Grimm's Household Tales

A countryman one day said to his little puppies, “Come into the parlor and enjoy yourselves, and pick up the breadcrumbs on the table; your mistress has gone out to pay some visits.” Then the little dogs said, “No, no, we will not go. If the mistress finds out, she will beat us.” The countryman said, “She will know nothing about it. Do come; after all, she never gives you anything good.” Then the little dogs said again, “No, no, we must leave it alone; we must not go.” But the countryman gave them no peace until at last they went, got on the table, and ate up the breadcrumbs with all their might. But at that very moment the mistress came, seized the stick in great haste, and beat them and treated them very harshly. And when they were outside the house, the little dogs said to the countryman, “Do, do, do, do, do you see?” Then the countryman laughed and said, “Didn’t, didn’t, didn’t you expect it?” So they just had to run away.