In the Brothers Grimm tale “The Bremen Town Musicians,” the four animals intend to go to Bremen when they leave home.
The donkey, dog, cat, and rooster are all unwanted or threatened by their owners. The donkey proposes travelling to Bremen, a city where they hope to become town musicians. The other animals join him, forming the famous group named in the tale’s title.
Their journey changes when they encounter a house occupied by robbers. By stacking themselves together and making a loud noise, they frighten the robbers away. The animals then settle in the house rather than completing the journey to Bremen.
A common misconception is that the animals perform in Bremen. In the Grimm story, Bremen is their intended destination, not the place where the main action concludes. The city’s name became permanently associated with the tale and with public monuments inspired by it.