On his way home, Big Klaus met Little Klaus driving a fine herd of cattle. Little Klaus spun a tale about being taken to a beautiful underwater world by a sea-maiden who gave him "sea-cattle." He claimed he came ashore to take a shortcut to another herd.
Consumed by greed, Big Klaus begged to be thrown into the river too. Little Klaus helped him into a sack, added a large stone, and pushed him in. Big Klaus sank immediately, and Little Klaus drove his cattle home, finally free of his tormentor.
中文翻译
从前，某个村子里住着两个都叫克劳斯的人。一个有四匹马，叫大克劳斯；另一个只有一匹马，叫小克劳斯。
小克劳斯整个星期都得为大克劳斯耕地，并把自己的马借给他。作为回报，大克劳斯只在星期天把自己的四匹马借给小克劳斯。一个星期日，小克劳斯赶着五匹马耕地，高兴得不停喊：“驾，我的五匹马！”大克劳斯警告他住口，但小克劳斯忍不住。大克劳斯暴怒之下，用铁条打死了小克劳斯唯一的马。
伤心的小克劳斯剥下马皮晾干，动身去镇上卖。夜晚，他在暴风雨的森林里迷了路，到一户农庄求宿，却被农夫的妻子拒之门外。他睡在棚屋里，偷看到农夫妻子和教堂司事正在享用盛宴。听到农夫回来，妻子赶紧藏起食物，把司事塞进一个大箱子。
农夫邀请小克劳斯进屋，给了他粥喝。小克劳斯踩了踩装着马皮的袋子，袋子吱吱作响。他声称里面是个巫师，说他们不该喝粥，而该吃藏在烤箱里的盛宴。惊讶的农夫果然找到了美食和美酒。小克劳斯又“咨询”巫师，巫师说魔鬼就在箱子里。农夫偷看一眼，看到了司事，吓得魂飞魄散，以为那就是魔鬼。
农夫用一斗钱买下了“巫师”（干马皮）。小克劳斯带着钱和装着司事的箱子离开了。在河上的一座桥中央，他假装要把箱子扔进河里。吓坏了的司事提出给他一斗钱换自由。小克劳斯同意了，变得更有钱。
回家后，小克劳斯派人去借大克劳斯的斗。大克劳斯发现斗底粘着银币，便追问小克劳斯哪来这么多钱。“我卖了马皮，”小克劳斯说。贪婪的大克劳斯立刻回家杀了自己的四匹马，剥了皮，到镇上要求一斗钱换一张皮。结果他被镇上的人嘲笑并痛打了一顿。
暴怒的大克劳斯发誓要杀了小克劳斯。当晚，他闯入小克劳斯家，朝床上他以为是人的地方砍去。那其实是小克劳斯刚去世的祖母。第二天，小克劳斯给祖母穿上好衣服，把她放在马车后座，告诉一个旅店老板她耳背。当老板因祖母不回应而把酒杯砸向她时，小克劳斯指控老板杀了人。吓坏了的老板付了一斗钱封口。
大克劳斯得知这笔新财富，听说小克劳斯“卖了祖母”。他立刻杀了自己的祖母，试图把尸体卖给药剂师，结果被惊恐的药剂师赶走了。
被愤怒冲昏头脑的大克劳斯把小克劳斯塞进袋子，要去淹死他。路过教堂时，他把袋子放在外面。一位老牧羊人路过，感叹自己求死不能。小克劳斯说服老人替自己进袋子。大克劳斯回来，把袋子扔进河里，以为淹死了小克劳斯。
在回家路上，大克劳斯遇见小克劳斯赶着一群好牛。小克劳斯编了个故事，说他被一位海姑娘带到了美丽的水下世界，得到了“海牛”。他说自己上岸是为了抄近路去领另一群牛。
被贪婪吞噬的大克劳斯恳求也把他扔进河里。小克劳斯帮他钻进一个大袋子，加了一块大石头，然后推他下水。大克劳斯立刻沉了下去。小克劳斯赶着牛回家了，终于摆脱了他的迫害者。