The Bremen Town Musicians
Translation: Bas Böttcher, supported by Ian Watson
A cat on a dog on a donkey’s back
A rooster on top of the animal stack
Piled up, funny, isn’t it?
Yet, really this is serious business
See, before dogs on donkeys decide to ride
Before cats on dangerous dogs will try to climb
Before birds sit as a refugee
on a moody meowing murdering kitty
Before they all forget about rivalry
Something severe must have happened
they were trapped and
hit the road. Now together a legend
Before cats escape through the gate
and dogs part from their yard
Before decrepit donkeys dare a new start
Before roosters break through fences and bars
something, somewhere must have been too hard
See, here’s the donkey an honest old lad
Sincere Miss Cat, with much mousetrap cred
Good senior dog busy hunting days had he.
Old Mister Rooster: of many many chicks the daddy
… Now together they thrive …
After all these years of sweat and tears
now gray feathers and fur plus rusty gears
Cast out by their Masters’ cruel intent
condemned to death although innocent
The donkey on his pitiful judgement day
broke through the stable and dashed away
The dog heard he’d soon be dead
he bit through the leash and fled
The cat was supposed to be viciously drowned
Instead its place was empty found
The rooster was soon to end in a soup
It sneaked off the yard and hit the route
Come on!
Hurry away, run further and further!
Back home there’s only fear and murder
Now, no more violence and threats to bear.
Something better than death you’ll find everywhere
Remember
before dogs on donkeys decide to ride
Before cats on dangerous dogs will try to climb
Before birds sit as a refugee
on a moody meowing murdering kitty
Before they all forget about rivalry
Without food, without roof, but free.
Hear liberty bells’ peaceful spells
sweeter than bombshells and what have you else.
Surrounded by sound of hope in open air
better than death is anywhere
Standing by each other
Standing on top of each other
Our friends survived!
different traits different tribes
Now together they thrive.
Bas Böttcher
Translation: Bas Böttcher, supported by Ian Watson
