Good evening, children.

It's Granny McDuff, ready with a story.

So make yourselves comfy, and I'll begin.

Once upon a time, there lived a donkey, who was growing older,

and no longer suited for the work he had been doing on the farm for some years.

He had always dreamed of being a musician.

He said to himself,

It's time I left and went to Bremen.

I can surely join the town band there. So the donkey set out on the road

towards the town of Bremen. The town band awaits, he cried. When he was some way down the road, he came upon a great hound who was quite out of breath.

Have you been racing hound?

You look quite tired, asked the donkey.

I ran from the farm where I lived.

Gone are the days where I tend the sheep.

I am too old.

I want to find something different, said the hound.

Well, big fellow, I happen to be doing the same.

I am going to Bremen to be the town musician. I will play the lute.

And if you join me, you can play the cattle drum. What say you? I say yes. So the hound went with the donkey towards Bremen. Down the road they went, until soon they came upon a count who sat on a path looking left, then right, then left, then right.

What do you search for you look quite lost the donkey asked

I'm trying to decide which way to go the cat replied I've grown tired of chasing mice

so I've left home.

...