Once upon a time, there was an old man who owned an aging donkey. This loyal donkey had carried his owner’s loads to the mill for many years, never complaining and tirelessly working. But as time passed, he grew old and weak. He could no longer carry heavy loads as he once had. His owner was displeased with this situation; on one hand, he thought the aging donkey was no longer useful, and on the other, he did not want to feed him for nothing.
The poor donkey sensed his owner’s thoughts and realized his situation was not good. He thought to himself, “It would be better to start a new life than to live like this!” Gathering his courage, he set off toward Bremen, thinking he could become a town musician there.
The donkey began a long journey to Bremen, traveling over hills and through valleys. Along the way, he soon came across a weary hound, panting heavily and looking exhausted. The donkey saw how tired the dog was and asked with concern, “Why are you panting like that, old friend?”
The hound sighed and replied, “Ah, don’t ask, my friend. I’ve grown old. Day by day my strength fades. I can no longer run in the hunts, and my owner wanted to kill me because I could no longer serve him. I don’t know what to do or how to feed myself.”
The dog’s words touched the donkey deeply. The donkey said, “Don’t worry, my friend. I’m going to Bremen; I plan to become a town musician. You should come with me, and we can form our own orchestra! I’ll play the lute, and you can play the drum!” The dog was overjoyed by the generous invitation and gratefully accepted. Together, they continued toward Bremen.
After walking for some time, they came across an old cat sitting by the roadside, her face drooping with sorrow. The donkey asked, “What’s wrong, old whiskers? Why do you look so sad?”
The cat sighed and said, “Ah, don’t ask. I’ve grown old, and my teeth have dulled. I can no longer chase mice like I used to. In my youth, I was quick and agile, but now I am slow. My owner no longer wants me and almost drowned me. I managed to escape, but I don’t know where to go or how to survive.”
The donkey looked at her with hope and said, “We’re going to Bremen to start a new life. We know you have musical talent; join us, and we’ll form an orchestra there. You can be a town musician too!” Hearing this, the cat’s face brightened, and she immediately agreed. So the three friends continued their journey together.
Not long after, they passed a farm where they heard a rooster crowing loudly. His voice was so piercing that it seemed to vibrate through their bones. The donkey asked, “Why are you crowing like that, friend? What’s the matter?”
The rooster replied sadly, “Today is my mistress’s special day. Guests are coming, and I am chosen to be part of the feast—tomorrow I will be dead. I wanted to crow one last time to express myself.”
The rooster’s words moved all three friends. The donkey said, “Poor fellow! Come with us to Bremen. There, you’ll find a life better than death. Your strong voice will make a beautiful chorus when we all sing together.” The rooster, hopeful, accepted their invitation. Now the four of them journeyed together toward Bremen.
But Bremen was far, and they could not reach it in one day. As night fell, they entered a forest. “Let’s rest here for the night,” said the donkey. The donkey and the dog curled up under a large tree, while the cat and the rooster perched safely on branches. The rooster climbed the highest branch and, before falling asleep, noticed a faint light in the distance. Excited, he called to his friends, “There’s a light nearby! Maybe there’s a house close by.”
“Then let’s go see; maybe we’ll find a comfortable place,” said the donkey. The dog thought he might also find food there. So they all walked toward the light. As they got closer, the light grew brighter, and they finally came upon a house where robbers lived. The light allowed them to peer inside. The donkey approached the window, and the rooster eagerly asked, “What do you see, dear friend?”
The donkey whispered, “A table is set with all sorts of food and drink. The robbers are sitting around it, enjoying themselves.” The rooster exclaimed, “Just what we need! I wish we could sit at that table!” They began thinking of a plan to scare the robbers away. Finally, they agreed: the donkey would stand on his hind legs against the window, the dog would climb onto his back, the cat would climb on top of the dog, and the rooster would take the highest spot.
They executed their plan, making a tremendous noise: the donkey brayed, the dog barked, the cat hissed and meowed, and the rooster crowed. Hearing the commotion, the robbers were terrified, thinking a monster had entered the house. They fled into the forest in panic.
The four friends feasted on the robbers’ abandoned food, eating and drinking as if they had been starving for years. Once they were full, they settled in for the night: the donkey on the hay, the dog by the door, the cat near the warm hearth, and the rooster on his high perch. Exhausted, they fell into a deep sleep.
At midnight, the robbers returned to check the house. Seeing it dark and quiet, they sent a man to investigate. When he entered, the cat’s glowing eyes startled him. She leaped and scratched him. The man tried to flee but was bitten by the dog and knocked back by the donkey. Finally, the rooster crowed loudly from above, and the man ran back to the others in terror, telling them of the strange creatures in the house. From that day on, the robbers never dared return.
The four friends never went to Bremen after all, but they had found their own place to live happily together. Though they never became famous as the Bremen Town Musicians, they enjoyed a peaceful life and shared many joyful days together.
