The ass brayed, the dog barked, the cat mewed, and the cock
crowed; then they burst through into the room, breaking all the panes of
glass. The robbers fled at the dreadful sound; they thought it was some
goblin, and fled to the wood in the utmost terror. Then the four
companions sat down to the table, and made free with the remains of the
meal, and feasted as if they had been hungry for a month. And when they
had finished they put out the lights, and each sought out a
sleeping-place to suit his nature and habits. The ass laid himself down
outside on the dunghill, the dog behind the door, the cat on the hearth
by the warm ashes, and the cock settled himself in the cockloft, and as
they were all tired with their long journey they soon fell fast asleep.
When midnight drew near, and the robbers from afar saw that no light was
burning, and that everything appeared quiet, their captain said to them
that he thought that they had run away without reason, telling one of
them to go and reconnoitre. So one of them went and found everything
quite quiet; he went into the kitchen to strike a light, and taking the
glowing fiery eyes of the cat for burning coals, he held a match to them
in order to kindle it. But the cat, not seeing the joke, flew into his
face, spitting and scratching. Then he cried out in terror, and ran to
get out at the back door, but the dog, who was lying there, ran at him
and bit his leg; and as he was rushing through the yard by the dunghill
the ass struck out and gave him a great kick with his hindfoot; and the
cock, who had been awakened with the noise, and felt quite brisk, cried
out, "Cock-a-doodle-doo!"
Then the robber got back as well as he could to his captain, and said,
"Oh dear! in that house there is a gruesome witch, and I felt her breath
and her long nails in my face; and by the door there stands a man who
stabbed me in the leg with a knife, and in the yard there lies a black
spectre, who beat me with his wooden club; and above, upon the roof,
there sits the justice, who cried, 'bring that rogue here!' And so I ran
away from the place as fast as I could.
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