At last they hit upon a plan.
The donkey stood upon his hind legs and placed his front feet on the window sill.
The dog then stood on the donkey's back
The cat climbed upon the dog, while the cock perched upon the cat's head.
The donkey gave a signal, and they began all at the same time, to make their loudest music.
The donkey brayed, the dog barked, the cat mewed, and the cock crowed, all with such force that the windowpane shook and was almost broken.
The robbers had never heard such a noise.
They thought it must come from witches, or giants, or goblins, and they all ran as fast as they could to the wood behind the house.