A dreadful storm came on , in which he lost his way , and before he could get on to the right road night came on , and it was impossible to reach the town that evening . Right in front of him was a large farm-house . The window-shutters were closed , but the light came through the chinks . ' I should very much like to be allowed to spend the night there , ' thought Little Klaus ; and he went and knocked at the door . The farmer 's wife opened it , but when she heard what he wanted she told him to go away ; her husband was not at home , and she took in no strangers . ` Well , I must lie down outside , ' said Little Klaus ; and the farmer 's wife shut the door in his face . Close by stood a large haystack , and between it and the house a little out-house , covered with a flat thatched roof . ' I can lie down there , ' thought Little Klaus , looking at the roof ; ` it will make a splendid bed , if only the stork wo n't fly down and bite my legs . ' For a live stork was standing on the roof , where it had its nest . So Little Klaus crept up into the out-house , where he lay down , and made himself comfortable for the night . The wooden shutters over the windows were not shut at the top , and he could just see into the room . There stood a large table , spread with wine and roast meat and a beautiful fish . The farmer 's wife and the sexton sat at the table , but there was no one else . She was filling up his glass , while he stuck his fork into the fish which was his favourite dish . ` If one could only get some of that ! ' thought Little Klaus , stretching his head towards the window . Ah , what delicious cakes he saw standing there ! It WAS a feast ! Then he heard someone riding along the road towards the house . It was the farmer coming home .
He was a very worthy man ; but he had one great peculiarity -- namely , that he could not bear XXXXX see a sexton .
For at between if in into on to towards with