English - Die Stadt am Fluss

THE BREMEN TOWN MUSICIANS

Once upon a time there was a donkey that for a number of years had  uncomplainingly carried sack loads of merchandise for his master. In  time, however, the poor old donkey's strength started to fail him, and  his master, considering him no longer worth his keep, decided to have  him destroyed. But the donkey guessed his master's intentions, and  managed to escape in time to avoid such a cruel fate. "I may be old", he  thought, "but I still have a good voice. I shall go to Bremen and earn  my living as Town Musician."  

 

And so he started  off in the direction of that City.Eventually he came across a dog, which  was lying by the roadside and panting as though he had been running for  some distance. "Hullo, old hunter", said the donkey, "why all the  panting?" -- "Alas!" moaned the dog, "I am old, and getting weaker every  day; and my master, deciding I was no longer any use for hunting, was  going to kill me. So l've run away, but now I’m wondering how I’m going  to earn my living." -- "Well", replied the donkey, "I'm on my way to  Bremen, where I am to become a Town Musician. How about joining me?" --  The dog readily agreed, and they walked on together.

After  a time they met an old grey cat looking very displeased with life. "Say  there, old whiskers", called out the donkey, "what's biting you this  bright day?" -- "A lot l've got to feel bright about", retorted the cat,  "with my life in danger! I'm old and my teeth have lost their edge, so  that l'd rather sit by the fireplace purring than run around after mice.  My mistress was going to have me drowned, but I managed to get away,  and now I’m wondering what's to become of me." -- "Come along with us to  Bremen, then", suggested the donkey, "and be a Town Musician.  Serenading should come natural to you."  

  

 

The cat was happy to  join them, and the three companions walked on together until they came  by a farmyard, where they saw a cock, perched on a gate and crowing as  loud as he could."What's all the crowing about?" asked the donkey. -- "I  am

crowing in sorrow", said the cock, "for I overheard the farmer's  wife tell the cook to prepare me for tomorrow's dinner, so tonight I'll  be having my head chopped off." -- "In that case", remarked the donkey,  "you'd best come along with us. You can't be any worse off whatever  happens. We are musicians, and we could use a good tenor like you."  Willingly the cock joined themIt was now beginning to get dark, and,  having reached a forest, they decided to seek its shelter for the night.  The cock, which had flown to the top of a tree, was looking around  before settling down when he noticed a light glimmering through the  trees at a short distance. Having told his companions, they followed the  direction of the light to investigate and found this came from a house,  which was all lighted up.

  

 

 

 

The donkey, being  the tallest, approached the window and looked in. What do you see?"  asked the cock. -- "A table with lots of food and drink, and some  robbers having a feast." -- "That's just what we're needing!" exclaimed  the cock. "No doubt", answered the donkey, "but how do we get in?"

Having thought the matter over, they worked out a plan whereby they  might frighten the robbers away: The donkey got his front hooves onto  the window-sill, the dog stood on the donkey's back, the cat on the  dog's, and the cock perched himself atop the cat's head.

And, at a  given signal, they started singing in chorus, the donkey braying, the  dog barking, the cat mewing and the cock crowing. Then, when the concert  was at its loudest, they suddenly leaped through the windowpane,  sending bits of broken glass jingling all over the room. This was too  much for the robbers, who, thinking the house was haunted, fled for  their lives, the four companions then sat at the table, and ate and  drank as though they had been starved for a month.

  

 

 

 

Having eaten their  fill they all settled down for the night, the donkey in the yard, the  dog on the doormat, the cat before the fire, and the cock in the  hayloft. Soon after midnight, the robbers, hearing no sound, partly  overcame their fear and crept towards the house, where everything was  dark and still.

The chief then ordered one of them to go into the house;  and he, seeing the cat's eyes near the fire, thought that these were  live coals, and tried to light a spill from them.

  

 

But the cat spat at  him and clawed him and he fled with a shriek. As he went through the  door the dog bit his leg, while as he crossed the yard the donkey kicked  him, the cock adding to the din with a shrill "Cock-a-doodle-doo!" --  The robber reported all this to his chief. "In the house", said he,  "there was a horrible witch who attacked me with her claws; at the door  stood a devil who stabbed my leg with a long knife; in the yard was a  giant who hit me hard with a club, while near by was the leader of these  fiends calling loudly, "Bring the rascal here!" Hearing this, the  robbers left the forest forever, and the musicians lived there happily  ever after.