Grimms fairy tales The Traveling Musicians
for traveling musicians from Grimm’s
fairy tales by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
an honest farmer had once a donkey that
had been a faithful servant to him a
great many years but was now growing old
and every day more and more unfit for
work his master therefore was tired of
keeping him and began to think of
putting an end to him but the donkey who
saw that some mischief was in the wind
took himself slyly off and began his
journey towards the great city for there
thought he I may turn musician
after he had traveled a little way he
spied a dog lying by the roadside and
panting as if he were tired what makes
you pant so my friend said the donkey
alas said the dog my master was going to
knock me on the head because I am old
and weak and can no longer make myself
useful to him in hunting so I ran away
but what can I do to earn my livelihood
haki said the donkey I am going to the
great city to turn musician suppose you
go with me and try what you can do in
the same way the dog said he was willing
and they jogged on together
they had not gone far before they saw a
cat sitting in the middle of the road
and making a most rueful face prey my
good lady said the donkey what’s the
matter with you you look quite out of
spirits mommy
said the cat how can one be in good
spirits when one’s life is in danger
because I am beginning to grow old and
had rather lie at my ease by the fire
then run about the house after the mice
my mistress laid hold of me and was
going to drown me and though I have been
lucky enough to get away from her I do
not know what I am to live upon Oh said
the donkey by all means go with us to
the great city you are a great night
singer and may make your fortune as a
musician the cat was pleased with the
thought and joined the party soon
afterwards as they were passing by a
farmyard they saw a rooster perched upon
a gate and screaming out with all his
might and mane Bravo said the donkey
upon my word you make a famous noise
pray what is all this about my said the
rooster I was just now saying that we
should have fine weather for our washing
day and yet my mistress and the cook
don’t thank me for my pains but
threatened to cut off my head tomorrow
and make breath of me for the guests
that are coming on Sunday
heaven forbid said the donkey come with
us master Chanticleer it will be better
not any rate than staying here to have
your head cut off besides who knows if
we care to sing in tune we may get up
some kind of a concert so come along
with us with all my heart said the
rooster so they all four went on jollily
together they could not however reach
the great city the first day so when
night came on
they went into a wood to sleep the
donkey and the dog laid themselves down
under a great tree and the cat climbed
up into the branches while the rooster
thinking that the higher he sat the
safer he should be flew up to the very
top of the trees and then according to
his custom before he went to sleep
looked out on all sides of him to see
that everything was well in doing this
he saw a far-off something bright and
shining and calling to his companions
said there must be a house no great way
off for I see a light if that be the
case said the donkey we had better
change our quarters but our lodging is
not the best in the world besides added
the dog I should not be the worse for a
bone or two what a bit of meat so they
walked off together towards the spot
where Chanticleer had seen the light and
as they drew near it became larger and
brighter till they at last came close to
a house in which a gang of robbers and
leaved
the donkey being the tallest of the
company perched up to the window and
peeped in
well donkey said Chanticleer what do you
see
what do I see replied the donkey why the
hi-c a tablespread with all kinds of
good things and robbers sitting round it
making merry that would be a noble
lodging for us said the rooster yes said
the donkey if we could only get in so
they consulted together how they should
contrive to get the robbers out and at
last they hit upon a plan
the donkey placed himself upright on his
hind legs with his fore feet resting
against the window the dog got upon his
back the cat scrambled up to the dog’s
shoulders and the rooster flew up and
sat upon the cat’s head when all was
ready a signal was given and they began
their music the donkey brayed the dog
Bart the cat mewed and the rooster
screamed and then they all broke through
the window at once and came tumbling
into the room amongst the broken glass
with a most hideous clatter the robbers
who had been not a little frightened by
the opening concert had now no doubt
that some frightful Hobgoblin had broken
in upon them and scampered away as fast
as they could the coast once clear by
our traveller soon sat down and
dispatched what the robbers had left
with as much eagerness as if they had
not expected to eat again for a month as
soon as they had satisfied themselves
they put out the lights and each once
more sought out a resting place to his
own liking the donkey laid himself down
upon a heap of straw in the yard the dog
stretched himself upon a mat behind the
door the cat rolled herself up on the
hearth before the warm ashes and the
rooster perched upon a beam on the top
of the house and as they were all rather
tired with their journey they soon fell
asleep but about midnight when the
robbers saw from afar that the lights
were out and that all seemed quiet they
began to think that they had been in too
great a hurry to run
way and one of them who was bolder than
the rest went to see what was going on
finding everything still he marched into
the kitchen and groped about till he
found a match in order to light a candle
and then aspiring the glittering fiery
eyes of the cat he mistook them for live
coals and held the match to them to
light it but the cats not understanding
his joke sprang at his face and spat and
scratched at him this frightened him
dreadfully and away he ran to the back
door but there the dog jumped up and bit
him in the leg and as he was crossing
over the yard
the donkey kicked him and the rooster
who had been awakened by the noise
crowed with all his might now this the
robber ran back as fast as he could to
his comrades and told the captain how a
horrid witch had got him into the house
and had spat at him and scratched his
face with her long bony fingers have a
man with a knife in his hand had hidden
himself behind the door and stabbed him
in the leg how a black monster stood in
the yard and struck him with a club and
how the devil had sat upon the top of
the house and cried out throw the rascal
up here after this the robbers never
dared to go back to the house but the
musicians were so pleased with their
quarters that they took up their abode
there and there they are
I dare say at this very day