Pagina 44 de 626

The robbers, who had been not a little frightened by the opening

concert, had now no doubt that some frightful hobgoblin had

broken in upon them, and scampered away as fast as they could.

The coast once clear, our travellers soon sat down and dispatched

what the robbers had left, with as much eagerness as if they had

not expected to eat again for a month. As soon as they had

satisfied themselves, they put out the lights, and each once more

sought out a resting-place to his own liking. The donkey laid

himself down upon a heap of straw in the yard, the dog stretched

himself upon a mat behind the door, the cat rolled herself up on

the hearth before the warm ashes, and the cock perched upon a

beam on the top of the house; and, as they were all rather tired

with their journey, they soon fell asleep.