"

The dog was quite willing, and so they be walked on.

They had not gone far when they saw a cat sitting in a yard.

He looked as sad as three days of rainy weather.

"What's the matter with you, old Tom?" asked the donkey.

"You would be sad, too," said the cat, "if you were in my place; for now
that I am getting old and cannot catch mice, they wish to drown me. I
have run away, but how I am going to live, I do not know."

"Come with us to Bremen," said the donkey. "We are going to play in the
band.

I know you love music, as you sing so well at night. You too can join
the band."

"That is just what I should like to do," said the cat.

So the donkey, the dog, and the cat all walked on together.

[Illustration]

After a time the three came to a farmyard.

There on the gate sat a cock, crying "Cock-a-doodle-doo" with all his
might.

"Why are you making so much noise?" asked the donkey.

"Ah," said the cock, "I find I must have my head cut off so that I may
serve as a dinner for Monday. I'm crowing as hard as I can while my head
is still on."

"Come with us, old Red Comb," said the donkey. "We are going to Bremen
to join the band. You have a fine voice. You can join, too."

"Ah," said the cock, "that is just what I should like to do."

And they all went on their way to Bremen.

THE FOUR FRIENDS--II

At evening the four friends came to a wood, where they stopped for the
night.

The donkey and the dog lay down under a large tree.

The cat climbed up on one of the branches.

The cock flew to the very top of the tree, where he felt quite safe.

From his perch on the top of the tree the cock saw a light.

Calling to his friends, he said, "We are not far from a house. I can see
a light."

"Let us go on," said the donkey, "for it may be just the house for us."

As they drew near, the light grew larger and brighter.

At last they could see that it came from the window of a robber's house.

The donkey, who was the tallest, went up and looked in.

"What do you see, old Long Ears?" asked the cock.

"What do I see?" answered the donkey. "Why, a table spread with plenty
to eat and drink, and the robbers having their supper."

"We should be there, too, if we had our rights," said the cock.

"Ah, yes," said the donkey; "if we could only get inside."

Then the four friends talked over what they had better do in order to
drive the robbers out of the house.

At last they hit upon a plan.

Th