Once upon a time there were a rooster and a hen who wanted to take a journey together. So the rooster built a handsome carriage with four red wheels, and hitched¹ four mice to it. The hen climbed aboard with the rooster, and they drove away together.

Not long afterward² they met a cat, who said, "Where are you going?"

the rooster answered, "We're on our way to Herr Korbes's house."

"Take me with you," said the cat.

the rooster answered, "Gladly. Climb on behind, so you won't fall off the front. Be careful not to get my red wheels dirty. Roll, wheels. Whistle, mice. We're on our way to Herr Korbes's house."

then a millstone came along, then an egg, then a duck, then a pin, and finally a needle. They all climbed aboard the carriage and rode with them.

But when they arrived at Herr Korbes's house, he was not there. The mice pulled the carriage into the barn. The hen and the rooster flew onto a pole. The cat sat down in the fireplace³ and the duck in the water bucket. The egg rolled itself up in a towel. The pin stuck itself into a chair cushion. The needle jumped onto the bed in the middle of the pillow. The millstone lay down above the door.

then Herr Korbes came home. He went to the fireplace, wanting to make a fire, and the cat threw ashes into his face. He ran quickly into the kitchen to wash himself, and the duck splashed⁴ water into his face. He wanted to dry himself off with the towel, but the egg rolled against him, broke, and glued his eyes shut. Wanting to rest, he sat down in the chair, and the pin pricked⁵ him. He fell into a rage and threw himself onto his bed, but when he laid his head on the pillow, the needle pricked him, causing him to scream and run out of the house. As he ran through the front door the millstone jumped down and struck him dead.

Herr Korbes must have been a very wicked man.

海尔﹒柯贝斯

从前，有只公鸡准备和一只母鸡一起出门旅行。公鸡做了一辆漂亮的车，装上四只红色的轮子，然后套上四只小老鼠拉车。母鸡和公鸡坐上车出发了，不久，它们遇到一只猫，猫问它们：「你们上哪儿？」公鸡回答说：「去海尔家。」「带上我吧。」猫说。公鸡说：「十分愿意。从后面上来吧，可别摔下来，小心别弄髒了小红轮子。小小车轮快快跑，小老鼠儿吱吱叫，我们朝前奔，快到海尔家。」

随后又来了磨盘、一个鸡蛋、一只鸭子、一个发夹，最后来的是一根缝衣针，它们全挤到车上，一起朝海尔家赶去。

它们到时海尔不在家。於是小老鼠将车拖进牲口棚。母鸡和公鸡飞到一根横桿上歇着了，猫咪蹲伏在灶膛边，鸭子蹲到了井台边，鸡蛋用毛巾把自己裹了起来，发夹一头紮进座垫上，缝衣针则跳到床上，藏到了枕头中央，磨盘也爬到门顶上。海尔回到家中，走到灶膛边准备生火。蹲在那里的猫撒了他一脸炉灰；他急忙跑到厨房去洗脸，鸭子又泼了他一脸水；他想用毛巾把水擦乾，鸡蛋又滚出来破了，把他的眼睛给粘上了；他想休息一下，於是往坐椅上一坐，发夹扎得他弹了起来；他勃然大怒，一头倒到床上，可是头一碰枕头，缝衣针便把他扎得「嗷嗷」乱叫着往外冲；当他走到门口时，磨盘从门上落了下来，一下把他砸死了。看来海尔﹒柯贝斯准是个大坏蛋！