The Bremen Town-Musicians (Grimm)
Short summary
An old donkey ran away from his master who wanted to be rid of him, planning to become a town musician in Bremen. On his journey, he met a hound who could no longer hunt, a cat whose teeth were worn down, and a rooster about to be eaten for Sunday dinner. All four animals had fled from masters who wanted to kill them due to their old age and uselessness. They decided to travel together to Bremen to become musicians.
Unable to reach Bremen in one day, they stopped in a forest for the night. The rooster spotted a light in the distance, which led them to a well-lit house occupied by robbers enjoying a feast.
Then the animals took counsel together how they should manage to drive away the robbers, and at last they thought of a plan... they began to perform their music together.
The donkey stood at the window, the hound jumped on his back, the cat climbed on the dog, and the rooster perched on the cat. Together they brayed, barked, mewed, and crowed, then burst through the window. The terrified robbers fled into the forest. When one robber returned to investigate, the cat scratched him, the dog bit him, the donkey kicked him, and the rooster crowed. He reported back that a witch and monsters occupied the house. The robbers never returned, and the four musicians lived happily in the house forever.
Detailed summary
Division into chapters is editorial.
The four old animals join together on the road to Bremen
A man owned a donkey that had faithfully carried corn-sacks to the mill for many years, but the animal was growing old and weak, becoming 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.
The donkey hoped to become a town-musician there. Along the way, he encountered a hound lying on the road, gasping from exhaustion. When asked about his condition, the hound explained that his master wanted to kill him because he had grown old and could no longer hunt effectively, so he had fled.
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.
The hound agreed to join him. Soon they came upon a cat sitting on the path with a miserable expression. The cat revealed that her mistress wanted to drown her because she was getting old, her teeth were worn down, and she preferred sitting by the fire rather than hunting mice. The donkey invited her to join them as a night-musician in Bremen, and she accepted.
Discovering the robbers house and devising a plan
The three animals next encountered a cock crowing loudly on a farmyard gate. He explained that he was scheduled to be killed for Sunday dinner, so he was crowing while he still could. The donkey persuaded him to join their musical group, promising he could find something better than death.
Unable to reach Bremen in one day, the four animals sought shelter in a forest for the night. The cock, perched high in a tree for safety, spotted a light in the distance and alerted his companions. They decided to investigate, hoping to find better shelter. When they reached the source of light, they discovered a well-lit house occupied by robbers who were enjoying a feast.
The musical performance that frightens away the robbers
The animals devised a plan to drive away the robbers. The donkey placed his front feet on the window ledge, the hound jumped onto the donkey's back, the cat climbed upon the dog, and the cock perched on the cat's head. At a given signal, they performed their music together: the donkey brayed, the hound barked, the cat mewed, and the cock crowed. Then they burst through the window, shattering the glass.
At this horrible din, the robbers sprang up, thinking no otherwise than that a ghost had come in, and fled in a great fright out into the forest.
The four companions sat down at the table and ate heartily from the food the robbers had left behind. After their meal, they extinguished the light and each found a sleeping place suited to their nature: the donkey lay on straw in the yard, the hound behind the door, the cat on the hearth near warm ashes, and the cock on a roof beam. Exhausted from their journey, they quickly fell asleep.
The robbers failed investigation and the animals happy ending
Past midnight, the robber captain noticed the house was dark and quiet, so he sent one of his men to investigate. The messenger entered the kitchen to light a candle and mistook the cat's glowing eyes for live coals. When he held a match to them, the cat flew at his face, spitting and scratching. As he fled, the dog bit his leg, the donkey kicked him with its hind foot, and the cock crowed from above.
The terrified robber reported back to his captain that the house was haunted by supernatural beings:
Ah, there is a horrible witch sitting in the house, who spat on me and scratched my face with her long claws; and by the door stands a man with a knife, who stabbed me in the leg.
After this frightening encounter, the robbers never dared return to their house. The four Bremen musicians found the dwelling so comfortable that they decided to stay there permanently, living happily ever after in their newfound home.