The Travelling Musicians is a famous fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm. They were German writers who collected many old stories and fairy tales. Today, people all over the world still read and enjoy their stories.

This story is about four old animals—a donkey, a dog, a cat, and a rooster. Their owners do not want them anymore because they are old. The animals leave their homes and travel together. They hope to become musicians in a big city. During their journey, they face problems, make new friends, and find a better life.

This story has been rewritten in simple English for A1 learners. The sentences are short, the words are easy to understand, and the story is fun to read. We hope you enjoy the adventure and learn new English words while reading.

This story was rewritten by bestchildrenstories.com for English learners. The story is in the public domain, so it is free from copyright.

The Travelling Musicians

By the Brothers Grimm

Chapter One: Four Animals Leave Home

Chapter Two: The House in the Forest

Vocabulary

Comprehension Questions

Grammar Exercises

Chapter One

Four Animals Leave Home

Once there was an old donkey. He worked for a farmer for many years. Every day he carried heavy bags and helped on the farm. He was honest and hard-working.

One day the farmer looked at the donkey and said, “You are too old now. You cannot work like before.”

       The donkey was afraid. He knew the farmer did not want to keep him anymore. Early the next morning, he quietly left the farm.

“I will go to the big city,” he said. “Maybe I can become a musician.”

The donkey walked for many hours. The weather was warm, and the road was long. Soon he saw an old dog lying beside the road.

The dog looked tired and sad.

“What is wrong, my friend?” asked the donkey.

The dog sighed.

“My master says I am too old. I cannot hunt anymore, so he wants to send me away.”

The donkey smiled kindly.

“Come with me. We will go to the city together. We can become musicians.”

The dog liked the idea.

“Thank you,” he said. “I will go with you.”

Now the two friends walked together. After some time they met an old cat. She was sitting under a tree with a worried face.

“What happened?” asked the donkey.

“My owner does not want me anymore,” said the cat. “I am old, and I do not catch many mice now. I had to leave my home.”

“You have a beautiful voice,” said the donkey. “Come with us. You can sing with us.”

The cat became happy.

“I would love to come,” she said.

Now three friends were walking together. Later they came to a farm. On the gate they saw a rooster. The rooster was crowing very loudly.

“Why are you shouting?” asked the dog.

The rooster looked frightened.

“My owner wants to cook me tomorrow because visitors are coming.”

“Then come with us,” said the cat.

“We are going to the city to become musicians.”

The rooster jumped down from the gate.

“That sounds much better than staying here,” he said.

Now there were four friends: the donkey, the dog, the cat, and the rooster.

They walked together all day. They talked, laughed, and helped one another. When evening came, they entered a forest.

The donkey and the dog slept under a big tree. The cat climbed into the branches. The rooster flew to the top of the tree.

Before sleeping, the rooster looked around. Far away he saw a light.

“I can see a house!” he called.

The four friends became excited.

“Let’s go there,” said the donkey.

“Maybe we can find food and a safe place for the night.”

So they walked toward the light.

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Chapter Two

The House in the Forest

The four friends came to the house. The donkey looked through the window.

“I can see a big table,” he said.

“There is bread, meat, fruit, and many other delicious foods. There are also some robbers inside.”

The animals wanted the food, but they knew the robbers were dangerous.

“We need a good plan,” said the cat.

The donkey stood beside the window. The dog climbed onto the donkey’s back. The cat climbed onto the dog. The rooster stood on the cat’s head.

“Ready?” whispered the donkey.

“Ready!” everyone answered.

Then they made a very loud noise. The donkey brayed. The dog barked. The cat meowed. The rooster crowed.

At the same time they jumped through the window.
Crash!
The robbers were terrified.

“What is that monster?” they shouted.

They ran away into the dark forest as fast as they could. The animals laughed.

“We did it!” said the dog.

They sat at the table and enjoyed the wonderful meal. After dinner they turned off the lights and went to sleep. The donkey slept on some soft straw. The dog slept behind the door.

The cat slept near the warm fireplace. The rooster slept on a wooden beam. Everything was quiet.

Around midnight one robber came back. He wanted to see if the house was safe. The kitchen was dark. He noticed the cat’s bright eyes.

“They look like hot coals,” he thought.

When he moved closer, the cat jumped at his face. She scratched him and hissed loudly. The robber screamed and ran to the door.

The dog bit his leg. The robber ran into the yard. The donkey kicked him hard.

Then the rooster woke up and crowed as loudly as he could. The robber was very scared. He ran back to his friends.

“There is a terrible witch in the house!” he cried.

“A monster bit my leg, another monster hit me, and a strange bird shouted at me!”

The robbers never returned. The four animals stayed in the house. They had food, warm beds, and good friends.

They never became musicians in the city, but they found something even better.

They found a new home, a new family, and a happy life.

Moral

This story teaches us many important lessons. We should never laugh at someone because they are old. Older people and animals still have many good skills and a lot of experience. Everyone has value.

The four animals had a big problem, but they did not give up. They stayed together, helped one another, and worked as a team. Because they worked together, they became strong and brave. They found a safe home and a happy new life.

This story also teaches us that good friends help each other in difficult times. When we are kind, brave, and helpful, we can solve problems together. We should never lose hope because a new and better future is always possible.

— THE END –

Read the original story: www.gutenberg.org

Vocabulary

Comprehension Questions

Grammar Exercises

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