Herr Korbes

A tale from the Brothers Grimm about the shenenigans of a rag tag group of objects, and a man named Herr Korbes. It is an interpretation of a translation from the original German.

Once upon a time a rooster and a hen decided to travel together. The rooster made a gorgeous carriage which rode upon four red wheels,to which he hitched four mice. The hen flew into the carriage along with the rooster, and they set off on their adventure. Before long they came across a cat who questioned, "Where are you going?"

"We're going to see Herr Korbes today.
"We're off without delay."

"Please take me with you," said the cat. "Certainly," answered the rooster. "You must sit in the back lest you fall out the front.

Be sure you take good care,
for I've got clean red wheels down there.
Roll on, you wheels, hi ho!
Squeak, squeak, you mice, hi ho!
We're going to see Herr Korbes today.
We're off without delay."

They traveled for a time, and soon they came across an egg, a sewing needle, a duck, a pin, and a millstone. They all rode along in the carriage.

When they arrived at Herr Korbe's house they discovered he was not home. They all settled down to wait. The mice brought the carriage into the barn. The duck sat next to the well sweep. The pin found a place in the chair cushion. The rooster and hen found a perch to sit on. The cat got cozy by the hearth. the egg wrapped itself in a towel, and the sewing needle hopped right onto Herr Korbe's bed and sat on the pillow. Finally, the millstone decided to take a seat above the door.

Eventually Herr Korbes came home, and went directly to the hearth to make himself a nice fire - but the cat scratched ashes right into his face! Quickly, he ran into his kitchen to wash away the ash, but the duck threw water onto him! He tried to towel himself off but the egg broke, gluing his eyes shut! After all the commotion he wanted nothing more than to have a rest, so he sat down in his chair...and the pin stuck him! Herr Korbes was very angry at this, and went to lay down on his bed - this time the sewing needle stuck him in the head as he lay on the pillow. He screamed in a rage and decided to run outside. However, when he went to leave through the front door the millstone leapt from the door and killed him.

Herr Korbes must have been a very wicked man.

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