Grimm's Household Tales

A louse and a flea kept house together and were brewing beer in an eggshell. Then the little louse fell in and burned herself. At this, the little flea began to scream loudly. Then the little room door said, “Little flea, why are you screaming?” “Because the louse has burned herself.”

Then the little door began to creak. At this, a little broom in the corner said, “Why are you creaking, little door?” “Do I not have reason to creak?”

“The little louse has burned herself, / The little flea is weeping.”

So the little broom began to sweep frantically. Then a little cart passed by and said, “Why are you sweeping, little broom?” “Do I not have reason to sweep?”

“The little louse has burned herself, / The little flea is weeping, / The little door is creaking.”

So the little cart said, “Then I will run,” and began to run wildly. Then the ash heap that it ran past said, “Why are you running so, little cart?” “Do I not have reason to run?”

“The little louse has burned herself, / The little flea is weeping, / The little door is creaking, / The little broom is sweeping.”

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 are you burning?” “Do I not have reason to burn?”

“The little louse has burned herself, / The little flea is weeping, / The little door is creaking, / The little broom is sweeping, / The little cart is running.”

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 are you shaking yourself?” “Do I not have reason to shake myself?”

“The little louse has burned herself, / The little flea is weeping, / The little door is creaking, / The little broom is sweeping, / The little cart is running, / The little ash heap is burning.”

At this the girl said, “Then I will break my little water pitcher,” and she broke her little water pitcher. Then the little spring from which the water ran said, “Girl, why are you breaking your water jug?” “Do I not have reason to break my water jug?”

“The little louse has burned herself, / The little flea is weeping, / The little door is creaking, / The little broom is sweeping, / The little cart is running, / The little ash heap is burning, / The little tree is shaking itself.”

“Oh, ho!” said the spring, “then I will begin to flow,” and it 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.