Grimm Brothers
|
Germany

The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage

A mouse, a bird, and a sausage live happily together until they switch roles, leading to disastrous outcomes.
Teamwork
Contentment
Responsibility
The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage
Audio available for B1 version

Once upon a time, a mouse, a bird, and a sausage became friends. They lived together and were very happy. Each had a job: the bird flew into the forest every day to bring back wood, the mouse carried water, lit the fire, and set the table, and the sausage cooked the food.

One day, the bird met another bird in the forest. The bird told the other bird how happy they were. But the other bird said the bird was doing too much work and that the mouse and the sausage had an easy life. The mouse only had to light the fire, carry water, and then rest until it was time to set the table. The sausage just stayed by the pot and cooked the food. When it was almost time to eat, the sausage would roll through the soup or vegetables to make them tasty.

The bird thought this was unfair and decided they should all switch jobs. Even though the mouse and the sausage did not want to change, the bird insisted. So, they agreed to switch.

The next day, the sausage went to get wood, the bird lit the fire, and the mouse stayed by the pot to cook. But the sausage took a long time to come back. The bird flew out to look for it and found a dog who had eaten the sausage. The dog said the sausage had done something wrong, so it had eaten it.

The bird went back home and told the mouse what had happened. They were very sad but decided to stay together and do their best. The bird set the table, and the mouse started to cook. The mouse tried to cook like the sausage did, by rolling in the pot, but it got hurt and died.

When the bird came to check on dinner, there was no mouse. The bird looked everywhere but could not find the mouse. In its hurry, the bird knocked over the wood and started a fire. The bird tried to get water from the well, but it fell in and drowned.

In the end, all three friends, who were once happy when they worked together, were gone because they tried to change their jobs.

Once upon a time, a mouse, a bird, and a sausage became friends. They lived together and were very happy. Each had a job: the bird flew into the forest every day to bring back wood, the mouse carried water, lit the fire, and set the table, and the sausage cooked the food.

One day, the bird met another bird in the forest. The bird told the other bird how happy they were. But the other bird said the bird was doing too much work and that the mouse and the sausage had an easy life. The mouse only had to light the fire, carry water, and then rest until it was time to set the table. The sausage just stayed by the pot and cooked the food. When it was almost time to eat, the sausage would roll through the soup or vegetables to make them tasty.

The bird thought this was unfair and decided they should all switch jobs. Even though the mouse and the sausage did not want to change, the bird insisted. So, they agreed to switch.

The next day, the sausage went to get wood, the bird lit the fire, and the mouse stayed by the pot to cook. But the sausage took a long time to come back. The bird flew out to look for it and found a dog who had eaten the sausage. The dog said the sausage had done something wrong, so it had eaten it.

The bird went back home and told the mouse what had happened. They were very sad but decided to stay together and do their best. The bird set the table, and the mouse started to cook. The mouse tried to cook like the sausage did, by rolling in the pot, but it got hurt and died.

When the bird came to check on dinner, there was no mouse. The bird looked everywhere but could not find the mouse. In its hurry, the bird knocked over the wood and started a fire. The bird tried to get water from the well, but it fell in and drowned.

In the end, all three friends, who were once happy when they worked together, were gone because they tried to change their jobs.

A mouse, a bird, and a sausage are friends. They live in a small house. They are very happy. Each friend has a job.

The bird flies to the forest every day. It brings back sticks. The mouse gets water. It makes the fire. The mouse also sets the table. The sausage cooks the food.

One day, the bird meets another bird in the forest. The bird tells the other bird about their happy life. The other bird says, “You do too much work. The mouse and the sausage have easy jobs. They should do more.”

The bird thinks this is not fair. The bird says, “We must change jobs.” The mouse and the sausage do not want to change. But the bird says, “We must try.”

The next day, the sausage goes to get sticks. The bird makes the fire. The mouse stays by the pot to cook. But the sausage does not come back. The bird flies out to look for it. The bird finds a dog. The dog says, “I ate the sausage. It did something wrong.”

The bird goes back home. The bird tells the mouse what happened. They are very sad. But they stay together and try their best. The bird sets the table. The mouse cooks. The mouse tries to cook like the sausage. The mouse rolls in the pot. The mouse gets hurt and dies.

The bird comes to check on dinner. The mouse is not there. The bird looks everywhere. The bird cannot find the mouse. The bird knocks over the sticks. The house starts to burn. The bird tries to get water. The bird falls into the well and drowns.

In the end, all three friends are gone. They were happy when they worked together. But they tried to change their jobs.

Once upon a time, a mouse, a bird, and a sausage became friends. They lived together and were very happy. Each had a job: the bird flew into the forest every day to bring back wood, the mouse carried water, lit the fire, and set the table, and the sausage cooked the food.

One day, the bird met another bird in the forest. The bird told the other bird how happy they were. But the other bird said the bird was doing too much work and that the mouse and the sausage had an easy life. The mouse only had to light the fire, carry water, and then rest until it was time to set the table. The sausage just stayed by the pot and cooked the food. When it was almost time to eat, the sausage would roll through the soup or vegetables to make them tasty.

The bird thought this was unfair and decided they should all switch jobs. Even though the mouse and the sausage did not want to change, the bird insisted. So, they agreed to switch.

The next day, the sausage went to get wood, the bird lit the fire, and the mouse stayed by the pot to cook. But the sausage took a long time to come back. The bird flew out to look for it and found a dog who had eaten the sausage. The dog said the sausage had done something wrong, so it had eaten it.

The bird went back home and told the mouse what had happened. They were very sad but decided to stay together and do their best. The bird set the table, and the mouse started to cook. The mouse tried to cook like the sausage did, by rolling in the pot, but it got hurt and died.

When the bird came to check on dinner, there was no mouse. The bird looked everywhere but could not find the mouse. In its hurry, the bird knocked over the wood and started a fire. The bird tried to get water from the well, but it fell in and drowned.

In the end, all three friends, who were once happy when they worked together, were gone because they tried to change their jobs.

Once upon a time, in a cozy little cottage, lived three quirky friends: a mouse, a bird, and a sausage. Yep, you heard that right, a sausage! They were the best of pals and each had their own special job. The bird flew into the forest every day to bring back wood, the mouse carried water, lit the fire, and set the table, and the sausage cooked the food with all the flair of a world-class chef. It even wore a tiny chef hat!

One sunny day, the bird was out gathering wood when it bumped into another bird. "Hey there, woodpecker!" chirped the other bird. "Why are you doing all the work while those other two get to chill? Are they on permanent vacation or something?"

The bird fluffed its feathers, feeling a bit defensive. "Hey, we’re a team. I get the wood, the mouse does the housework, and the sausage cooks. And let me tell you, that sausage makes a mean soup!"

The other bird chuckled. "Hmm, sounds like you're doing all the heavy lifting. That mouse is just setting the table, and the sausage is just, what, rolling around in a pot? You deserve a break!"

The bird, feeling a bit miffed, thought, “Maybe this bird has a point.” So, when it got home, it proposed a job swap. "Hey guys," it said. "I think we should switch jobs for a day."

The mouse squeaked, "But I like setting the table! I’m practically an artist with those napkins." The sausage, lounging by the pot, said, "And I’m a master chef! Who will taste my famous stew if I’m not here?"

"Come on," insisted the bird. "It'll be fun. And besides, it’s only fair! We can see if the grass is greener on the other side."

So, the next day, the sausage went off to gather wood, the bird lit the fire, and the mouse took over cooking. But the sausage was not used to forest life. Hours passed, and the sausage didn’t come back. Worried, the bird flew out to find it and came across a dog. "Have you seen a sausage around here?" the bird asked.

The dog licked its chops and said, "Well, funny you should ask. I had a delicious encounter with a sausage who didn't know the forest rules. Yum!"

Horrified, the bird flew back home to tell the mouse. They were both heartbroken but decided to carry on. The bird set the table while the mouse tried its hand at cooking. The mouse thought, "I’ll just roll around in the pot like the sausage did. Easy peasy!" But it wasn’t easy. The poor mouse got all tangled up and, well, it didn’t end well.

When the bird came to check on dinner, there was no mouse. It searched high and low but couldn’t find its friend. In its rush, the bird knocked over the woodpile, starting a fire. Panicked, it flew to the well for water but slipped and fell in.

And so, the cottage that once buzzed with joy and laughter was now silent. All because the friends had switched jobs, forgetting that their happiness came from working together in their own special ways.

Three friends lived in a cozy little nook,
A bird, a mouse, and a sausage they took.
Each with a job in their humble abode,
Together they lived on Friendship Road.

The bird fetched wood from the forest each day,
While the mouse made sure their home was okay.
He’d carry water, light the fire so bright,
Set the table for their meal every night.

The sausage, skilled in the art of the meal,
Cooked up their food with the greatest of zeal.
Rolling through soup, making veggies taste grand,
Their life was simple, their routine well-planned.

One day, the bird, while fetching the wood,
Met a new bird who misunderstood.
"Why work so hard?" the new bird would chide,
"Your friends at home take an easy ride!"

Back home went the bird, feeling quite blue,
Proposed a switch—they'd try something new.
The sausage gathered wood, oh so slow,
While the bird and the mouse faced new woe.

The mouse by the pot, tried to cook with care,
But alas, rolling in pots was a snare.
And the bird, trying hard to stoke the flame,
Found that tending fires wasn’t quite the same.

The sausage lost, a dog claimed a bite,
The mouse too, met a tragic plight.
And the bird, in a rush to fetch some water,
Fell in the well—oh, what a slaughter!

Three friends once lived, each with their own task,
Happy and content, no more could they ask.
But when they changed what each did best,
None could manage the others' test.

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Word Finder

  1. Forest

    Large area filled with trees and plants.

  2. Insisted

    Demanded something forcefully without giving up.

  3. Decided

    Made a choice after thinking about options.

  4. Agreed

    Accepted or said yes to a suggestion.

  5. Tasty

    Having a good flavor; delicious.

  6. Unfair

    Not right or just; unequal treatment.

  7. Switched

    Changed from one thing to another.

  8. Hurry

    Move or act quickly because of little time.

  9. Drowned

    Died by being underwater too long.

  10. Knocked

    Hit something causing it to move or fall.

Understanding Questions

  1. What were the initial jobs of the mouse, bird, and sausage?
  2. Why did the bird decide that they should switch jobs?
  3. What happened to the sausage when it went to get wood?
  4. How did the mouse try to cook like the sausage, and what was the result?
  5. What happened to the bird at the end of the story?

Word Finder

  1. Forest

    A place with many trees.

  2. Sticks

    Thin pieces of wood from trees.

  3. Table

    A flat surface to put things on.

  4. Cook

    Make food ready to eat.

  5. Fair

    Treating everyone the same way.

  6. Wrong

    Not right; bad or incorrect.

  7. Sad

    Feeling unhappy or sorrowful.

  8. Dinner

    The main meal of the day.

  9. Burn

    To catch fire and be destroyed by heat.

  10. Drown

    To die underwater because you can't breathe.

  1. Forest

    Large area filled with trees and plants.

  2. Insisted

    Demanded something forcefully without giving up.

  3. Decided

    Made a choice after thinking about options.

  4. Agreed

    Accepted or said yes to a suggestion.

  5. Tasty

    Having a good flavor; delicious.

  6. Unfair

    Not right or just; unequal treatment.

  7. Switched

    Changed from one thing to another.

  8. Hurry

    Move or act quickly because of little time.

  9. Drowned

    Died by being underwater too long.

  10. Knocked

    Hit something causing it to move or fall.

Understanding Questions

  1. Who are the three friends in the story?

    1. A mouse, a cat, and a sausage
    2. A mouse, a bird, and a sausage
    3. A bird, a cat, and a sausage
    4. A mouse, a bird, and a cat
  2. What is the mouse's job?

    1. It flies to the forest.
    2. It cooks the food.
    3. It gets water and makes the fire.
    4. It brings back sticks.
  3. Why does the bird want to change jobs?

    1. The mouse wants to fly.
    2. The sausage does not like cooking.
    3. Another bird said their jobs were not fair.
    4. The bird is tired.
  4. What happens to the sausage when it goes to get sticks?

    1. It gets lost.
    2. It gets eaten by a dog.
    3. It falls into a well.
    4. It comes back with the sticks.
  5. What happens to the three friends at the end of the story?

    1. They lived happily ever after.
    2. They were all gone.
    3. They found new jobs.
    4. They built a new house.
  1. What were the initial jobs of the mouse, bird, and sausage?
  2. Why did the bird decide that they should switch jobs?
  3. What happened to the sausage when it went to get wood?
  4. How did the mouse try to cook like the sausage, and what was the result?
  5. What happened to the bird at the end of the story?
  1. Why did the bird decide that the three friends should switch roles in their daily tasks?
  2. What were the original tasks assigned to each of the three friends, and how did these roles contribute to their harmonious living?
  3. Describe the events that led to the sausage's disappearance and the bird's discovery of its fate.
  4. What happened to the mouse when it tried to cook using the sausage's method, and what was the outcome of this attempt?
  5. How did the bird ultimately meet its end, and what lesson can be inferred from the sequence of events following the role change?

Reflection Questions

  1. Why did the bird think it was unfair that the mouse and the sausage had easier jobs?
  2. How did switching jobs lead to problems for the mouse, the bird, and the sausage?
  3. Can you think of a time when working together as a team made things easier for you and your friends or family?
  4. Why is it important to appreciate the roles and efforts of others in a team?
  5. What lesson can we learn about sticking to the roles and responsibilities we are good at?

Fable Quotes

"Teamwork divides the task and multiplies the success."
"Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are."
"Take care of your duties and your duties will take care of you."
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