The Bremen Town Musicians

The story

There was once a donkey who had carried sacks to the mill for many years. When his legs grew stiff and his master thought him no longer useful, the donkey did not wait sadly by the stable door. “I still have a good loud voice,” he thought. “I shall go to Bremen and become a town musician.” So he set out along the dusty road.

Before long he met an old hound lying by the wayside, panting because he could no longer run swiftly. Farther on he found a cat whose mistress had grown displeased with her, and then a rooster who had heard that he was to be made into supper. Each had been cast aside, yet each still had something left: the donkey could bray, the dog could bark, the cat could mew, and the rooster could crow till the rafters rang.

The four companions walked together until evening darkened the forest. Through the trees they saw a cottage window shining with warm yellow light. Inside, a band of robbers sat round a table spread with food. The animals were hungry, but they had no wish to meet the robbers politely at the door.

So the donkey set his forefeet upon the window ledge, the dog sprang upon his back, the cat climbed upon the dog, and the rooster flew to the top. Then all at once they made their music: braying, barking, mewing, and crowing in a frightful crash. The robbers fled into the woods, believing some dreadful creature had broken in.

Later one robber crept back, but in the dark the cat scratched him, the dog bit him, the donkey kicked him, and the rooster cried from the roof. Away he ran, and none of the robbers returned. The animals never reached Bremen, yet they found a home. They had learned that a voice need not be young or grand to be worth hearing.