2018م - 1444هـ
The Bremen Town Musicians

by The Brothers Grimm

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The Brothers Grimm tell the tale of outcast animals-- a donkey, dog, cat, and rooster-- who find a new home, though they never actually make it to the town of Bremen. They foil the robbers with their individual talents; part of the second volume of Grimm's fairytale collection, "Kinder- und Hausmärchen," translated as Children's and Household Tales

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A certain man had a donkey, which had carried the corn-sacks to the mill indefatigably for many a long year; but his strength was going, and he was growing more and more unfit for work. Then his master began to consider how he might best save his keep; but the donkey, seeing that no good wind was blowing, ran away and set out on the road to Bremen. "There," he thought, "I can surely be town-musician." When he had walked some distance, he found a hound lying on the road, gasping like one who had run till he was tired. "What are you gasping so for, you big fellow?" asked the donkey.

"Ah," replied the hound, "as I am old, and daily grow weaker, and no longer can hunt, my master wanted to kill me, so I took to flight; but now how am I to earn my bread?"

"I tell you what," said the donkey, "I am going to Bremen, and shall be town-musician there; go with me and engage yourself also as a musician. I will play the lute, and you shall beat the kettledrum."