The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-01-16
JUVENILE COLUMN.
THE TRAVELLING MUSICIANS.
A GERMAN rturE.

years, but was now growing old and every day
more and more unfit for work. His master,
therefore, was tired of keeping him, and began
TO think of putting an end to him but the
ass, who saw that some mischief was in the
wind, took himself slyly off, and began his
journey towards the great city, 'sfor there
Thought he, may turn musician
After he had travelled little way he spied
q DOG lying by the roadside and panting-as if
lie was very tired.
"What makes you pant SO, my friend y said
the
to knock me on tho head, because am old and
weak, and can no longer make myself useful
to him in hunting; SO | ran away, but what
can do TO earn my livelihood 70 -
" Heark yew said the ass, 81 am going to
the great city to turn musician; snpPosesyou
so with me and try what you can do in the
The dog said he was willing, and they logged
They had not gone far before they saw a cat
sitting in the middle of the road and making
q most rueful face.
g Pray, my good lady" said the ass, what
is the matter With youY you look quite out of
spiritsw
:" All! me- said the cat, Ihow, one be in
good spirits when ones life is in danger1
Because am beginning to grew eld and had
rather lie at my by thetre than run about
the house after the mice, my mistress laid hold
| of me, and -tseiHs to drown me; and,
T though have been lucky enough to get away
from her, J. de not know what am to live
g Oh said the ass, by all means go with
/ us TO the great city; you are good pight
singer and may make your fortune as a mu-
! sician.'
The eat was pleased with the Thought, and
/ joined the party.&'
Soon afterwards1- they We're passing by
farm-yard, they IL cock perchedNu upon
/ gate, and screaming out with>aA his might and
| main.
Bravo " said the ass, upon my word you
| make a famous noise; pray, what is aifThts
| about ~
] ''Why," said the cock, 81 was just now say
| ing that we should have fine weather~for our
washing day, gsld yet my mstressdnd the cook
/ don't thank me for my paiHs, but threaten 10,
| cut Oft my head tomorrow, and make broth of
! me for the guests-that are coming on Suuday.r
! - Heaxen-f0rbid - said the ass, % come with
MS, Master ChantiClcer; it will be better, at
-any rate, than staying here to have your head
I cut Off Besides, who knows If we take
to sing in tune; we may get up some kind of
! concert; so come along with u.s."
| g With all my heart" said the cock so they.
I all four went on JOLLY together
/ They could not, however, reach the great city
| the first day; so when night came eH they went
into the wood to sleep. The and the dog
! laid themselves down under great tree, and
| the cat climbed up into the branches; while
the cock, thinking that the higher he sat the
! safer he should be, flew to the very top of the
| tree, and them according to his custom, before
! he went to sleep, looked out on all sides of him
! to that everything was well. In doing this
! he afar off something bright and shining;
! and, calling to his companions, said " There
must be a house near by, for see light
" If that be tile case" said the ass, 50 we
! had better change our quarters, for our lodging
us not the best III the world"
- Besides" added the dog, 8" should not be
! the verse for bone or two, or bit of meat"
| SO they lSed of together towards the spot
where chant reer had seen the light and
/ they drew ur:tr, it became larger and brighter,
I till at laSt-L--A came close TO house in which
n gang of robbers lived.
! The ass, being the tallest of the company,
! marched up to the window and pecpcd ill.,
"Well, donkey" said chanticlcer, what do-
] you see ~
What do 1 see ?" replied the ass, " why: 1
see table spread with all kinds of good things,
J and ro1l 6ss sitting round it making merry
TiaosWould be a noble lodging for u.s." said
/ the cock.
Yes" said the ass, if we could only get
in;1 so they consulted together how they should
! contrive to get the robbers out; and at last
they hit upon plan. The ass placed himself
upright on his hud-legs, with his fore feet rest
! ing upon the window; the dog got upon his back;
| the cat scrambled up TO the dogs shoulders,
! and the cock flew up and sat upon the cats
! head. When all was ready, signal was given,
/ and they began their music: The ass brayed,
| the dog harked, the cat -uewed, and the cock
| screamed /; and then they all broke through
J the window at once, and came tumbllnS into
| the room amongst the broken glass, with
most hdeous CHATTER. The robbers, who had
| been not n little frightened by the opening
! concert, had now no doubt that some frightful
! hobgobn had broken in upon them, and scam
I pered away -sss fast AS they d,
The coast once clear, our travellers soon sat
down, and dispatched what the robbers had
| left, with much eagerness as if they had not
expected to eat again for a month. AS soon
as they had satisfied themselves, they put ont
the lights, and each once more sought oqt.a
resting-place to his liking. The donkey
laid himself down upon heap of straw in the
yard the dog stretched himself upon "a mat
behind the door the cat rolled herself up on
the hearth before the ashes; and the
cock perchcd himself on beam on tue top of
thc>house and, as they all rather tired
| with their journey, they soon fell asleep.
But, after midnight, when the robbers
from afar that the lights We're ont, and all
seemed quiet, they began to think that they
had been in too great Il hurry torun away aud
one of them, who was holder than the rest
went to see what was goingon. Finding every
thing STILL he marched into the kitchen, and
groped,&lhout till he found match in order tn
light a candle, and then, espying the glittcrng,
/ fiery eyes OF the cat, he mstook them for live
| Goals, and held the match to them to light it,
But the cat, not understanding this joke
sprung Mt his face and spit and scratched at
him. This frightened him dreadfuily, and
.away he ran to the back door, but there the
dog jumped up and bit him i'll the iegi aad, as
he was crossing over the yard, the ass kicked
him; and the cock, who had been awakened