Once upon a time there were three fierce robbers. They went about hidden under large black capes and tall black hats.

The first had a blunderbuss.
The second had a pepper-blower.
And the third had a huge red axe.

In the dark of the night they walked the roads, searching for victims.

They terrified everyone. Women fainted. Brave men ran. Dogs fled.

To stop carriages, the robbers blew pepper in the horses’ eyes.

With the axe, they smashed the carriage wheels.

And with the blunderbuss, they threatened the passengers and plundered them.

The robbers’ hide-out was a cave high up in the mountains. There they carried their loot.

They had trunks full of gold, jewels, money, watches, wedding rings, and precious stones.

But one bitter, black night the robbers stopped a carriage that had but one passenger, an orphan named Tiffany.
She was on her way to live with a wicked aunt. Tiffany was delighted to meet the robbers.

Since there was no treasure but Tiffany, the thieves bundled her in a warm cape and carried her away.

They made up a soft bed for her in a corner of the cave. And there she slept.

The next morning she awoke to find herself surrounded by trunks of glittering riches.
“What’s all this for?” she asked.
The robbers choked and sputtered.
They had never thought of spending their wealth.

So to use their treasure they gathered up all the lost, unhappy, and abandoned children they could find.

They bought a beautiful castle where all of them could live.

Dressed in red caps and capes, the children moved into their new house.

Stories of the castle spread throughout the land.
New children came or were brought each day to the doorsteps of the three robbers.

The children grew until they were old enough to marry.
Then they built houses around the castle.
A village grew up, full of people dressed in red caps and capes. These people, in memory of their kind foster fathers, built three tall, high-roofed towers. One for each of the three robbers.