The messenger found everything quiet, went into the kitchen to
light a candle, and, thinking the cat's shining fiery eyes were live
coals, he held a match to them to light it. But the cat did not
understand the joke, flew in his face, spat at him, and scratched. He
was dreadfully frightened, ran away, and was going out of the back
door; when the dog, who was lying there, jumped up and bit him in the
leg. As he ran through the yard, past the dunghill, the donkey gave
him a good kick with his hind-foot; and the cock being awakened, and
made quite lively by the noise, called out from the hen-roost
"Cock-a-doodle-doo!"
The robber ran as hard as he could, back to the captain, and said:
"Oh, dear! in the house sits a horrid old witch, who blew at me, and
scratched my face with her long fingers; and by the door stands a man
with a knife, who stabbed me in the leg; and in the yard lies a black
monster, who hit me with a club; and up on the roof there sits the
judge, who called out, 'Bring the rascal up here'--so I made the best
of my way off."
From that time the robbers never trusted themselves again in the
house; but the four musicians liked it so well that they could not
make up their minds to leave it, and spent there the remainder of
their days, as the last person who told the story is ready to avouch
for a fact.
RIQUET WITH THE TUFT
Once upon a time a queen had a little son, who was so ugly and
ill-made, that for a long time the poor little baby was thought hardly
human.
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