English Original
The cock said to the hen, "Our nuts are ripe. Let's go to the hill and eat our fill before the squirrel takes them." "Yes," replied the hen, "let's have some pleasure together."
They went to the hill and stayed until evening. Perhaps they ate too much or grew proud, but they refused to walk home. The cock built a little carriage from nutshells.
When it was ready, the hen sat in it and said, "You can harness yourself to it." "I'd rather walk!" said the cock. "I'll be the coachman, but I won't pull it."
As they argued, a duck quacked at them, "You thieves! Who said you could go to my nut-hill? You'll pay for this!" She ran at the cock with her beak open. But the cock fought back bravely and wounded her with his spurs until she begged for mercy. As punishment, she agreed to be harnessed to the carriage.
The cock sat as coachman, and they set off at a gallop. "Duck, go as fast as you can!"
After a while, they met two foot-passengers: a pin and a needle. "Stop!" they cried. "It's getting dark and the road is dirty. May we ride with you?" They had been at the tailor's tavern and stayed too long over beer.
Since they were thin and took little space, the cock let them in, but they had to promise not to step on his or the hen's feet.
Late in the evening, they reached an inn. Not wanting to travel by night, and with the duck stumbling, they decided to stay. The innkeeper objected at first—his house was full, and they didn't seem distinguished. But they spoke pleasantly and promised him the egg the hen had laid on the journey, and said he could keep the duck, which laid an egg daily. Finally, he agreed to let them stay.
They feasted and made merry. Early next morning, while everyone slept, the cock woke the hen. They pecked open the egg, ate it, and threw the shell on the hearth. Then they took the sleeping needle and stuck it into the landlord's chair cushion, and put the pin in his towel. Without further ado, they flew away over the heath.
The duck, who had slept in the yard, heard them leave. Happily, she found a stream and swam away—much faster than pulling a carriage.
The landlord woke two hours later. He washed and went to dry his face, but the pin scratched a red streak from ear to ear. Then he went to the kitchen to light his pipe, but the egg-shell flew into his eyes. "Everything attacks my head this morning!" he said angrily. He sat in his grandfather's chair but jumped up crying, "Woe is me!" The needle had pricked him somewhere worse than the pin. Now furious, he suspected the late guests. When he looked for them, they were gone.
He vowed never to take in ragamuffins again, for they eat much, pay nothing, and play mischievous tricks as thanks.
中文翻译
公鸡对母鸡说：“我们的坚果熟了。趁松鼠还没全拿走，我们去山上吃个饱吧。” “好啊，”母鸡回答，“我们一起去乐一乐。”
他们去了山上，一直待到傍晚。也许是吃得太撑，或是变得骄傲了，他们不肯走路回家。公鸡只好用坚果壳造了一辆小车。
车造好后，母鸡坐进去说：“你可以把自己套上车拉车。” “我宁愿走路！”公鸡说，“我可以当车夫坐在车上，但我绝不拉车。”
正当他们争吵时，一只鸭子对他们嘎嘎叫道：“你们这些小偷！谁允许你们去我的坚果山了？你们要付出代价！”她张开嘴冲向公鸡。但公鸡勇敢反击，用距铁刺伤了鸭子，直到她求饶。作为惩罚，鸭子同意被套上小车拉车。
公鸡坐上车夫位，他们疾驰出发。“鸭子，尽你所能快跑！”
走了一段路，他们遇到两个步行者：一根针和一根大头针。“停一停！”他们喊道，“天快黑了，路又脏。我们能搭个车吗？”他们之前在裁缝的客栈喝啤酒，待得太久了。
因为他们很瘦，占不了多少地方，公鸡让他们上了车，但他们必须保证不踩到他和母鸡的脚。
深夜，他们来到一家客栈。不想走夜路，加上鸭子脚步不稳，他们决定住下。客栈老板起初不同意——他的房子已经满了，而且他们看起来不像体面人。但他们说话讨喜，承诺把母鸡路上下的蛋给他，还说可以把每天下一个蛋的鸭子留给他。最终，老板同意让他们过夜。
他们大吃大喝，尽情欢乐。第二天一大早，趁大家都还在睡，公鸡叫醒母鸡。他们啄开蛋吃了，把蛋壳扔在壁炉上。然后，他们拿起还在睡觉的针，把它插进老板的椅垫里，又把大头针放进他的毛巾里。事毕，他们毫不耽搁地飞过荒野离开了。
喜欢睡在户外的鸭子听到他们离开。她高兴地找到一条小溪，顺流游走了——这比拉车快多了。
老板两小时后才起床。他洗完脸想去擦干，但大头针在他脸上划了一道从耳朵到耳朵的红痕。接着他去厨房点烟斗，但蛋壳飞进了他的眼睛。“今天早上什么都攻击我的头！”他生气地说。他坐到祖父的椅子上，但立刻跳起来喊道：“我真倒霉！”针扎了他一下，比大头针还糟，而且不是扎在头上。他勃然大怒，怀疑起昨晚迟来的客人。他去找他们时，他们已经不见了。
他发誓再也不接待乌合之众了，因为他们吃得多，不付钱，还以恶作剧作为感谢。