Thenhismasterbegantoconsiderhowhemightbestsavehiskeep;butthedonkey,seeingthatnogoodwindwasblowing,ranawayandsetoutontheroadtoBremen."There,"hethought,"Icansurelybetown-musician."
Whenhehadwalkedsomedistance,hefoundahoundlyingontheroad,gaspinglikeonewhohadruntillhewastired."Whatareyougaspingsofor,youbigfellow?"askedthedonkey.
"Ah,"repliedthehound,"asIamold,anddailygrowweaker,andnolongercanhunt,mymasterwantedtokillme,soItooktoflight;butnowhowamItoearnmybread?"
"Itellyouwhat,"saidthedonkey,"IamgoingtoBremen,andshallbetown-musicianthere;gowithmeandengageyourselfalsoasamusician.Iwillplaythelute,andyoushallbeatthekettledrum."
Beforelongtheycametoacat,sittingonthepath,withafacelikethreerainydays!"Nowthen,oldshaver,whathasgoneaskewwithyou?"askedthedonkey.
"Whocanbemerrywhenhisneckisindanger?"answeredthecat."BecauseIamnowgettingold,andmyteethareworntostumps,andIprefertositbythefireandspin,ratherthanhuntaboutaftermice,mymistresswantedtodrownme,soIranaway.Butnowgoodadviceisscarce.WhereamItogo?"
Thecatthoughtwellofit,andwentwiththem.Afterthisthethreefugitivescametoafarm-yard,wherethecockwassittinguponthegate,crowingwithallhismight."Yourcrowgoesthroughandthroughone,"saidthedonkey."Whatisthematter?"
"Ihavebeenforetellingfineweather,becauseitisthedayonwhichOurLadywashestheChrist-child'slittleshirts,andwantstodrythem,"saidthecock;"butguestsarecomingforSunday,sothehousewifehasnopity,andhastoldthecookthatsheintendstoeatmeinthesoupto-morrow,andthiseveningIamtohavemyheadcutoff.NowIamcrowingatfullpitchwhileIcan."
"Ah,butred-comb,"saidthedonkey,"youhadbettercomeawaywithus.WearegoingtoBremen;youcanfindsomethingbetterthandeatheverywhere:youhaveagoodvoice,andifwemakemusictogetheritmusthavesomequality!"
Thecockagreedtothisplan,andallfourwentontogether.Theycouldnot,however,reachthecityofBremeninoneday,andintheeveningtheycametoaforestwheretheymeanttopassthenight.
Thedonkeyandthehoundlaidthemselvesdownunderalargetree,thecatandthecocksettledthemselvesinthebranches;butthecockflewrighttothetop,wherehewasmostsafe.
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