Grimm's Household Tales

Once upon a time the little hen went with the little rooster to the nut hill, and they agreed that whichever of them found a nut kernel should share it with the other. Then the hen found a large, large nut but said nothing about it, intending to eat the kernel herself. The kernel, however, was so large that she could not swallow it, and it remained stuck in her throat, so that she was alarmed that she would choke. Then she cried, “Rooster, I entreat you to run as fast as you can and fetch me some water, or I will choke.” The little rooster did run as fast as he could to the spring and said, “Stream, you are to give me some water. The little hen is lying on the nut hill, and she has swallowed a large nut and is choking.” The well answered, “First run to the bride and get her to give you some red silk.” The little rooster ran to the bride and said, “Bride, you are to give me some red silk. I want to give red silk to the well. The well is to give me some water, and I am to take the water to the little hen who is lying on the nut hill and has swallowed a great nut kernel and is choking on it.” The bride answered, “First run and bring me my little wreath that is hanging on a willow.” So the little rooster ran to the willow, pulled the wreath off the branch, and took it to the bride, and the bride gave him some water for it. Then the little rooster took the water to the hen, but when he got there, the hen had choked in the meantime and lay there dead and motionless. Then the rooster was so distressed that he cried aloud, and every animal came to mourn the little hen. Six mice built a little carriage to carry her to her grave, and when the carriage was ready, they harnessed themselves to it, and the rooster drove. On the way, however, they met the fox, who said, “Where are you going, little rooster?” “I am going to bury my little hen.” “May I ride with you?” “Yes, but seat yourself at the back of the carriage, for in the front my little horses could not drag you.” Then the fox seated himself at the back, and after that the wolf, the bear, the stag, the lion, and all the beasts of the forest did the same. Then the procession went onward, and they reached the stream. “How are we to get over?” said the little rooster. A straw was lying by the stream, and it said, “I will lay myself across, and you shall drive over me.” But when the six mice came to the bridge, the straw slipped and fell into the water, and the six mice all fell in and drowned. Then they were in difficulty again, and a coal came and said, “I am large enough. I will lay myself across, and you shall drive over me.” So the coal also laid itself across the water, but unfortunately it just touched the water, and at that the coal hissed, was extinguished, and died. When a stone saw that, it took pity on the little rooster, wished to help him, and laid itself over the water. Then the rooster pulled the carriage himself. When he got it over and reached the other shore with the dead hen, he was about to pull over the others who were sitting behind as well, but there were too many of them. The carriage ran back, and they all fell into the water together and drowned. Then the little rooster was left alone with the dead hen. He dug a grave for her, laid her in it, and made a mound above it, on which he sat down and grieved until he died too, and then everyone was dead.