Once
upon a time a little mouse, a little bird, and a sausage came together and set
up house. For a long time they lived together in peace and happiness, and they
managed to increase their possessions by a considerable amount. The little
bird's job was to fly into the forest every day and bring back wood. The mouse
had to carry water, light the fire, and set the table while the sausage did the
cooking.
Now, if things go too well for people, they always look for
new things! So, one day as the bird was flying about, he came upon another
bird, and he boasted and told him about his superb situation. But the other
bird called him a poor sap because he had to do most of the work while the
other two friends had easy lives. For instance, after the mouse started the
fire and carried the water into the house, she generally went to her little
room and rested until she was called to set the table. The sausage stayed by
the pot and kept an eye on the cooking, and right at mealtime, he slid through
the stew or vegetables to make sure everything was salted, seasoned, and ready
to eat. As soon as the little bird came home and laid down his bundle, they
would sit down at the table, and after finishing the meal, they would sleep
soundly until the next morning. Such was their glorious life.
However, the little bird had been disturbed by what the
other bird had said the previous day and told his companions that he had been
their slave long enough and was no longer going to be taken for a fool. He
wanted them to change and try another arrangement. No matter how long the mouse
and the sausage vehemently argued against this, the bird dominated and insisted
that they try a new way. So they drew lots, and it fell upon the sausage to get
the wood; the mouse became cook; and the bird was to fetch water.
What happened?
After the sausage went to fetch the wood, the bird started
the fire, and the mouse put the kettle on the stove. Then they waited for the
sausage to return home with the wood for the next day. However, the sausage was
gone for such a long time that the other two had an uneasy feeling, and the
bird flew out a little way to meet him.
Not far from their home, the sausage had
encountered a dog. Now this dog had considered the sausage free game and had grabbed him and swallowed him down.
The little bird arrived and accused the dog of highway robbery, but it was of
no use, for the dog maintained he had found forged letters on the sausage, and
therefore, the sausage had had to pay for this with his life.
Now the little bird sadly picked up the wood and carried it
back home. He told the mouse what he had seen and heard, and they were very
distressed. Nevertheless, they agreed to do the best they could and stay
together. Meanwhile, the little bird set the table, and the mouse prepared the
meal. She intended to put the finishing touches on it by seasoning it and
sliding through the vegetables the way the sausage used to do, but before she
even reached the middle of the vegetables, she got stuck and had to pay for it
with her life.
When the bird came to serve the meal, there was no cook. He
became so upset that he scattered wood all over the place, calling and
searching for the mouse. But his cook was no longer to be found. Since the
little bird was so distracted, he didn't notice that the wood had caught fire,
and the house went up in flames. The bird rushed out to fetch some water, but
the bucket slipped and fell into the well, dragging the bird along. Since he
couldn't manage to get himself out, he was left to drown.
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