The seven eggs had a small mine in the hills out behind their house. Every morning all the eggs would go down into their mine to dig for precious stones. Mostly all they found was quartz and feldspar which they were able to sell at the local village. The money from their sales was used to buy food and household items. Occasionally they would find a ruby or a diamond. These they would keep and place in a small chest that was hidden below the floorboards of their little cottage.
The people of the town knew about the mine and there was gossip in the town about a huge hoard of gems that was hidden in the cottage. Occasionally a bandit would hear the stories and try to rob the eggs but Red Hat was very smart and he always figured out a way to thwart the bandits with tricks and traps. After capturing a bandit he would make them promise never to return lest he take their lives. Thus they lived their lives in relative peace until late one night when there was a knock on the door of their cottage.
"Who is there" shouted Red Hat. There was no response so he pressed up close to the door and listened. He could hear a gurgling noise, then there was a loud thud and then snoring. After waiting a few more minutes he opened the door to peak out and there on the door step was a large carrot, sound asleep. The eggs all emerged out into the night air to examine him. Blue Hat looked him over, checked to see if he was a live and pronounced that "He is quite drunk". So Red Hat decided to bring him inside for if he was left outside during the night it was likely he would get eaten by the creatures of the forest.
Life continued much the same in the life of the 6 eggs. Now they needed to spend a little more money in the town buying prepared food but they got by on what they mined. A few weeks passed and once again their was a knock on the door late one night. As before they found the passed out Carrot on their doorstep. Being that the eggs were very courteous in he was brought and put into the bed of the now departed Green Hat. The Carrot did not fit in the bed but anything was more comfortable then the floor.
The next morning the Carrot woke up and entered into a conversation with Orange Hat. "What a splendid quilt there was on the bed on which I slept last night. I have heard tales that the King is in need of a Royal Tailor. I am sure you would win the post if you were to go to the capitol" said the Carrot. This was all Orange Hat needed to hear for he had always wished to be in the service of the crown. So he packed his bags and left over the protestations of the other eggs. The Carrot thanked them for their hospitality and he too took leave of them.
Work in the mine became somewhat harder but with less mouths to feed and clothe it was not that very much harder for the five remaining eggs. Again some weeks had passed and let one night came that knock that they had come dread. Once again the Drunken Carrot was passed out on their doorstep. After much talking they resolved to bring him in for they did not wish his death on their consciences. He was put to bed where he snored all night and kept the other eggs awake. In the morning he spoke to Gray Hat "There is a bank in the town of Lieve whose banker is very old and he is looking for a young apprentice to take over when he retires. It is an opportunity unlike any other I have heard of." Gray Hat who felt his skills with managing money were greatly under used decided that he too must leave the cottage and the other eggs. Bags were packed and he left.
This time the Carrot did not leave the same day. He spoke to the remaining eggs "With so few of you left there is much room in the house and I need a place to live. So I will sleep here each night and go to the town each morning." The eggs not wanting to be discourteous assented to his wishes for the Carrot had never done them any harm. So each evening the knock would come and the eggs would let in the Drunken Carrot who would spend the night and leave the next morning. Time passed as before until one day the Carrot announced "The Circus is in town and they are looking for someone to care for the elephants." Purple Hat on hearing this went to pack his bags since his dream had always been to join the circus. He said his goodbyes and left. Now there were only three eggs and the Carrot in the small cottage.
With Purple Hat gone there was no one to clean so the cottage became quite messy. Still life went on much the same as it had before. Days turned to weeks until one morning the Carrot told them of a plague. "In the Low Counties there is a plague that is taking the lives of many of the peasants. No one can find a cure and great rewards would go to whoever found one" said the Carrot. Blue Hat immediately saw his duty so he packed his medicines into a bag and bid his fairwells to the two remaining eggs.
After a few weeks Red Hat became very angry. He was the only one working in the mine and was getting no help from Yellow Hat. "I am a decision maker not a worker. I am going to the castle and see if the King needs an advisor" said Red Hat to Yellow Hat. So he packed his bags and left. So Yellow Hat was left alone in the messy and very quiet cottage. That night he was awoke by the knock of the Drunken Carrot. "Go away" yelled Yellow Hat who pulled the blanket over his head and fell back to sleep.
In the morning Yellow Hat opened the door and found no sign of the Carrot except a few leafy green tufts. Yellow Hat never went back to the mine but lived a long and happy life with all the wealth in rubies and diamonds that the eggs had mined.
The End