The Louse and the Flea

A louse and a flea kept house together and were brewing beer in an eggshell. The little louse fell in and burned herself. Then the little flea began to scream loudly. The little room-door said, "Little flea, why are you screaming?" "Because the louse has burned herself."

Then the little door began to creak. A little broom in the corner said, "Why are you creaking, little door?" "Have I no reason to creak? The louse has burned herself, the flea is weeping."

So the little broom began to sweep frantically. A little cart passed by and said, "Why are you sweeping, little broom?" "Have I no reason to sweep? The louse has burned herself, the flea is weeping, the door is creaking."

So the little cart said, "Then I will run," and began to run wildly. The ash-heap by the road said, "Why are you running so, little cart?" "Have I no reason to run? The louse has burned herself, the flea is weeping, the door is creaking, the broom is sweeping."

The ash-heap said, "Then I will burn furiously," and began to burn in clear flames. A little tree nearby said, "Ash-heap, why are you burning?" "Have I no reason to burn? The louse has burned herself, the flea is weeping, the door is creaking, the broom is sweeping, the cart is running."

The little tree said, "Then I will shake myself," and began to shake so that all its leaves fell off. A girl came up with her water pitcher and said, "Little tree, why are you shaking?" "Have I no reason to shake? The louse has burned herself, the flea is weeping, the door is creaking, the broom is sweeping, the cart is running, the ash-heap is burning."

The girl said, "Then I will break my water pitcher," and she broke it. The little spring from which the water came said, "Girl, why are you breaking your pitcher?" "Have I no reason to break it? The louse has burned herself, the flea is weeping, the door is creaking, the broom is sweeping, the cart is running, the ash-heap is burning, the tree is shaking itself."

"Oh, ho!" said the spring, "then I will begin to flow," and it began to flow violently. And in the water everything was drowned—the girl, the little tree, the little ash-heap, the little cart, the broom, the little door, the little flea, the little louse—all together.