e shelf where he was perched, 'Kikeriki!'

Then the robber hastened back to his captain and said: 'Sir, there is a
dreadful witch in the house, who spat at me and scratched my face with
her long fingers; and before the door there stands a man with a long
knife, who cut my leg severely. In the courtyard outside lies a black
monster, who fell upon me with a huge wooden club; and that is not all,
for, sitting on the roof, is a judge, who called out: "Bring the rascal
to me." So I fled for dear life.'

After this the robbers dared not venture into the house again, and they
abandoned it for ever. But the four street musicians were so delighted
with their lodgings that they determined to take up their abode in the
robbers' house, and, for all I know to the contrary, they may be living
there to this day.

[From the German, _Kletke_.]

_THE TWIN BROTHERS_

Once there was a fisherman who had plenty of money but no children. One
day an old woman came to his wife and said: 'What use is all your
prosperity to you when you have no children?'

'It is God's will,' answered the fisherman's wife.

'Nay, my child, it is not God's will, but the fault of your husband; for
if he would but catch the little gold-fish you would surely have
children. To-night, when he comes home, tell him he must go back and
catch the little fish. He must then cut it in six pieces--one of these
you must eat, and your husband the second, and soon after you will have
two children. The third piece you must give to the dog, and she will
have two puppies. The fourth piece give to the mare, and she will have
two foals. The fifth piece bury on the right of the house door, and the
sixth on the left, and two cypress trees will spring up there.'

When the fisherman came home at evening his wife told him all that the
old woman had advised, and he promised to bring home the little
gold-fish. Next morning, therefore, he went very early to the water, and
caught the little fish. Then they did as the old woman had ordered, and
in due time the fisherman's wife had two sons, so like each other that
no one could tell the difference. The dog had two puppies exactly alike,
the mare had two foals, and on each side of the front door there sprang
up two cypress trees precisely similar.

When the two boys were grown up, they were not content to remain at
home, though they had wealth in plenty; but they wished to go out into
the world, and make a name for themselve