midnight
Then the four companions sat down to the table , and made free with the remains of the meal , and feasted as if they had been hungry for a month . And when they had finished they put out the lights , and each sought out a sleeping-place to suit his nature and habits . The ass laid himself down outside on the dunghill , the dog behind the door , the cat on the hearth by the warm ashes , and the cock settled himself in the cockloft , and as they were all tired with their long journey they soon fell fast asleep . When midnight drew near , and the robbers from afar saw that no light was burning , and that everything appeared quiet , their captain said to them that he thought that they had run away without reason , telling one of them to go and reconnoitre . So one of them went and found everything quite quiet ; he went into the kitchen to strike a light , and taking the glowing fiery eyes of the cat for burning coals , he held a match to them in order to kindle it . But the cat , not seeing the joke , flew into his face , spitting and scratching . Then he cried out in terror , and ran to get out at the back door , but the dog , who was lying there , ran at him and bit his leg ; and as he was rushing through the yard by the dunghill the ass struck out and gave him a great kick with his hindfoot ; and the cock , who had been awakened with the noise , and felt quite brisk , cried out , `` Cock-a-doodle-doo ! ''