Der var engang en lus og en loppe, som boede sammen. En dag, da de bryggede øl i en æggeskal, faldt lusen ned og brændte sig. Loppen begyndte at græde højt, og den lille dør spurgte da: "Hvorfor græder du, lille loppe?" - "Fordi lusen har brændt sig," svarede loppen.
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."
Da gav døren sig til at knirke, og en kost, der stod i krogen, spurgte: "Hvorfor knirker du, lille dør?" - "Skulle jeg ikke knirke," svarede døren -
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?
"Lusen har brændt sig,
The little louse has burnt herself,
loppen græder."
The little flea is weeping."
Da begyndte kosten at feje af alle livsens kræfter, og en lille vogn, der kom kørende forbi, spurgte: "Hvorfor fejer du, lille kost?" - "Skulle jeg ikke feje," svarede kosten -
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?
"Lusen har brændt sig,
The little louse has burnt herself,
loppen græder,
The little flea is weeping,
døren knirker."
The little door is creaking."
Da begyndte vognen at rende alt, hvad den kunne, og da den kom forbi møddingen, spurgte denne: "Hvorfor render du sådan, lille vogn?" - "Skulle jeg ikke rende," svarede vognen -
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?
"Lusen har brændt sig,
The little louse has burnt herself,
loppen græder,
The little flea is weeping,
døren knirker,
The little door is creaking,
kosten fejer."
The little broom is sweeping."
Da begyndte møddingen at brænde i lys lue. Ved siden af den stod et træ, som spurgte: "Hvorfor brænder du, lille mødding?" - "Skulle jeg ikke brænde," svarede møddingen -
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?
"Lusen har brændt sig,
The little louse has burnt herself,
loppen græder,
The little flea is weeping,
døren knirker,
The little door is creaking,
kosten fejer,
The little broom is sweeping,
vognen render."
The little cart is running."
Da begyndte træet at ryste sig, så alle bladene faldt af. En pige, der kom forbi med et krus, så det og spurgte: "Hvorfor ryster du dig, lille træ?" - "Skulle jeg ikke ryste mig," svarede træet -
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?
"Lusen har brændt sig,
The little louse has burnt herself,
loppen græder,
The little flea is weeping,
døren knirker,
The little door is creaking,
kosten fejer,
The little broom is sweeping,
vognen render,
The little cart is running,
møddingen brænder."
The little ash-heap is burning."
Da slog pigen sit krus itu og brønden, hun stod ved, spurgte da: "Hvorfor slår du dit krus itu, lille pige?" - "Skulle jeg ikke slå mit krus itu," svarede hun -
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?
"Lusen har brændt sig,
The little louse has burnt herself,
loppen græder,
The little flea is weeping,
døren knirker,
The little door is creaking,
kosten fejer,
The little broom is sweeping,
vognen render,
The little cart is running,
møddingen brænder,
The little ash-heap is burning,
træet ryster sig."
The little tree is shaking itself."
Da begyndte brønden at stige og flød snart over alle bredder. Og så druknede de allesammen, pigen, træet, møddingen, vognen, kosten, døren, loppen og lusen.
"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.