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THE TOWN MUSICIANS. 131 |
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away as fast as I could; my experience has cost me dear, and now what am I to do ?"
" Go with us to Bremen." said the ass ; " you are accustomed to perform night music I know, so you can easily become a street musician in the town."
" With all my heart," said the cat, so he walked on with them.
After travelling some little distance the three fugitives came to a farm-yard, and on the gate stood a domestic cock screaming with all his might.
"Why are you standing there on your marrow-bones and screaming so ?" said the ass.
" I will tell you," replied the cock. " I prophesied fine weather at lady-day when the family went to perform some of their religious work, and there was fine weather, but the housekeeper has no pity, for I heard the cook say that there is company coming on Sunday and she shall want me to put in the soup. So this evening my head will be cut off, therefore I shall scream at the top of my voice as long as I can."
" Listen, Red Comb " said the ass; " would you like to run away with us ? we are going to Bremen, and you will find something better there than to be made into soup; you have a fine voice, and we are all musical by nature."
The cock readily fell in with this proposal, and they all four went away together.
They could not, however, reach Bremen in one day, and evening came on just as they entered a wood, so they decided to stay all night
The ass and the dog laid themselves under a large tree, but the cat made himself comfortable on the branches. The cock flew to the summit of the tree, where he felt himself quite safe.
Before they slept, the cock, who from his high position could see to all points of the compass, discovered in the distance a tiny spark burning, and calling to his comrades, told them he was convinced that they were not far from a house in which a light was shining.
" Then." said the ass, " we must rouse up and go on to this
light, for there is plainly a harbour of refuge for us." And the
hound said he should be glad of a little piece of meat, or a couple
of bones if he could get nothing else
9—a |
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