Town Musicians of Bremen

The Town Musicians of Bremen (German Die Bremer Stadtmusikanten, also translated as the Bremen Town Musicians) is a fairy tale recorded by the Brothers Grimm.

In the story a donkey, a dog, a cat and an rooster, all mistreated by their masters, leave them and meet in a desolate place. They decide to go to Bremen, known for its freedom, to live without owners. On their way, they have a number of adventures.

This fable has a straight-forward meaning: The four animals (in pictures depicted as standing atop each other) represent the classes of the citizenry, their masters the feudal regents of the time. Bremen as a free trader's town, was their natural goal for living without masters.

Bremen remembers the tale with a three metre high bronze statue near the city hall.

Other Media

The tale has often been retold both as animated pictures, motion pictures (often musicals) and theater plays. Some of the best known translations are:

• Disney 1922 animated version - (IMDB Entry)
• A Brazilian musical free adaptation of the tale - (IMDB Entry)
• A 1989 Spanish animated movie version - (IMDB Entry)