Tie donkey was
to place himself with his forefeet on the window-sill, the dog to
climb on the donkey's back, and the cat on the dog's, and, at last,
the cock was to fly up and perch himself on the cat's head. When that
was done, at a signal they began their music all together: the donkey
brayed, the dog barked, the cat mewed, and the cock crowed; then, with
one great smash, they dashed through the window into the room, so that
the glass clattered down. The robbers jumped up at this dreadful
noise, thinking that nothing less than a ghost was coming in, and ran
away into the wood in a great fright. The four companions then sat
down at the table, quite content with what was left there, and ate as
if they were expecting to fast for a month to come.
When the four musicians had finished, they put out the light, and each
one looked out for a suitable and comfortable sleeping-place. The
donkey lay down on the dunghill, the dog behind the door, the cat on
the hearth near the warm ashes, and the cock set himself on the
hen-roost; and, as they were all tired with their long journey, they
soon went to sleep. Soon after midnight, as the robbers in the
distance could see that no more lights were burning in the house, and
as all seemed quiet, the captain said, "We ought not to have let
ourselves be scared so easily," and sent one of them to examine the
house.
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