The hour of my freedom has struck , and I can not go with you . ' ` My good Hans , ' entreated the minister , ' I really ought not to leave you here . Consider what danger you would be in ! Yonder , as you see , a gallows is set up , and two evil-doers are hanging on it . You could not possibly sleep with such ghastly neighbours . ' ` Why not ? ' asked Hans . ` Those gallows birds hang high in the air , and my camp will be on the ground ; we shall have nothing to do with each other . ' As he spoke , he turned his back on the minister , and went his way . There was no help for it , and the minister had to push on by himself , if he expected to arrive in time for the christening . His friends were much surprised to see him drive up without a coachman , and thought some accident had happened . But when he told them of his conversation with Hans they did not know which was the most foolish , master or man . It would have mattered little to Hans had he known what they were saying or thinking of him . He satisfied his hunger with the food he had in his knapsack , lit his pipe , pitched his tent under the boughs of a tree , wrapped himself in his furs , and went sound asleep . After some hours , he was awakened by a sudden noise , and sat up and looked about him . The moon was shining brightly above his head , and close by stood two headless dwarfs , talking angrily . At the sight of Hans the little dwarfs cried out : ` It is he ! It is he ! ' and one of them stepping nearer exclaimed , ` Ah , my old friend ! it is a lucky chance that has brought us here .
My bones still ache from my fall down the steps XXXXX the tower .
At about above for if nearer of on under with