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of soldiers came home from the wars; for peace had been made, and their king wanted their service no longer. One of them, whose name was Conrad, had saved a good deal of money out of his pay; for he did not spend all he earned in eating and drinking, as many others do. Now two of his comrades were great rogues, and they wanted to rob him of his money: however, they behaved outwardly towards him in a friendly way. "Comrade," said they to him one day, "why should we stay here, shut up in this town like prisoners, when you at any rate have earned enough to live upon for the rest of your days in peace and plenty, at home by your own fireside?" They talked so often to him in this manner, that he at last said he would go and try his luck with them; but they all the time thought of nothing but how they should manage to steal away his money from him.

When they had gone a little way, the two rogues said, "We must go by the right-hand road, for that will 283