the ass tallest
being the tallest of the company， marched up to the window and peeped in.
'Well， Donkey，' said Chanticleer， 'what do you see？' 'What do I see？' replied the ass. 'Why， I see a table spread with all kinds of good things， and robbers sitting round it making merry.'
That would be a noble lodging for us，' said the cock. 'Yes，' said the ass， 'if we could only get in'； so they consulted together how they should contrive to get the robbers out； and at last they hit upon a plan. The ass placed himself upright on his hind legs.
with his forefeet resting against the window； the dog got upon his back； the cat scrambled up to the dog's shoulders， and the cock flew up and sat upon the cat's head. When all was ready a signal was given， and they beg an their music. the coast once clear， our travell ers 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 into two parts by a partition of planks; in one half were many skins and hides, raw and tanned. Here was all the apparatus necessary to carry on a tannery, and it belonged to the widow.