Prevod

Once upon a time there were a little hen and a little cockerel who wanted to go on a journey together. So the cockerel built a fine carriage with four red wheels and harnessed four little mice to it. The little hen climbed aboard with the cockerel, and off they drove together. Before long they met a cat, who asked, “Where are you going?” The cockerel answered, “Straight on out to Mr Korbes’s house.”

“Take me with you,” said the cat. The cockerel replied, “Gladly! Sit at the back so you don’t fall off at the front. Mind you don’t get my little red wheels dirty.

Little wheels, go round and round, little mice, make a merry sound, straight on out to Mr Korbes’s house!” Then along came a millstone, then an egg, then a duck, then a pin, and finally a sewing needle. They all climbed onto the carriage too and rode along. But when they reached Mr Korbes’s house, Mr Korbes was not at home. The little mice drove the carriage into the barn, the little hen and the cockerel flew up onto a perch, the cat settled in the fireplace, the duck in the water tub, the egg wrapped itself in the towel, the pin stuck itself into the chair cushion, the sewing needle jumped onto the bed and nestled in the middle of the pillow, and the millstone lay down above the door. Then Mr Korbes came home and went to the fireplace to light a fire, but the cat threw ashes all over his face. He hurried into the kitchen to wash, but the duck splashed water in his face. He tried to dry himself with the towel, but the egg rolled towards him, broke, and stuck his eyes shut. He wanted to rest and sat down on the chair, but the pin pricked him. He flew into a rage and threw himself onto the bed, but as he laid his head on the pillow, the sewing needle pricked him, so that he cried out and, in a fury, meant to run away into the wide world. But as he reached the front door, the millstone jumped down and struck him dead. Mr Korbes must have been a very wicked man indeed.