Der var engang en høne og en hane, som besluttede at gøre en lille rejse sammen. Hanen byggede en nydelig lille vogn med fire røde hjul og spændte fire mus for, og de satte sig så op i den og kørte af sted. Kort efter mødte de en kat, som spurgte: "Hvor skal I hen?"
"Vores små mus
kører os ud til hr. Korbes hus."
kører os ud til hr. Korbes hus."
svarede hanen. "Må jeg køre med?" spurgte katten. "Værsgo'," svarede hanen, "sæt dig bag på, så du ikke falder ned.
Men pas på,
hjulet ej I smudse må.
Rask af sted,
tag benene med.
Vores små mus
kører os ud til hr. Korbes hus."
hjulet ej I smudse må.
Rask af sted,
tag benene med.
Vores små mus
kører os ud til hr. Korbes hus."
Derpå kom der en møllesten, så et æg, så en and, så en knappenål og endelig en synål, og alle fik de lov til at køre med. Men da de kom til hr. Korbes hus, var han ikke hjemme. Musene satte vognen ind i skuret, hanen og hønen fløj op på en stang, katten lagde sig i kakkelovnskrogen, anden i vandfadet, ægget viklede sig ind i håndklædet, knappenålen satte sig i stolesædet, synålen i hovedpuden i sengen og møllestenen oven over døren. Da hr. Korbes kom hjem, gik han hen til kakkelovnen og ville tænde ild, men katten kastede asken op i hovedet på ham. Hurtig løb han ud i køkkenet for at vaske sig, men anden sprøjtede ham vand i ansigtet. Da han greb håndklædet for at tørre sig, kom han til at knuse ægget, og det klistrede hans øjne til. Han satte sig så på stolen for at hvile sig, men knappenålen stak ham, og da han rasende kastede sig på sengen, fik han synålen op i hovedet, så at han skreg højt og sprang op for at løbe sin vej. Men da han kom hen til døren, faldt møllestenen ned og slog ham ihjel. Men hr. Korbes må rigtignok have været en meget slem mand.
There were once a cock and a hen who wanted to take a journey together. So the cock built a beautiful carriage, which had four red wheels, and harnessed four mice to it. The hen seated herself in it with the cock, and they drove away together. Not long afterwards they met a cat who said, "Where are you going?" The cock replied, "We are going to the house of Herr Korbes." - "Take me with you," said the cat. The cock answered, "Most willingly, get up behind, lest you fall off in front. Take great care not to dirty my little red wheels. And you little wheels, roll on, and you little mice pipe out, as we go forth on our way to the house of Herr Korbes."
After this came a millstone, then an egg, then a duck, then a pin, and at last a needle, who all seated themselves in the carriage, and drove with them. When, however, they reached the house of Herr Korbes, Herr Korbes was not there. The mice drew the carriage into the barn, the hen flew with the cock upon a perch. The cat sat down by the hearth, the duck on the well-pole. The egg rolled itself into a towel, the pin stuck itself into the chair-cushion, the needle jumped on to the bed in the middle of the pillow, and the millstone laid itself over the door. Then Herr Korbes came home, went to the hearth, and was about to light the fire, when the cat threw a quantity of ashes in his face. He ran into the kitchen in a great hurry to wash it off, and the duck splashed some water in his face. He wanted to dry it with the towel, but the egg rolled up against him, broke, and glued up his eyes. He wanted to rest, and sat down in the chair, and then the pin pricked him. He fell in a passion, and threw himself on his bed, but as soon as he laid his head on the pillow, the needle pricked him, so that he screamed aloud, and was just going to run out into the wide world in his rage, but when he came to the house-door, the millstone leapt down and struck him dead. Herr Korbes must have been a very wicked man!
After this came a millstone, then an egg, then a duck, then a pin, and at last a needle, who all seated themselves in the carriage, and drove with them. When, however, they reached the house of Herr Korbes, Herr Korbes was not there. The mice drew the carriage into the barn, the hen flew with the cock upon a perch. The cat sat down by the hearth, the duck on the well-pole. The egg rolled itself into a towel, the pin stuck itself into the chair-cushion, the needle jumped on to the bed in the middle of the pillow, and the millstone laid itself over the door. Then Herr Korbes came home, went to the hearth, and was about to light the fire, when the cat threw a quantity of ashes in his face. He ran into the kitchen in a great hurry to wash it off, and the duck splashed some water in his face. He wanted to dry it with the towel, but the egg rolled up against him, broke, and glued up his eyes. He wanted to rest, and sat down in the chair, and then the pin pricked him. He fell in a passion, and threw himself on his bed, but as soon as he laid his head on the pillow, the needle pricked him, so that he screamed aloud, and was just going to run out into the wide world in his rage, but when he came to the house-door, the millstone leapt down and struck him dead. Herr Korbes must have been a very wicked man!