So they began to walk round the hut, but they marched round much oftener than three times, and each time they stopped at the same place.
“We cannot go round any more,” said Caspar, “we must attack the monster from some place. Do you hide first, behind the oak-tree, one behind another, that the monster may not see you; I will step on to the wheel there, and look in at the window, but—mind you are all ready at the first call.”
As they hid themselves behind the oak, he walked slowly with drawn sword to the hut, and little Hans whispered behind the tree:
“If there should be a wolf in the hut! Do you remember the story of ‘Little Red Riding-hood’?”
This made them very much afraid, and they held the faster to one another. Only Frank dared look out to see how their captain got on.
He had arrived at the hut, and, having fastened his horse to a stake, he mounted the wheel in order to look through the window. But—what a monster!—a great bearded beast with horns sprang with a loud cry at him; and Caspar, pale as death from terror, fell back, and could scarcely cry:
“Help! help!—the monster!”
As he called out, Franz said, “It has a beard and horns, and such a voice!” and Hans, who stood next to the oak, fell back on the rest, and one after the other fell to the ground.
Fritz picked himself up first, and called to Caspar from afar:
“Has he eaten you up yet, dear Caspar?”