A louse and a flea kept house together and were brewing beer in an egg-shell. Then the little louse fell in and burnt herself. On this the little flea began to scream loudly. Then said the little room-door: "Little flea, why art thou screaming?" – "Because the louse has burnt herself."
Un piojito y una pulguita hacían vida en común y cocían su cerveza en una cáscara de huevo. He aquí que el piojito se cayó dentro y murió abrasado. Ante aquella desgracia, la pulguita se puso a llorar a voz en grito. Al oírla, preguntó la puerta de la habitación: "¿Por qué lloras, Pulguita?" – "Porque Piojito se ha quemado."
Then the little door began to creak. On this a little broom in the corner said: "Why art thou creaking, little door?" – "Have I not reason to creak?
Entonces se puso la puerta a rechinar. Y dijo Escobita desde el rincón: "¿Por qué rechinas, Puertecita?" – "¿Cómo quieres que no rechine?
The little louse has burnt herself,
Piojito se ha abrasado,
The little flea is weeping."
Pulguita llora."
So the little broom began to sweep frantically. Then a little cart passed by and said: "Why art thou sweeping, little broom?" – "Have I not reason to sweep?
Y la escobita se puso a barrer desesperadamente. Llegó en esto un carrito y dijo: "¿Por qué barres, Escobita?" – "¿Cómo quieres que no barra?
The little louse has burnt herself,
Piojito se ha abrasado,
The little flea is weeping,
Pulguita llora,
The little door is creaking."
Puertecita rechina."
So the little cart said: "Then I will run," and began to run wildly. Then said the ash-heap by which it ran: "Why art thou running so, little cart?" – "Have I not reason to run?
Entonces exclamó Carrito: "Pues voy a correr," y echó a correr desesperadamente. Y dijo Estercolillo, por delante del cual pasaba: "¿Por qué corres, Carrito?" – "¿Cómo quieres que no corra?
The little louse has burnt herself,
Piojito se ha abrasado,
The little flea is weeping,
Pulguita llora,
The little door is creaking,
Puertecita rechina,
The little broom is sweeping."
Escobita barre."
The ash-heap said: "Then I will burn furiously," and began to burn in clear flames. A little tree stood near the ash-heap and said: "Ash-heap, why art thou burning?" – "Have I not reason to burn?
Y dijo entonces Estercolillo: "Pues yo voy a arder desesperadamente," y se puso a arder en brillante llamarada. Había junto a Estercolillo un arbolillo, que preguntó: "¿Por qué ardes, Estercolillo?" – "¿Cómo quieres que no arda?
The little louse has burnt herself,
Piojito se ha abrasado,
The little flea is weeping,
Pulguita llora,
The little door is creaking,
Puertecita rechina,
The little broom is sweeping,
Escobita barre,
The little cart is running."
Carrito corre."
The little tree said: "Then I will shake myself," and began to shake herself so that all her leaves fell off; a girl who came up with her water-pitcher saw that, and said: "Little tree, why art thou shaking thyself?" – "Have I not reason to shake myself?
Y dijo Arbolillo: "Pues yo me sacudiré," y empezó a sacudirse tan vigorosamente, que las hojas le cayeron. Violo una muchachita que acertaba a pasar con su jarrito de agua, y dijo: "Arbolillo, ¿por qué te sacudes?" – "¿Cómo quieres que no me sacuda?
The little louse has burnt herself,
Piojito se ha abrasado,
The little flea is weeping,
Pulguita llora,
The little door is creaking,
Puertecita rechina,
The little broom is sweeping,
Escobita barre,
The little cart is running,
Carrito corre,
The little ash-heap is burning."
Estercolillo arde."
On this the girl said: "Then I will break my little water-pitcher," and she broke her little water-pitcher. Then said the little spring from which ran the water: "Girl, why art thou breaking thy water-jug?" – "Have I not reason to break my water-jug?
Dijo la muchachita: "Pues yo romperé mi jarrito de agua," y rompió su jarrito. Y dijo entonces la fuentecita de la que manaba el agua: "Muchachita, ¿por qué rompes tu jarrito?" – "¿Cómo quieres que no lo rompa?
The little louse has burnt herself,
Piojito se ha abrasado.
The little flea is weeping,
Pulguita llora,
The little door is creaking,
Puertecita rechina,
The little broom is sweeping,
Escobita barre,
The little cart is running,
Carrito corre,
The little ash-heap is burning,
Estercolillo arde,
The little tree is shaking itself."
Arbolillo se sacude."
"Oh, ho," said the spring, "then I will begin to flow," and began to flow violently. And in the water everything was drowned, the girl, the little tree, the little ash-heap, the little cart, the broom, the little door, the little flea, the little louse, all together.
"¡Ay!" exclamó la fuentecita, "entonces voy a ponerme a manar," y empezó a manar desesperadamente. Y todo se ahogó en su agua: la muchachita, el arbolillo, el estercolillo, el carrito, la escobita, la puertecita, la pulguita y el piojito; todos a la vez.