An old Brothers Grimm tale retold featuring Chanticleer the Rooster.

Under 10 minute read time for beginning readers.

An honest farmer once had a donkey named Rusty. Rusty had been a faithful servant to the farmer for many years but was now growing old and more and more unfit for work every day. The donkey, who saw some mischief in the wind, took himself slyly off and began his journey towards the great city, ‘For there,’ thought he, ‘I may become a musician.’ 

Rusty the donkey has his own plans

Rusty the Donkey has his own plans

After he had traveled a little way, he spied a dog lying by the roadside and panting as if he were tired. ‘What makes you pant so, my friend?’ asked Rusty. ‘Ahh!’ said the dog, ‘my master was going to knock me on the head because I am old and weak and no longer any good for hunting, so I ran away, but what can I do to earn my livelihood?’ ‘Well!’ said Rusty, ‘I am going to the great city to become a musician: suppose you go with me.’ The dog said he was willing, and they jogged on together. 

Tired old dog

Tired Old Dog

They had not gone far before they saw a cat sitting in the window of a log house and making a most rueful face. ‘My good lady,’ said the donkey, ‘what’s the matter?’ ‘Mercy, me!’ said the cat, ‘how can one be in good spirits when one’s life is in danger? I am beginning to grow old and would rather lie at my ease by the fire than run about the house after the mice; my mistress laid hold of me and was going to drown me, and though I have been lucky enough to get away from her, I do not know what I am to live upon.’ 

‘Oh,’ said Rusty, ‘by all means, go with us to the great city; you are a good night singer and may make your fortune as a musician.’ The cat was pleased with the thought and joined the party. 

Old cat would rather lie by the fire

Cat with a rueful face

Soon afterward, as they were passing by a farmyard, they saw a cock perched upon a gate and screaming out with all his might. ‘Bravo!’ said the Rusty; ‘upon my word, you make a famous noise; what is all this about?’ ‘Why,’ said the cock, ‘I was just now saying that  we should have fine weather for our washing day, and yet my mistress and the cook don’t thank me for my pains but threaten to cut off my head tomorrow and make broth of me for the guests that are coming on Sunday!’ ‘Heaven forbid!’ said the Rusty, ‘come with us, Master Chanticleer; it will be better, at any rate, than staying here to have your head cut off! Besides, who knows? If we care to sing in tune, we may get up some kind of a concert, so come along with us.’ ‘With all my heart,’ said the cock. So they all four went on jollily together. 

Chanticleer crowing on a gate

Chanticleer crowing on a gate

They could not, however, reach the great city the first day, so when night came on, they went into a wood to sleep. The donkey and the dog laid themselves down under a great tree, and the cat climbed up into the branches; while the cock, thinking that the higher he sat, the safer he should be, flew up to the very top of the tree and then, according to his custom, before he went to sleep, looked out on all sides of him to see that everything was well. In doing this, he saw far off something bright and shining and, calling to his companions, said, ‘There must be a house no great way off, for I see a light.’ ‘If that be the case,’ said Rusty, ‘we had better change our quarters, for our lodging is not the best in the world!’ ‘Besides,’ added the dog, ‘I should not be the worse for a bone or a bit of meat.’ So they walked off together towards the spot where Chanticleer had seen the light, and as they drew near, it became larger and brighter till they, at last, came close to a stone cottage in which a gang of robbers lived. 

The stone cottage where robbers lived

The robbers’ stone cottage

Being the tallest, Rusty marched up to the window and peeped in. ‘Well, Donkey,’ said Chanticleer, ‘what do you see?’ โ€˜What do I see?’ replied Rusty. ‘Why, I see a table spread with all kinds of good things and robbers sitting around it making merry.’ ‘That would be a noble lodging for us,’ said the cock. ‘Yes,’ Rusty agreed, ‘if we could only get in’; so they consulted together how they should contrive to get the robbers out, and at last, they hit upon a plan. The donkey placed himself upright on his hind legs, with his forefeet resting against the window sill; the dog got upon his back; the cat scrambled up to the dog’s shoulders, and the cock flew up and sat upon the cat’s head. When all was ready, a signal was given, and they began their music. Rusty brayed, the dog barked, the cat mewed, and the cock crowed; and then they all broke through the window at once and came tumbling into the room, amongst the broken glass, with a most hideous clatter! 

All the musicians gathered for a song

The musicians serenade the robbers

The robbers, who had been not a little frightened by the opening concert, had now no doubt that some frightful hobgoblin had broken in upon them. They scampered away as fast as they could. 

The coast clear, our travelers soon sat down and dined on what the robbers had left, with as much eagerness as if they had not expected to eat again for a month. As soon as they had satisfied themselves, they put out the lights, and each once more found a resting place to his own liking. They were all rather tired and soon fell asleep. 

But around midnight, the robbers started to get curious. The house looked dark and quiet. “Maybe we were too hasty leaving,” one of them grumbled. The bravest robber decided to go take a peek. He tiptoed into the kitchen and fumbled in the darkness until he found a match. Suddenly, he saw two glowing eyes staring back at him! Thinking they were hot coals, he held the match closer.

The cat, startled by the light, hissed and swiped at the robber’s face! He yelped in surprise and stumbled backward, bumping into the dog. With a growl, the dog snapped at his leg! The robber yelped again and scrambled across the yard. Rusty, startled by all the noise, kicked out in confusion. Just then, the rooster, woken by the commotion, let out a loud crow!

The robber sprinted back to his friends, breathless and wide-eyed. “There’s a terrible creature inside!” he gasped. “It scratched me, something bit at me, and I think there’s a giant in the yard! Something on the roof was screeching!” The robbers were so terrified they ran off. 

After this, the robbers never dared to return to the house, but the musicians were so pleased with their quarters that they made it their home, and there they are, I dare say, to this very day. 

Chanticleer the Rooster on the roof of his new home

Chanticleer the Rooster on the roof of his new home

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