no answer, he took a run and threw the ghost down the stairs. It fell down ten steps, and remained lying in a corner.
Then he rang the bells, went home, and, without saying a word to anybody, went to bed and was soon fast asleep.
The Sexton’s wife waited a long time for her husband, but, as he never came back, she got frightened, and woke up the Lad.
‘Don’t you know what has become of my husband?’ she asked. ‘He went up into the church tower before you.’
‘No,’ answered the Lad. ‘There was somebody standing on the stairs opposite the belfry window, and, as he would neither answer me nor go away, I took him to be a rogue and threw him downstairs, Go and see if it was your husband; I should be sorry if it were.’
The woman hurried away and found her husband lying in the corner, moaning, with a broken leg. She carried him down, and then hastened with loud cries to the Lad’s father.
‘Your son has brought about a great misfortune; he has thrown my husband downstairs and broken his leg. Take the good-for-nothing fellow away, out of our house.’
The Father was horrified, and, going back with her, gave the Lad a good scolding.
‘What is the meaning of this inhuman prank? The evil one must have put it into your head.’
‘Father,’ answered the Lad, ‘just listen to me. I am quite innocent. He stood there in the dark, like a man with some wicked design. I did not know who it was, and I warned him three times to speak, or to go away!’
‘Alas!’ said his Father, ‘you bring me nothing but disaster. Go away out of my sight. I will have nothing more to do with you.’
‘Gladly, Father. Only wait till daylight; then I will go away, and learn to shudder. Then, at least, I shall have one art to make my living by.’
‘Learn what you like,’ said his Father. ‘It’s all the same to me. Here are fifty thalers for you. Go out into the world,