The Street Musicians

Once upon a time, a man had a donkey that had served him faithfully for many years. But at last the poor beast grew old and weak, and every day his work became harder. Since he was no longer useful, his master decided to shoot him. When the donkey learned what was going to happen, he decided not to die. Instead, he ran away to the nearest town to become a street musician.

After trotting along for a while, he came upon a greyhound lying on the road, panting heavily. “Well, brother,” said the donkey, “what’s wrong with you? You look very tired.”

“I am,” replied the dog, “but because I’m getting old and weaker every day, and can no longer go hunting, my master wanted to poison me. Since life is still sweet, I left him. But I have no idea how to earn a living.”

“Well,” said the donkey, “I’m on my way to the nearest big town to become a street musician. Why don’t you take up music and come with me? I’ll play the flute and you can play the kettle-drum.”

The greyhound liked the idea, and the two set off together. After a short distance they met a cat with a face as long as three rainy days. “Now, what has upset your happiness, friend puss?” asked the donkey.

“It’s impossible to look cheerful when one feels depressed,” answered the cat. “I am well up in years now and have lost most of my teeth. I prefer sitting by the fire to catching mice, so my old mistress wanted to drown me. I don’t want to die yet, so I ran away. But good advice is expensive, and I don’t know where to go or what to do.”

“Come with us to the nearest big town,” said the donkey, “and try your luck as a street musician. I know what sweet music you make at night, so you are sure to succeed.”

The cat was delighted with the donkey’s proposal, and they all continued together. Soon they came to a farmyard, where they found a cock crowing loudly. “What in the world is the matter with you?” asked the donkey. “Your noise is enough to break our eardrums.”

“I am only prophesying good weather,” said the cock, “for tomorrow is a feast day. Just because it’s a holiday and many people are expected at the inn, the landlady has ordered my neck to be wrung tonight so that I can be made into soup for tomorrow’s dinner.”

“I’ll tell you what, redcap,” said the donkey, “you’d better come with us to the nearest town. You have a good voice and could join the street band we are forming.” The cock was pleased with the idea, and the party continued on their way.

But the nearest big town was far away, and it took them more than a day to reach it. In the evening they came to a wood, and they decided to go no further but to spend the night there.

The donkey and the greyhound lay down under a big tree, while the cat and the cock climbed into the branches. The cock flew right to the topmost twig, where he thought he would be safe. Before going to sleep, he looked around and saw a little spark burning in the distance.

He called out that there must be a house not far off, for he could see a light shining.

Hearing this, the donkey said, “Then we must get up and go look for the house, because this is poor shelter.” And the greyhound added, “Yes, I’d feel better with a few bones and some scraps of meat.”

So they set out toward the light, which shone faintly in the distance. The nearer they came, the brighter it grew, until they reached a brilliantly lit house. The donkey, being the biggest, went to the window and looked in.

“Well, greyhead, what do you see?” asked the cock.

“I see a well-covered table,” replied the donkey, “with excellent food and drink. Several robbers are sitting around it, enjoying themselves greatly.”

“I wish we were doing the same,” said the cock.

“So do I,” answered the donkey. “Can’t we think of a plan to throw the robbers out and take the house ourselves?”

They consulted together and finally arranged that the donkey would stand at the window with his forefeet on the sill, the greyhound would get on his back, the cat on the dog’s shoulder, and the cock on the cat’s head. When they were grouped this way, at a signal they all began their different forms of music: the donkey brayed, the greyhound barked, the cat meowed, and the cock crowed. Then they all scrambled through the window into the room, breaking the glass into a thousand pieces.

The robbers were startled by the dreadful noise and, thinking evil spirits were entering the house, rushed out into the wood, their hair standing on end with terror. The four companions, delighted with their trick, sat down at the table and ate and drank all the food and wine the robbers had left.

After their meal they put out the lights, and each animal chose a suitable sleeping place. The donkey lay down in the courtyard, the dog behind the door, the cat in front of the fire, and the cock flew up to a high shelf. Since they were all tired after their long day, they soon fell asleep.

Shortly after midnight, when the robbers saw no light in the house and everything seemed quiet, the captain said, “We were fools to let ourselves be so easily frightened away.” Turning to one of his men, he ordered him to go and see if all was safe.

The man found everything silent and dark. Going into the kitchen, he thought he would strike a light. He took a match and, mistaking the cat’s fiery eyes for glowing coals, tried to light the match on them.

But the cat didn’t see the joke and sprang at his face, spitting and scratching him fiercely. The man was terrified and tried to run out the back door, but he stumbled over the greyhound, which bit him in the leg.

Yelling with pain, he ran across the courtyard, only to receive a kick from the donkey’s hind leg. Meanwhile, the cock had woken up and, feeling cheerful, called out from the shelf, “Kikeriki!”

Then the robber hurried back to his captain and said, “Sir, there is a dreadful witch in the house who spat at me and scratched my face with her long fingers. Before the door stands a man with a long knife who cut my leg severely. In the courtyard lies a black monster who hit me with a huge wooden club. And that’s not all: sitting on the roof is a judge who called out, ‘Bring the rascal to me!’ So I fled for my life.”

After this, the robbers dared not enter the house again, and they abandoned it forever. But the four street musicians were so delighted with their new home that they decided to stay there. And, for all I know, they may be living there to this day.