On his way the donkey met a dog, who had also left his home and master. “Will you come with me to Bremen?” asked the donkey. "Let's become musicians in the town orchestra. You can play the drums and I will play the cello.” The dog agreed and they continued on their way together.

As they were passing by a castle, the three saw a cockerel, crowing as loudly as he could, so they asked him why he was singing so loudly. “They are going to cook me and eat me tomorrow," he said, “so I am saying goodbye to life.”

The cockerel, who really didn’t want to be cooked, jumped on the donkey’s back and the four continued on their way.

The dog climbed on the donkey’s back, the cat stood on the dog’s head and the rooster perched on the cat’s back. They started their concert on three: “Heee-haw!” brayed the donkey, “Woof-woof!” barked the dog, “Meoooowww!” said the cat and “Cock-a-doodle-doo!” crowed the cockerel. At all the noise the burglars started shouting in fear, “Help! Ghosts are coming to get us!” The men ran out of the door as fast as they could. They wanted to leave the house that very second, thinking that the house was haunted by millions of terrifying ghosts.

Full from the delicious meal, they looked for a place to sleep and turned off the lights. The dog curled up behind the door, the cat snuggled in by the fireplace, the rooster perched on the back of a chair and the donkey settled in one of the kitchen nooks. They soon fell fast asleep.

The cat jumped on his face and started scratching him. In panic, he stepped back, stepping on the dog, who bit the man’s leg fiercely. The man couldn’t see anything and began to run around in the dark in a blind panic. He was kicked by the donkey. Then the cockerel crowed and started flying around.

So the house was left to the four good friends, who gave up their decision to become musicians and instead lived in the house for the rest of their days.