THE BREMEN TOWN MUSICIANS by the Brothers Grimm

translated by Jack Zipes



A man had a donkey who had diligently carried sacks of grain to the 
mill for many years.  However, the donkey's strength was reaching its 
end, and he was less and less fit for the work.  His master thought it 
was time to dispense with him and save on food, but the donkey got 
wind of what was in store for him.  So he ran away and set out for 
Bremen, where he thought he could become a town musician.  After 
traveling some distance he came across a hunting dog lying on the 
roadside and panting as if he had run himself ragged.

   "Why are you panting so hard, you old hound dog?" asked the donkey.

   "Ah," the dog said, "because I'm old and getting weaker every day.  
Now I can't even hunt anymore, and my master wanted to kill me. 
Naturally, I cleared out, but how am I going to earn a living now?"

   "You know what," said the donkey, "I'm going to Bremen to become a 
town musician, and you can come with me and also join the town band. 
I'll play the lute, and you, the drums."

   The dog agreed, and they continued on their way.  Soon after, they 
encountered a cat sitting on the roadside, making a long and sorry 
face.

   "Well, what's gone wrong with you, old whiskers?" asked the donkey.

   "How can I be cheerful when my neck's in danger" the cat replied.

"My mistress wanted to drown me because I'm getting on in years.  
Moreover, my teeth are dull, and I'd rather sit behind the stove and 
purr than chase after mice.  Anyway, I managed to escape, but now I 
don't know what to do or where to go."

   "Why don't you come along with us to Bremen?  You know a great deal 
about night serenades, and you can become a town musician."

   The cat thought that was a good idea and went along.  Then the 
three fugiitives passed a farmyard where a rooster was perched on the 
gate and crowing with all his might.

   " Your crowing gives me the chills," said the donkey. "Why are you 
screaming like this?"

   "I've predicted good weather for today" said the rooster, "because 
it's Our Laady's Day, when she washes the Christ Child's shirts and 
sets them out to dry.  Still, my mistress has no mercy.  Tomorrow's 
Sunday, and guests are coming.  So she told the cook to cut off my 
head tonight because she wants to eat me in the soup tomorrow.  Now 
you know why I'm screaming my lungs out, while there's still time to 
scream."

   "That's foolish, redhead!" sid the donkey.  You'd be smarter if 
you"d come along with us.  We're off to Bremen.  Why die when you can 
find a better life somewhere else?  You've got a good voice, and if we 
make music together, it's sure to be a good thing."

   The rooster liked the proposal, and all four of them continued the 
journey together.  However, they could not reach the town of Bremen in 
one day, and by evening they came to a forest, where they decided to 
spend the night.  The donkey and the dog lay down under a big tree, 
while the cat and the rooster climbed up and settled down in the 
branches.  To be on the safe side, the rooster flew to the top.  
Before he went to sleep, he looked around in all directions, and it 
seemed to him he saw a light burning in the distance.  He called to 
his companions and told them there must be a house nearby, since he 
could see something shining.

   "Well, this place is not all that comfortable, so let's get 
moving," said the donkey.

   The dog thought some bones and meat would be just right for him, and 
they all set out toward the light. Soon it began to grow brighter, and 
it got even more so once they reached a brightly lit robber's den.  
Since the donkey was the tallest, he went up to the window and looked 
inside.

  "What do you see, grey steed?" the rooster asked.

   "What do I see?" replied the donkey. "I see a table covered with 
wonderful food and drinks and some robbers sitting there and enjoying 
themselves."

   "That would be just the thing for us!" said the rooster.

   "You're right!" said the donkey.  "If only we could get in!"

   Then the animals discussed what they would have to do to drive the 
robbers away.  Finally they hit upon a plan.  The donkey was to stand 
upright and place his forefeet on the windowsill.  The dog was to jump 
on the donkey's back, and the cat was to climb upon the dog.  When 
that was done, the rooster was to fly up and perch on the cat's head.  
After they put their plan into action, the signal was given, and they 
all started to make music together: the donkey brayed, the dog barked, 
the cat meowed, and the rooster crowed.  Then they crashed into the 
room, shattering the window.  Startled by the horrible cries, the 
robbers were convinced that a ghost had burst into the room, and they 
fled in great fright into the forest.  Then the four companions sat 
down at the table, delightedly gathering up the leftovers, and ate as 
if there were no tomorrow.

   When the four minstrels were finished, they put out the light and 
looked for a place to sleep, each according to his nature and custom.  
The donky lay down on the dung heap in the yard,  the dog behind the 
door, the cat on the hearth near the warm ashes, and the rooster on 
the beam of the roof.  Since they were tired from their long journey, 
they soon fell asleep.

   When it was past midnight and the robbers saw from the distance 
that there was no light in the house and everything seemed peaceful, 
the leader of the band said, "We shouldn't have let ourselves be 
scared out of our wits."

   He ordered one of the robbers to return and check out the house.  
When he found everything quiet, the robber went into the kitchen to 
light a candle and misttook the cat's glowing  fiery eyes for live 
coals.  So he held a match to them to light a fire, but the cat did 
not appreciate the joke.  He jumped into the robber's face, spitting 
and scratching, and the robber was so terribly frightened that he ran 
out the back door.  However, the dog was lying there and bit him in 
the leg.  When the robber raced across the yard, he passed the dung 
heap, and here the donkey gave him a solid kick with his hind foot.  
All this noise woke the rooster from his sleep, and he became lively 
again and crowed "Cock-a-doodle-doo!" from his beam.

   The robber ran back to the leader as fast as he could and said, 
"There's a gruesome witch in the house!  She spat on me and scratched 
my face with her long claws.  At the door there's a man with a knife, 
and he stabbed my leg.  In the yard there's a black monster who beat 
me with a wooden club.  And on top of the roof the judge was sitting 
and screaming 'Bring me the rascal!"  I got out of there as fast as I 
could!"

   Since that time the robbers have never dared return to the house,  
but the four Bremen Town musicians liked the place so much that they 
stayed on forever.

   And the last person who told this tale has still got warm lips.