I.
Preparation.
Our story to-day tells of four animals that formed a plan to go to a city called Bremen and become street musicians. But darkness overtook them on the way and they had to spend the night in a forest. What animals might become musicians? What music can each one make? Tell about street musicians you have seen. What kind of instruments did they play on?
Narration.
A man once had a donkey that, for many years, had carried heavy sacks of grain to the mill for him. At last the donkey grew old. He became weak and could no longer carry heavy loads.
One day, as he was eating hay in his stall, he heard his master say, “That old donkey is good for nothing. I am not going to feed him any longer. When he dies I will have his tough old hide for a cover to my wagon.”
At this the poor donkey felt very sad. He said to himself:“I have worked hard for my master all these years and now the hard-hearted man cares nothing for me and is going to turn me out and let me die of starvation. But he is mistaken about that. I will not stay here to die. I will help myself. I have always had a beautiful, strong voice. It is fine and good yet. I will go to the great city, Bremen, and be a street musician. The people will gladly pay to hear such fine music as I can make; and with the money I can buy food for myself in my old age.”
So the old donkey set out on the road to Bremen. As he walked along he saw a dog lying by the roadside. The dog was panting and seemed very tired. The donkey stopped and looked at him. “What is the matter with you?” he asked. “You look as if you are in trouble.”
“Indeed, I am in trouble,” said the dog. “I am too old and weak to go hunting with my master and I heard him say this morning that he intends to kill me. No wonder I am sad.” The donkey replied: “I have just left my master because he was going to turn me out to starve, and I am going to Bremen to be a street musician and earn my living. You may go, too. So come along; we will go together.” “That I will,” said the dog. So the two went on side by side toward the city.
By and by they came to a cat sitting on a fence by the roadside. She looked as though she had not a friend in all the wide world. The two friends stopped to speak to her.“What is the matter with you, old whiskers?” said the donkey. “You look as dismal as three days of rainy weather.”
“No wonder,” answered the cat. “I am now too old to catch mice; my teeth are gone and my claws are dull; and my heartless master says he is going to drown me in the pond.” “Cheer up,” said the donkey. “We two are going to be musicians. You can sing tenor to our bass. You are just the one we want. Come with us to Bremen.” The cat thanked the donkey for the kind invitation and said she was delighted with the plan and would go gladly. So the three went on towards Bremen.
As they were passing by a farm they saw a cock perched upon a barn door. He was crowing as loud as he could. The donkey called out, “What ails you, old red comb? You are crowing as if you meant to split your throat.” “I am crowing while I can,” said the cock; “to-morrow the cook is going to put me into the soup pot.” And he went on crowing louder than ever. “I can tell you something better than that,” said the donkey. “We are all going to be musicians. You have a fine voice, so come with us.” “Thank you,” said the cock. “I will gladly go. I have no taste for soup.” He flew down, and the four friends went on merrily together.
Model Treatment.
Tell what the donkey had done all his life. Why did his master want to get rid of him? Give the conversation between the donkey and the dog, the donkey and each of the other animals.To what city were the animals going? Bremen is a large city in Germany, across the ocean. Do you know any one that has come from Germany? Do you live in a city? In what large city have you been? Which is the more useful, the donkey or the dog? Tell what each does for us. Tell about the different kinds of dogs that you know. What do shepherd dogs do? Newfoundland dogs?Why did the masters wish to be rid of these animals? How should animals be treated in their old age? What do we say of those that try to support themselves?
Tell what the donkey had done all his life. Why did his master want to get rid of him? Give the conversation between the donkey and the dog, the donkey and each of the other animals.
To what city were the animals going? Bremen is a large city in Germany, across the ocean. Do you know any one that has come from Germany? Do you live in a city? In what large city have you been? Which is the more useful, the donkey or the dog? Tell what each does for us. Tell about the different kinds of dogs that you know. What do shepherd dogs do? Newfoundland dogs?
Why did the masters wish to be rid of these animals? How should animals be treated in their old age? What do we say of those that try to support themselves?
II.
Preparation.
I will now tell you how the four musicians passed the night in a forest on the way to Bremen, and what happened to them there. Do you remember any one in the stories we have heard that passed the night in a forest? Tell how it happened? Why does one not like to stay in a forest all night? What dangers are there in a forest?
Narration.
The four companions could not reach Bremen in one day, so must pass the night on the road. Night came on them as they were passing through a deep forest. They could no longer see the way, and so they stopped. The donkey leaned up against a great tree. The dog lay on the ground beneath,the cat curled herself up on a branch, and the cock flew up to the very top.
After a time the cock said, “I see a light. It seems to come from the window of a house.” “Oh,” said the donkey, “let us go to it; perhaps some kind people live in the house. They may give us something to eat. I am hungry. I would like a mouthful of hay.” “I would be thankful for even a couple of bones,” said the dog. The cat and the cock, too, were hungry. So the four animals went on toward the light.
As they came nearer the light grew larger and clearer. Finally they came to a house, the home of a band of robbers. The donkey, being the largest, went to the window and looked in. “What do you see?” said the cock.
“Oh! I see a table with all kinds of good things to eat on it. Around it there seems to be a band of robbers, eating and drinking and having a merry time,” said the donkey.
“There must be something there for us,” said the cock. “Yes, indeed!” said the donkey. “Some of that food must be for us.” The four animals then agreed upon a plan to frighten the robbers away from the house so that they might go in and eat. The donkey put his fore feet on the window sill. The dog jumped up on the donkey’s back. The cat sprang up on the dog’s back, and the cock flew up on top of the cat.
When they were all ready, each one made his music as loudas he could. The donkey brayed, the dog barked, the cat mewed, and the cock crowed. The noise they made was so loud and strong that the window rattled and the whole house shook. The robbers heard the noise outside but could not tell what it was. They were all terribly frightened. One thought it was the police. Another cried, “It is the soldiers!”
And so hallowing, one this, the other that, they ran pell mell out of the house and hid in the woods. Then the four friends went in and sat at the robbers’ table and ate and drank until they were satisfied. Then they put out the light and each one found a comfortable place in which to sleep. The donkey stretched himself out on some straw in the yard. The dog lay behind the door. The cat lay down by the hearth, and the cock flew up on the rafter. They were so tired after their long journey that they were soon fast asleep, and so all was quiet in the little house in the woods.
Model Treatment.
Where did the animals plan to spend the night? Tell how each one made ready for sleep. Who saw the light? Why did they go toward it? Who peeped in? What did he see? Tell how the animals frightened the robbers away.In what stories have you heard of a cock? Tell how the cat differs from the dog. Of what use are cats? How do they catch mice? Did you ever see a cat sharpen her claws? What animals are like cats?Why did the robbers live in the forest?Why were they so easily frightened?Why did they think of police and soldiers?
Where did the animals plan to spend the night? Tell how each one made ready for sleep. Who saw the light? Why did they go toward it? Who peeped in? What did he see? Tell how the animals frightened the robbers away.
In what stories have you heard of a cock? Tell how the cat differs from the dog. Of what use are cats? How do they catch mice? Did you ever see a cat sharpen her claws? What animals are like cats?
Why did the robbers live in the forest?
Why were they so easily frightened?
Why did they think of police and soldiers?
III.
Preparation.
We shall now learn that the robbers came back while the four musicians were asleep in the house, and what happened. Tell where each animal went to sleep. What do you think they did when the robbers came back? Let us see.
Narration.
The robbers did not go very far away. They hid in the woods and watched to see what went on in the house. Along about midnight one of the robbers said: “See, the light is out. Perhaps the police have gone away.” “Yes,” said all the other robbers, as they looked, “the light is out.”
The captain of the robbers then sent one of the band to see if all was safe. He stole softly through the woods and crept into the house. When once in he saw something shining in the fireplace. It was the cat’s eyes, but he thought it was two coals of fire. So he took the candle from the table and stooped to light it at the coals. The cat at once sprang at him and scratched his face with her claws. The robber, badly scared, ran out of the house. As he ran, the dog awoke and bit him in the leg. The donkey kicked him, and the cockcried out, “Cock—a—doodle—do.” Still worse frightened, he ran back to where the others were hiding.
“Oh!” he said, “I wouldn’t go back there for the world! There was a terrible old woman sitting by the fireplace. She scratched me with her long finger nails. A man lay behind the door: he cut me in the leg with his long knife. A giant, who was lying in the yard, struck me with his great club. Then some one cried out, ‘Bring a rope and hang the thief.’ So I ran back as fast as I could.”
When the other robbers heard this they all said, “No, it is not safe to go back there;” and they went away to another part of the country. The four musicians liked the little house in the woods so much that they remained there all the rest of their days in joy and comfort.
Model Treatment.
1. Tell where the robbers went when they ran away. Tell what the one said who saw that the light was out. What did the captain then say? What did the cat do to the robber? The dog? The donkey? The cock? Tell what report he made to his brother robbers. What did they then do?2. Why did the robber go to the fireplace? What is a candle? What do we use in place of candles? A long time ago people used candles. Of what were they made? What is burned in lamps? Where do we get it? Where do we get gas? Can cats see better than dogs or donkeys or chickens? Where do cats sleep? Dogs? Donkeys? Cocks?Why do chickens sleep up so high?Why are robbers afraid of police?What arepolicemen?What is their duty? Who pays policemen? In what other stories did we hear of a fireplace? (In “The Cock and the Hen.”) Tell about it.
1. Tell where the robbers went when they ran away. Tell what the one said who saw that the light was out. What did the captain then say? What did the cat do to the robber? The dog? The donkey? The cock? Tell what report he made to his brother robbers. What did they then do?
2. Why did the robber go to the fireplace? What is a candle? What do we use in place of candles? A long time ago people used candles. Of what were they made? What is burned in lamps? Where do we get it? Where do we get gas? Can cats see better than dogs or donkeys or chickens? Where do cats sleep? Dogs? Donkeys? Cocks?
Why do chickens sleep up so high?
Why are robbers afraid of police?
What arepolicemen?
What is their duty? Who pays policemen? In what other stories did we hear of a fireplace? (In “The Cock and the Hen.”) Tell about it.
Detail of Form Work.
PART.MAKING.DRAWING.CUTTING.DRAMATIZATION.I.The animalsmodeled in clay.The donkey, thedog, and the cattalking to the cock.The four animalson their journey.The meeting of thefour animals.II.The robbers’house (of paper).The four animalsfrightening therobbers.The robbers hiddenin the wood.The four animalsin the forest andfrightening therobbers.III.Candle andStandard.(See Worst,Ex. 86).The robbersrunning away.Different kindsof lights andreceptacles forlights.The robber, returningto the house andfrightened awayby the animals.