At night they stopped in a forest to rest. The dog and the donkey lay under a tree. The cat climbed upon one of the branches. The rooster flew to the top of the tree. The rooster looked about him before he put his head under his wing. He saw a light near by, and called to his friends. "If you see a light," said the donkey, "there must be a house. Come, friends, we will find the house." Soon they found the house. The light came from a small window far from the ground. The donkey was not tall enough to look in at the window. What were they to do? The donkey thought of a plan. He stood under the window with the dog on his back. The cat jumped upon the dog's back. The rooster flew upon the cat's back. Then the rooster peeped in at the window. "What do you see?" asked the cat. "I see four robbers sitting at a table," said the rooster. "What are they doing?" asked the dog. 66 They are eating bread and meat, and drinking milk," said the rooster. "That would be a good supper for us," said the cat. "We must drive the robbers away," said the donkey. "Let us all sing at once. Now, one, two, three!" "Wee-haw! Wee-haw!" said the donkey. "Bow-wow! Bow-wow!" said the dog. "The world must be coming to an end," said the robbers, who were very much frightened. They ran out of the house as fast as they could, and hid in the forest. The four hungry friends had a good supper. They blew out the light and went to bed. The donkey lay on the grass in the yard. The dog lay behind the door. The cat rolled himself up in front of the fire. The rooster perched on the back of a chair. Then the fire went out, and all was dark and still. Soon the robbers crept back to the house. "There is no one here," said one of the robbers. "Let us go into the house to sleep." "There may "Wait," said another robber. be some one here. Let me go in and see." In walked the robber. How dark it was! He could see two round shining balls in front of the fireplace, and he thought they were the fire. “I will light a match at the fire," he said. Scratch! went the match. "Mew!" said the cat, as she scratched the robber's face. The robber was frightened and ran for the door. He stepped on the dog, and the dog bit him on the leg. He fell over the chair, and the rooster said, "Cock-a-doodle, doo!" He ran out into the yard and fell over the donkey. "Wee-haw! Wee-haw!" said the donkey, and gave him a kick. The robbers ran away and never came back again. The four friends lived in the house in the forest and were very happy. -GRIMM (Adapted). |