the Crumbs on the Table

the Crumbs on the Table

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

One day the rooster said to his hens, "Go into the kitchen and pick up the breadcrumbs from the table. Our mistress has gone out visiting."

the hens said, "No, no, we won't go. If our mistress finds out, she will beat us."

then the rooster said, "She won't know anything about it. Come on. She never gives us anything good."

then the hens said once again, "No, no. Not ever. We are not going in there."

But the rooster would give them no peace until they finally got onto the table and began to eat the breadcrumbs with all their might. Just then the mistress came home, quickly took hold of a stick, drove them off the table and gave them a good beating.

Once outside the house, the hens said to the rooster, "Don't you see, see, see, see, see, see, see?"

the rooster laughed and said, "Didn't I know it, know it, know it?"

And they went their way.