The Bremen Town Musicians

Author: A Brothers Grimm Tale · Retold as a Fable by DozyStories

  • Age3–7
  • Reading time9 min
  • LevelBeginner

Introduction

Why turn a Grimm tale into a fable? Because this story already behaves like one. Its four heroes are a donkey, a dog, a cat, and a rooster — every one of them old, weak, and thrown away as useless. Alone, none of them could face a single robber. Together, they frighten off a whole band with nothing but noise. That is the shape of a true fable: small characters, one clever plan, and a lesson that stays with the child long after the last page. Chinese fables love this pattern. The old saying 'three humble cobblers can outwit one Zhuge Liang' rests on the same idea — many small gifts, joined together, beat one great strength. So do the proverbs about gathering firewood: one twig snaps, but a bundle holds. Readers who know the Brothers Grimm will smile at one detail: the four musicians never actually reach Bremen. They stop at a robbers' house in the wood, make their home there, and live happily to old age. The city is only a dream that gives them courage for the road; the real treasure is the friendship they build along the way. As you read, ask your child to predict how four weak animals could drive out a gang of robbers. Then watch the plan unfold: the tallest steps up, the strongest climbs on, the lightest perches on top. Every one of them finds a use for his own gift. That is the quiet moral of the tale, and the best thing a parent can do is point it out.

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The Bremen Town Musicians - An old donkey, cast out by his master, meets a weary dog on the road to Bremen, and the two agree to become musicians together. - Scene Illustration 1
An old donkey, cast out by his master, meets a weary dog on the road to Bremen, and the two agree to become musicians together.
Long ago, a donkey carried sacks of grain to the mill for his master, year after year. Time passed, and his legs grew weak. He could not work as he once did. His master said, "You are of no use to me now," and planned to send him away. The donkey heard the news. That night he ran off and took the road to Bremen. "In the city," he thought, "I will be a musician. I will earn my bread with my own skill."
On the road he met a dog. The dog lay by the roadside, panting hard, as if he had run a very long way. "Old friend," said the donkey, "why are you so out of breath?" The dog sighed. "I am old now. My legs are slow, and I cannot chase game anymore. My master said I am useless and wanted to be rid of me. So I ran away. But how will I live now?"
The donkey had an idea. "I am on my way to Bremen to be a town musician," he said. "Come with me. I will play the lute, and you can beat the drum. Two musicians are better than one." The dog was glad to hear this and agreed at once. So the two set off together.
The Bremen Town Musicians - A gloomy cat and a rooster in danger of becoming soup join the travelers on the road to Bremen. - Scene Illustration 2
A gloomy cat and a rooster in danger of becoming soup join the travelers on the road to Bremen.
Some days later they saw a cat sitting in the middle of the road. His face was long and sad, like three days of rain. "Cat, what is the matter?" asked the donkey. The cat hung his head. "My teeth are dull, and my paws are slow. I would rather sleep by the warm stove than chase mice. My mistress is angry that I catch nothing, and she wants to drown me. I ran away, but I do not know what to do."
The donkey smiled. "Do not worry. We are going to Bremen to be musicians. You sing so sweetly at night. Come with us." The cat thought it over and joined them. Farther down the road, the three friends passed a farm. A rooster stood on the gate, crowing with all his might.
"What a loud voice!" said the donkey. "It can shake the very bones. Rooster, what has happened?" The rooster looked sad. "I promised fine weather for washing day. But tomorrow the master has guests, and the cook wants to make soup of me. While my neck is still safe, I will crow as loud as I can." The donkey said, "Better to walk with us than to be soup. When the four of us play together, we will make a grand noise." The rooster agreed, and all four went on their way to Bremen.
The Bremen Town Musicians - As night falls in the wood, the rooster spies a light, and the friends find a robbers' house and stack up to look inside. - Scene Illustration 3
As night falls in the wood, the rooster spies a light, and the friends find a robbers' house and stack up to look inside.
Bremen was far away, too far for one day. When night fell, they came to a deep wood and stopped to rest. The donkey and the dog lay under a big tree. The cat climbed into the branches, and the rooster flew to the top, where he felt safest. Before he slept, he looked all around. Far away he saw a small light. "Look!" he called. "There is a light. Someone must live there."
"Then let us go to it," said the donkey. "The ground here is no bed for us." The dog hoped for a bone or two with a little meat on them. So the four set off toward the light. As they walked, the light grew bigger and brighter. At last they reached a house with lights in every window. It was the house of robbers.
The donkey was the tallest, so he stood up and peeped through the window. "What do you see?" asked the dog. "A table full of food and drink!" said the donkey. "Robbers sit around it, eating and laughing." "Just what we want!" cried the rooster. "If only we could sit there too," sighed the donkey. The four put their heads together and made a plan. The donkey put his front feet on the window sill. The dog climbed on the donkey's back. The cat climbed on the dog. And the rooster flew up and perched on the cat's head.
The Bremen Town Musicians - The four raise a wild 'concert' and crash through the window, scaring the robbers into the wood before feasting. - Scene Illustration 4
The four raise a wild 'concert' and crash through the window, scaring the robbers into the wood before feasting.
When all were ready, they gave a signal and began their music. The donkey brayed, the dog barked, the cat yowled, and the rooster crowed. Then they crashed through the window, and the glass flew everywhere. The robbers jumped up in fear. They thought a ghost had come for them. They ran out of the house and into the wood as fast as they could.
The four friends sat down at the table. They ate the fine food until their stomachs were full, as if they had not eaten for a month.
The Bremen Town Musicians - A robber sneaks back and meets each animal in turn, so the four musicians keep their new home for good. - Scene Illustration 5
A robber sneaks back and meets each animal in turn, so the four musicians keep their new home for good.
After the meal they put out the lights and looked for places to sleep. The donkey lay down on the straw in the yard. The dog lay behind the door. The cat curled up near the warm ashes of the fire. The rooster settled in the loft. They were tired from the long trip, and soon all were fast asleep. Late at night the robbers watched from the wood. They saw no light and heard no sound. "The house must be empty," said the captain. "Go and look." So one robber crept back to the house.
The robber went into the kitchen to make a light. He saw two red points in the dark. "Warm coals," he thought, and held his match to them. But they were the cat's eyes! The cat was angry. He sprang at the robber's face and scratched him. The man screamed and ran for the back door. The dog was there and bit his leg. He rushed across the yard, and the donkey kicked him with his hind legs. The rooster woke up and crowed at him from the roof.
The robber ran back to the captain, gasping for breath. "That house!" he said. "A terrible witch lives there. She blew on my face and scratched me with her long nails. By the door stood a man with a knife, and he cut my leg. In the yard a black giant beat me with a club. And on the roof sat a judge, shouting to have me caught. I ran for my life!" From that day on, the robbers never went near the house again. The four musicians lived there in comfort for the rest of their days. Each one alone was too weak to fight the robbers. But together, they were stronger than any thief. This is the lesson: when small and weak friends join hands, they can do what none could do alone.

Vocabulary from "The Bremen Town Musicians"

12 key words from this story with definitions and original context sentences for language learners.

panting(pant)B2
/ˈpæntɪŋ/v.

Breathing fast and hard, for example after running.

喘气；急促地呼吸。

The dog lay by the roadside, panting hard, as if he had run a very long way.

猎狗趴在路边，呼哧呼哧直喘气，像跑了千里远路。

dullB2
/dʌl/adj.

Not sharp; unable to cut well.

钝的；不锋利的。

My teeth are dull, and my paws are slow.

“我的牙钝了，腿也慢了。”

grandB2
/ɡrænd/adj.

Big, fine, and impressive.

宏大的；声势浩大的。

When the four of us play together, we will make a grand noise.

等咱们四个一起演奏，声势一定十分浩大。

peeped(peep)B2
/piːpt/v.

Looked quickly or secretly through a small opening.

（从缝隙处）偷看；窥视。

The donkey was the tallest, so he stood up and peeped through the window.

老驴个头最高，便站直身子，从窗口往里张望。

brayed(bray)C1
/breɪd/v.

Made the loud, harsh cry of a donkey.

（驴）嘶叫。

The donkey brayed, the dog barked, the cat yowled, and the rooster crowed.

老驴嘶鸣，老狗狂吠，猫儿长嚎，公鸡长啼。

yowled(yowl)C1
/jaʊld/v.

Made a long, loud, unhappy cry, like a cat in pain.

（猫）长嚎；哀叫。

The donkey brayed, the dog barked, the cat yowled, and the rooster crowed.

老驴嘶鸣，老狗狂吠，猫儿长嚎，公鸡长啼。

perched(perch)C1
/pɜːtʃt/v.

Sat or rested on a narrow place, as a bird does.

（鸟）栖息；停落。

And the rooster flew up and perched on the cat's head.

公鸡最后飞上去，落在猫头顶上。

crept(creep)C1
/krept/v.

Moved slowly and quietly, so as not to be heard.

悄悄地爬行；蹑手蹑脚地走。

So one robber crept back to the house.

于是一个小喽啰蹑手蹑脚，潜回那座屋子。

sprang(spring)B2
/spræŋ/v.

Jumped suddenly and quickly.

猛跳；扑。

He sprang at the robber's face and scratched him.

猫勃然大怒，扑到那强盗脸上，又抓又挠。

gasping(gasp)B2
/ˈɡɑːspɪŋ/v.

Breathing in quickly and with difficulty, from fear or tiredness.

喘着气；倒抽气。

The robber ran back to the captain, gasping for breath.

那强盗连滚带爬跑回头目跟前，喘得上气不接下气。

witchB1
/wɪtʃ/n.

In stories, a woman with magic powers.

巫婆；女巫。

A terrible witch lives there.

“那屋里住着个可怕的老巫婆。”

clubB2
/klʌb/n.

A thick, heavy stick used as a weapon.

木棒；棍棒。

In the yard a black giant beat me with a club.

院子里躺着个黑大汉，抡起木棒揍我。

Reading Together & Learning More

The Moral

Many hands make light work. When the old and the weak play to their own strengths and stand together, they can beat a far stronger foe.

Educational Value

Helps children learn the power of teamwork, play to one another's strengths, and see that old and weak friends still have great value.

Tips for Parents

After reading, play a 'stack-up band' game and make the four animal sounds together; then ask your child what great thing everyone's different gifts could build when joined as one.

Talk About It

  1. All four animals were sent away for being 'old and useless.' Do you think a person loses his value just because he grows old?
  2. One donkey alone, or one dog alone, could not beat the robbers. Why did the four of them together make the robbers run away?
  3. The four friends never really hurt the robbers — they only scared them. Is winning with wits better than winning with force?
  4. They set out for Bremen but made their home halfway there. Do the best things sometimes come when our plans change?
  5. If a small, weak animal came to the house and asked to join the band, what do you think the four musicians would say and do?

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