When they came in , Hans said to them , ` Do you remember the bargain we made last night ? Which of you is it that 's going to be hanged ? ' ` Oh , ' said they , ` that was only a joke ; it did n't mean anything . ' ` Oh well , it does n't matter , ` said Hans , and there was no more about it . The squire , however , and his wife and the steward , had much to say to each other about the terrible man they had got , and all were agreed that they must get rid of him in some way or other . The steward said that he would manage this all right . Next morning they were to clean the well , and they would use of that opportunity . They would get him down into the well , and then have a big mill-stone ready to throw down on top of him -- that would settle him . After that they could just fill in the well , and then escape being at any expense for his funeral . Both the squire and his wife thought this a splendid idea , and went about rejoicing at the thought that now they would get rid of Hans . But Hans was hard to kill , as we shall see . He slept long next morning , as he always did , and finally , as he would not waken by himself , the squire had to go and call him . ` Get up , Hans , you are sleeping too long , ' he cried . Hans woke up and rubbed his eyes . ` That 's so , ' said he , ' I shall rise and have my breakfast . ' He got up then and dressed himself , while the breakfast stood waiting for him . When he had finished the whole of this , he asked what he was to do that day . He was told to help the other men to clean out the well . That was all right , and he went out and found the other men waiting for him . To these he said that they could choose whichever task they liked -- either to go down into the well and fill the buckets while he pulled them up , or pull them up , and he alone would go down to the bottom of the well .
They answered that they would rather stay above-ground , as there would be no room for so many XXXXX them down in the well .
about as at by for in of that to while