he suddenly exclaimed with a cry , ` Look ! I am sure I felt her body move ! And now her nostrils are twitching . Ah ! the whistle has not lost its power after all , ' and stooping down , Toueno whistled more loudly than before , so that the old woman 's feet and hands showed signs of life , and she soon was able to life her head . The farmers were so astonished at her restoration , that it was some time before they could speak . At length the eldest turned to the boy and said : ` Now listen to me . There is no manner of doubt that you are a young villain . You sold us a ram knowing full well that it was a wolf , and we came here to-day to pay you out for it . But if you will give us that whistle , we will pardon what you have done , and will leave you alone . ' ` It is my only treasure , and I set great store by it , ' answered the boy , pretending to hesitate . ` But as you wish for it so much , well , I suppose I ca n't refuse , ' and he held out the whistle , which the eldest brother put in his pocket . Armed with the precious whistle , the three brothers returned home full of joy , and as they went the youngest said to the others , ' I have such a good idea ! Our wives are all lazy and grumbling , and make our lives a burden . Let us give them a lesson , and kill them as soon as we get in . Of course we can restore them to life at once , but they will have had a rare fright . ' ` Ah , how clever you are , ' answered the other two . ` Nobody else would have thought of that . ' So gaily the three husbands knocked down their three wives , who fell dead to the ground . Then one by one the men tried the whistle , and blew so loudly that it seemed as if their lungs would burst , but the women lay stark and stiff and never moved an eyelid .
The husbands grew pale and cold , for they had never dreamed XXXXX this , nor meant any harm , and after a while they understood that their efforts were of no use , and that once more the boy had tricked them .
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