the fellows who carried away what should not go with them, and find
things before they are lost. They laid themselves down right under the
tree upon which Fred and Catherine were, and making a fire, prepared to
share their booty. Then Fred slipped down on the other side, and
collected stones, with which he climbed the tree again, to beat the
thieves with. The stones, however, did them no harm, for the fellows
called out, "Ah! it will soon be morning, for the wind is shaking down
the chestnuts." All this while Catherine still had the door upon her
shoulder, and, as it pressed very heavily, she thought the dried apples
were in fault, and said to Fred, "I must throw down these apples." "No,
Catherine," said he, "not now, they might discover us." "Ah, I must,
though, they are so heavy."

"Well, then, do it in the hangman's name!" cried Fred.

As they fell down the rogues said, "Ah! the birds are pulling off the
leaves."

A little while after Catherine said again, "Oh! Fred, I must pour out
the vinegar, it is so heavy."

"No, no!" said he, "it will discover us."

"Ah! but I must, Fred, it is very heavy," said Catherine.

"Well, then, do it in the hangman's name!" cried Fred.

So she poured out the vinegar, and as it dropped on them the thieves
said, "Ah! the dew is beginning to fall."