Musicians of Bremen

Once, a washerman had a donkey who had served him for years. But when he became old and weak he became useless for the washerman. So one day, he told his wife, "I cannot keep this useless donkey anymore. I will leave him in the forest."

The Washerman’s wife also agreed with him. When the donkey heard their Conversation he felt sad. He decided to leave the house himself. He thought, "It would be better to leave the house of such selfish people. They do not know my value. I will go to Bremen to learn music and become a great musician. Then they will come to know my value. "

 He started walking towards Bremen. He met a dog who was tired of running. The donkey want to him and said, "Hello, dear brother why are you breathing so heavily" The dog replied. "I have become old and weak so my master wanted to kill me. I ran for my life. And what about you?".

The donkey replied, "I am going to Bremen to learn music and earn name and fame."The dog said, "I will also go with you and try my luck in the field of music."

Both the donkey and the dog proceeded ahead. On the way, they saw a cat sitting near a Road. She was looking sad. They asked her the reason of her sadness. The  cat replied, "I am old and weak. I cannot catch mice so my master turned me out of the house. Where should I go in my old age?"

The donkey replied, "Why are you sad? We are going to Bremen to learn music and start a new life. You may also come with us to learn music."

The cat also accompanied them to Bremen. They reached an old farmhouse where they saw a cock who was crowing at the top of his voice.

The donkey asked, "What happened to You dear cock? The cock said, "I am in great trouble.

The cat said, "'what is the trouble with You?" The cock replied with pain. "I am old and so my master wants to kill me and eat me."

The dog suggested, "Come with us."The donkey also encouraged him saying, 'We are going to Bremen to learn music. You may also try your luck.”

The cock liked the proposal and accompanied them. The donkey said, "Now we Are four. Together we will form a group of musicians and would give a tough competition to other musicians."

"Yes! Yes! You are right," said the other three. They proceeded lo Bremen. They kept going all day but Bremen was still too far away. The night was also approaching and they were tired of walking. So they decided to spend the night in a nearby forest. On reaching the forest the donkey and the dog slept under a tree. The cat sat on a branch and the cock went up on of the tree.

The cock saw a light far away from the tree. He cried, 'Hello friends! There appears to be a light there. I guess it is a house. We should go there."The donkey suggested, "Yes! let us go there. Perhaps we may get some food there."

The other friends also agreed to the proposal. They started immediately to reach there. On reaching there they found that it was a house from where the light was coming.

The house belonged to some thieves. All the four decided to peep into the house Through the window. First of all, the donkey stood on its back feet, the dog stood on the donkey. The cat and the cock too went near the window.  

They saw four thieves sitting around the table and enjoying their food. Seeing the food all the four began to feel hungry. The cock said, “The table is full of delicious food. We should do something to make the thieves run away from here. Then we can enjoy the food. ”

The donkey said, “I have a plan to grab the food.” He whispered something to them and they were ready to attack the house. They all cried together and banged on the windows. The thieves looked at the window and seeing strange faces they got frightened and ran away from there.

Then all the four friends entered the house. They ate as much as they could. They then went to sleep in the house. The donkey slept in the courtyard, the dog at the entrance of the room, the cat in the kitchen, and the cock on the roof. Since they Were tired, they fell asleep within on time.

Meanwhile, the thieves decided to go to their house again. One of them entered the house through the window of the kitchen. He thought of lighting a candle so he went to the kitchen where the eyes of the cat looked like embers. So the thief touched the eyes of the cat. The cat attacked him with her paws on his face. The thief ran outside and in a hurry crushed the tail of the dog who got furious and bit him. Frightened, he ran to the courtyard where the donkey kicked him and the cock crowed at the top of his voice, “Stop where are you running to? ” The thief thought that their house was occupied by some ghosts.

The thief ran as fast as he could and told his fellow thieves never to go there. Now all the four old friends made the house their permanent residence.