布萊梅樂隊：四隻老動物的音樂奇遇

After walking for some distance, the donkey found a tired hound lying by the roadside, panting heavily as if he had run a great marathon. 'Why are you gasping so, my friend?' asked the donkey. 'Alas,' sighed the dog, 'because I am old and cannot hunt as fast as before, my master wanted to do away with me. So I ran away, but how shall I earn my daily bread?'

'I will tell you what,' said the donkey. 'I am going to Bremen to play music for the town. Come along with me! I will play the lute, and you can beat the drum.' The hound gladly accepted the invitation, and the two companions continued down the path together.

Before long, they came upon a gloomy cat sitting in the middle of the road with a face as long as three rainy days. 'What has gone wrong with you, old whisker-wiper?' asked the donkey with a friendly nod.

'Who can be cheerful when their life is at stake?' replied the cat sadly. 'Because my teeth are dull and I prefer to sit by the warm fire rather than chase mice, my mistress planned to drown me. I managed to escape, but good advice is hard to find. Where can I go?'

'Come with us to Bremen!' suggested the donkey. 'You understand night music better than anyone, and together we can make a wonderful band.' The cat thought this was an excellent idea and joined the traveling troupe.

Soon afterward, the three companions passed by a farmyard gate. Perched atop the wooden post was a rooster, crowing with all his might at the top of his lungs. 'You are crowing loudly enough to pierce our ears,' said the donkey. 'What is the matter?'

'The weather is pleasant, and tomorrow guests are arriving,' crowed the rooster in distress. 'My mistress told the cook that she wants to eat me in the Sunday soup! So I am crowing with all my breath while I still have a voice.'

'Do not give up your life so easily, Red-comb!' said the donkey. 'Come with us to Bremen. You have a glorious voice, and when we make music together, the world will stop to listen.' The rooster rejoiced and gladly joined the merry band.

However, the four musicians could not reach the city of Bremen in a single day. As evening shadows lengthened across the countryside, they entered a dense forest to spend the night. The donkey and the hound settled under a tall oak tree, while the cat climbed into the sturdy branches, and the rooster flew straight to the very top, where he felt safest.

Before falling asleep, the rooster glanced in all four directions. In the distance, through the dark trees, he spotted a warm golden light flickering. He called down to his companions, saying there must be a house nearby. The donkey remarked that the shelter would be far more comfortable than the cold forest floor, so they all walked toward the inviting glow.

The light grew brighter and brighter until they arrived at a hidden cottage in the woods. Being the tallest, the donkey approached the illuminated window and peered inside. 'What do you see, gray-coat?' whispered the rooster. 'I see a magnificent table spread with roast meats, fresh bread, and sparkling cider,' the donkey whispered back, 'and around it sit four fierce robbers enjoying their feast!'

The four animals put their heads together to devise a clever plan to drive the robbers away. At last, they found a brilliant strategy. The donkey placed his front hooves upon the windowsill; the hound leaped onto the donkey's broad back; the cat climbed onto the hound's shoulders; and the rooster flew up to perch on top of the cat's head.

When all was ready, at a given signal, they began their grand performance together! The donkey brayed loudly, the hound barked fiercely, the cat meowed with sharp shrieks, and the rooster crowed like thunder! With a tremendous crash, they smashed through the glass window right into the center of the room.

The terrified robbers leaped up in absolute horror, believing a hideous monster from the forest had attacked them, and fled into the dark wilderness in panic! The four musicians sat down happily at the table, devoured the delicious banquet, and extinguished the lanterns for a peaceful sleep. When the robbers later attempted to sneak back, the animals scratched, bit, kicked, and crowed until the thieves vowed never to return. The four companions loved the cozy cottage so dearly that they stayed there forever, playing joyful music to their hearts' content.