the house, and at last they hit on a plan. The donkey was to place his fore feet on the windowsill, the dog was to get on the donkey's back, the cat on top of the dog, and lastly the cock was to fly up and perch on the cat's head. When that was done, at a given signal they all began to perform their music. The donkey 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 ran 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 table, and feasted as if they had been hungry for a month. When they had finished they put out the lights, and each sought a sleeping place to suit himself. The donkey laid himself down outside the door, the dog lay behind the door, the cat stretched on the hearth by the warm ashes, and the cock settled himself in the loft. As they were all tired with their long journey they soon fell fast asleep. Midnight drew near, and the robbers saw from afar that no light was burning. Their captain said to them that he thought that they had run away without reason. 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. The dog, who was lying there, ran at him and bit his leg. As he was rushing through the yard the donkey struck out and gave him a great kick with his hind foot; the cock, who had been wakened with the noise, and felt brisk, cried out, "Cock-a-doodle-doo!" The robber returned as well as he could to his captain, and said, "Oh, dear! in that house there is a witch. I felt her breath and her long nails in my face. By the door there stands a man, who stabbed me in the leg with a knife. In the yard there lies a black fellow, who beat me with his wooden club. "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." From that time forward the robbers never ventured to that house, and the four Bremen town musicians found themselves so well off where they were, that there they stayed. And the person who last told this tale is still living, as you see. Adapted. SWEET AND LOW BY ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON Sweet and low, sweet and low, Wind of the western sea! Over the rolling waters go, Come from the dying moon, and blow, Blow him again to me; While my little one, while my pretty one, sleeps. Sleep and rest, sleep and rest, Father will come to thee soon; Father will come to his babe in the nest, Under the silver moon: Sleep, my little one, sleep, my pretty one, sleep. A LETTER TO MAY BY THOMAS HOOD Monday, April 6, 1844. MY DEAR MAY,-I promised you a letter, and here it is. I was sure to remember it; for you are as hard to forget, as you are soft to roll down a hill with. What fun it was! only so prickly, I thought I had a porcupine in one pocket, and a hedgehog in the other. The next time, before we kiss the earth we will have its face well shaved. Did you ever go to Greenwich Fair? I should like to go there with you, for I get no rolling at St. John's Wood. Tom and Fanny only like roll and butter, and as for Mrs. Hood, she is for rolling in money. Tell Dunnie that Tom has set his trap in the balcony and has caught a cold, and tell Jeanie that Fanny has set her foot in the garden, but it has not come up yet. Oh, how I wish it was the season when "March winds and April showers bring forth May flowers"! for then, of course, you would give me another pretty little nosegay. |