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was once upon a time a man who gave up his farm to his eldest son and heir, but he had still three sons, and they were called Peter, Paul, and Ashiepattle. They stayed at home and would do no work of any kind, for they had had too good times of it in their young days, and now they thought they were too good for everything and that nothing was good enough for them.

At last Peter had got to hear that the king wanted a youngster to watch his hares, and so he told his father that he would go and try for this situation, which he thought would just suit him, for he would serve no less a man than the king, he said. His father thought that there was no doubt some more suitable work to be found for him, for he who should watch hares ought to be light and smart, and no lazybones, and when the hares began to run and fly