By The Brothers Grimm
Adapted by Shirley Stafford

There was once a donkey who had worked for a farmer for many a year. Since the donkey was getting too old too carry loads anymore the farmer was thinking of getting rid of him. The poor donkey realized this and ran away. Along the road he saw a sign advertising that the town of Bremen was in need of musicians. The donkey considered that he had a lovely voice and so he set off for Bremen.

Soon he came upon a dog lying and panting by the road. “Why are you gasping and howling,” asked the Donkey. The hound replied that he gotten too old to hunt and his master was going to kill him. “Your howl is beautiful. Come with me to Bremen to be a musician,” said the donkey. And so they went on their way.

They came upon the saddest looking cat either animal had ever seen. “What is the matter, “asked the donkey. “I am too old too catch mice and the lady of the house wants to drown me.” Said the cat. “You had better come with us,” said the Donkey. “We are on our way to Bremen to be fine musicians.” And so they went on their way.

As they walked they heard the call of a large rooster. He was sitting on a fence post crowing with all his might. “Why are you crowing so loudly.” asked the donkey? “I am getting old and I heard my mistress telling the cook to wring my neck and serve me for Sunday dinner.” “Oh dear,” said the Donkey,” you had better come with us. You have a fine voice and we are going to be musicians in Bremen.” And so the four new friends went on.
Night was coming and the animal knew they would have to sleep in the forest. The donkey and the dog lay down near the roots of a tree, the cat lay on a branch and the rooster flew to the top of the tree. The rooster saw a light not far in the forest. Perhaps we can find shelter and something to eat there. The animals ran to the house to have a look.

The window was up high so the animal came up with a plan. The donkey put his forefeet on the window ledge, the dog climbed on top of the donkey, the cat stood on top of the dog and the rooster jumped on the cat’s head and was able to see into the window. There is a fine table of food and 3 robbers having dinner the rooster whispered. The musicians decided to scare the robbers. The donkey brayed as loud as he could, the dog howled, the cat screeched and the rooster crowed for all his might.

“Ahhhh,” the robbers cried, “there are ghosts trying to get in,” and out they ran. The laughing animals went in and ate a wonderful supper. Soon they were very tired. The donkey laid himself down upon some straw in the yard, the hound behind the door, the cat upon the hearth near the warm ashes, and the rooster perched on the roof. And being tired from their long walk, they soon went to sleep.

The robbers, hiding, in the forest saw the lights of their house go out. The leader of the robbers said to one of his men, “go find out if it is safe to go in.”
Legs shaking, the robber said. “You go, I’m scared.” “Hurry up,” said the leader,” or I’ll show you what’s what,” he yelled. The robber ran to the house.

The robber entered quietly and went into the kitchen to light a candle. He saw the fiery eyes of the cat and mistaking them for live coals, he held a match to them to light it. The cat screamed and flew in his face, spitting and scratching. Frightened, he ran to the back door, but the dog, which lay there, sprang up and bit his leg. As he ran through the yard, the donkey gave him a smart kick with its hind foot. The rooster too, who had been awakened by the noise, cried down from the roof, “Cock-a-doodle-doo.”

Terrified the robber ran back as fast as he could to his leader, and said, “I’ll never go back there. A witch with fiery eyes scratched me, a monster bit my leg, a fiend kicked me hard and a ghost screamed from the roof.”

The robbers were so frightened that they never came back to their little house in the woods. Though the friends never got to Bremen, the four musicians decided to live in the little house happily for the rest of their days and of course they sang to their hearts content.