Picture Book Report

Posted by: S.britt
Book: The Bremen Town Musicians (purchase on Amazon)

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A certain man had a donkey, which had carried the corn sacks to the mill indefatigably for many a long year. But his strength was going, and he was growing more and more unfit for work. Then his master began to consider how he might best save his keep. But the donkey, seeing that no good wind was blowing, ran away and set out on the road to Bremen. There, he thought, I can surely be a town musician.

Like most children growing up, if that is indeed the direction you chose to go in, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Grimm’s fairy tales. One of my particular favorites was The Bremen Town Musicians, because all kids love performing animals (you simply weren’t a kid if you didn’t). Not only this, but they also manage to outfox and swipe a house out from underneath a band of bumbling bandits! Not bad for a bunch of feeble-minded musical misfits that their owners had long since put out to pasture.

As much as I was entertained by their lively barnyard antics, I admit I had all but forgotten the story until I heard Danny Michel‘s “Bremen” around 10 years ago. Even though the song is more about the northwestern German town than the actual fairy tale, I still enjoy them both equally (how’s that for fair?). So when I was asked to participate in Picture Book Report, naturally I decided to pick one of my favorite childhood stories and one of my favorite grownup songs. It’s like reading your cake and having it sing to you too!

So if you’d like to continue following along with the story, please come back every 3rd Wednesday of the month for a new installment. And if you’d like to tap your toe along with the equally inspiring song, you can listen to it here.