I am getting old
I am getting old,
I can not work.
My master wants to kill me.
What shall I do?
I will run away.
But how can I make a living?
I have a good voice.
I shall go to Bremen.
Then I can sing in the band.

Donkey:

Good morning, Old Whiskers.
Why are you so sad to-day?

Cat:

How can I be happy?
I am getting old,
I can not catch mice.
My master wants to kill me.
What shall I do?

Donkey:

Come with me to Bremen.
You have a good voice.
You can sing in the band.

Cat:

Yes, I will go with you.

Donkey:

Good morning, old dog.
What are you doing here?
Why do you pant so?

Dog:

I am getting old,
My master is going to kill me,
so I have run away.
But how can I make my living?

Donkey:

Come with us to Bremen.
We can all sing in the band.

Dog:

Yes, I will go with you.

Donkey:

Good morning, Red Cock.
Why do you crow so loud?

Cock:

Cock-a-doodle-do! cock-a-doodle-do!
Company is coming to-night,
I heard the cook say.
They want me for supper,
so I crow while I can.

Donkey:

Will you come with us to Bremen?
You have a good voice.
You can sing in our band.

Cock:

Yes, I will go with you.

Donkey:

It is a long way to Bremen.
Let us sleep in the woods to-night.
I shall sleep under the tree.

Dog:

I shall sleep under the tree, too.

Cock:

I shall sleep on the branches, too.
Oh! I see a light in a house.

Donkey:

Let us go to the house.

Dog:

Yes, let us go to the house.

Donkey:

I can see in the window.

Cock:

What do you see, gray horse?

Donkey:

What do I see?
I see a table, full of good food.
There are robbers at the table.

Dog:

That shall be our supper.

Cat:

Yes, that shall be our supper.
How can we get it?

Cock:

We must drive the robbers away.
How can we do it?

Donkey:

We can all sing,
and the robbers will run away.
They want me for supper,
I can sing,
Hee-haw! hee-haw! hee-haw!

Dog:

I can sing,
Bow-wow! bow-wow! bow-wow!

Cat:

I can sing,
Mee-ow! mee-ow! mee-ow!

Cock:

I can sing, Cock-a-doo-dle-do!
cock-a-doo-dle-do!

Donkey:

I will stand by the window.
Old dog, stand on my back.
Old Whiskers, get on the dog's back.
Red Cock, get on the cat's back.

Donkey:

Now, let us all sing together.
Ready, one, two, three.

All:

Hee-haw! hee-haw! hee-haw!
Bow-wow! bow-wow! bow-wow!
Mee-ow! mee-ow! mee-ow!
Cock-a-doo-dle-do! cock-a-doo-dle-do!

Robber:

Did you hear that noise?
It must be goblins.
Let us run away.

Cock:

See the robbers run.
Come, let us eat their supper.

Dog:

This is better than a bone.

Cock:

We shall never be hungry again.

Donkey:

I can eat no more.
Let us go to sleep.
I shall sleep under the tree.
Old dog, you sleep by the door.
Old Whiskers, you sleep by the fire.
Red Cock, you sleep on the roof.

Robber:

It is all still now.
The goblins are gone.
Let us go back.

Cat:

Spit, spit! I will scratch!

Robber:

Let me out, let me out!
An old goblin is scratching me.

Dog:

Bow-wow! I will bite!

Robber:

A man has cut me with a knife.
Let me out! O, let me out!

Donkey:

Hee-haw! I will kick!

Robber:

A big goblin has struck me.

Cock:

Cock-a-doo-dle-do! cock-a-doo-dle-do!

Robber:

The judge on the roof says,
"Bring the robbers here."
Come, let us be off.

Donkey:

We will not go to Bremen.
We will all live in this house.

Cock:

Cock-a-doo-dle-do! cock-a-doo-dle-do!

— German Folk Tale

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