A little louse and a little flea kept house together. They were brewing beer in an eggshell when the little louse fell in and burned herself to death. At this the little flea began to cry loudly.
Then the little parlor door said, "Why are you crying, little flea?"
"Because little louse has burned herself to death."
Then the little door began to creak.
Then a little broom in the corner said, "Why are you creaking, little door?"
"Why should I not be creaking?
Little louse has burned herself to death.
Little flea is crying."
Then the little broom began to sweep furiously.
Then a little cart came by and said, "Why are you sweeping, little broom?"
"Why should I not be sweeping?
Little louse has burned herself to death.
Little flea is crying.
Little door is creaking."
Then the little cart said, "Then I will run," and it began to run furiously.
It ran by a little manure pile, which said, "Why are you running, little cart?"
"Why should I not be running?
Little louse has burned herself to death.
Little flea is crying.
Little door is creaking.
Little broom is sweeping."
Then the little manure pile said, "Then I will burn furiously," and it began to burn in bright flames.
A little tree that stood near the little manure pile said, "Little manure pile, why are you burning?"
"Why should I not be burning?
Little louse has burned herself to death.
Little flea is crying.
Little door is creaking.
Little broom is sweeping.
Little cart is running."
Then the little tree said, "Then I will shake myself," and it began to shake itself until all its leaves fell off.
A girl who came up with her water pitcher saw that, and said, "Little tree, why are you shaking?"
"Why should I not be shaking?
Little louse has burned herself to death.
Little flea is crying.
Little door is creaking.
Little broom is sweeping.
Little cart is running.
Little manure pile is burning."
Then the girl said, "Then I will break my little water pitcher." And she broke her little water pitcher.
Then the little spring from which the water was flowing said, "Girl, why did you break your little water pitcher?"
"Why should I not break my little water pitcher?
Little louse has burned herself to death.
Little flea is crying.
Little door is creaking.
Little broom is sweeping.
Little cart is running.
Little manure pile is burning.
Little tree is shaking."
"Oh," said the spring, "then I will begin to flow," and it began to flow furiously. And everything drowned in the water: the girl, the little tree, the little manure pile, the little cart, the little broom, the little door, the little flea, and the little louse, all together.
一只虱子和一只跳蚤合住一室。有一天，它们在鸡蛋壳里酿啤酒，虱子一不小心掉了进去，被烫伤了。小跳蚤于是大呼小叫起来。小房门问它：“小跳蚤，你干嘛尖叫呀？”“虱子被烫伤了。”
小房门于是“吱吱嘎嘎” 响了起来。角落里的扫把听到了，问：“小房门，你为什么叫呀？”“我难道不该叫吗？小虱子烫伤了自己，小跳蚤在伤心地哭泣。”小扫把听了便疯狂地扫起地来。一辆小拖车路过时问：“你干嘛扫地呀，小扫把？”“我难道不该扫吗？小虱子烫伤了自己，小跳蚤在伤心地哭泣。小房门在一个劲地嘎吱嘎吱。”
小拖车听了于是说：“那我就跑起来吧。”说着便疯了似地狂奔。经过一堆余烬时，余烬问：“你怎么跑得这么急呀，小拖车？”“我难道不该跑吗？小虱子烫伤了自己，小跳蚤在伤心地哭泣，小房门在拼命地嘎吱嘎吱，小扫把在一个劲地扫地。”余烬于是说：“那就让我熊熊燃烧起来吧。”说着就燃起了火焰。它旁边的一棵小树问它：“你怎么又烧起来了？”“我难道不应该燃烧吗？小虱子烫伤了自己，小跳蚤在伤心地哭泣，小房门在拼命地嘎吱嘎吱，小扫把在一个劲地扫地，小拖车也在奔跑不息。”
小树于是说：“我看我该摇晃自己才是。”说着就不停地摇晃起来，把树叶抖落得满地都是。一个拎着水罐的小姑娘走了过来，看到小树便问：“小树呀，你干嘛这么甩自己呀？”“我难道不应该甩吗？小虱子烫伤了自己，小跳蚤在伤心地哭泣，小房门在拼命地嘎吱嘎吱，小扫把在一个劲地扫地，小拖车在奔跑不息，连余烬也重新燃起了自己。”
小姑娘一听，说：“那我也该摔碎这水罐。”说着就将水罐摔了个粉碎。冒水的泉眼问：“姑娘，你为啥摔破水罐呢？”“我难道不应该摔吗？小虱子烫伤了自己，小跳蚤在伤心地哭泣，小房门在拼命地嘎吱嘎吱，小扫把在一个劲地扫地，小拖车也奔跑不息，小树也在不住地摇曳。”
“哦，哦！”泉眼说，“那我就该使劲流才是。”于是开始一个劲地流淌。于是一切都被水淹没了：小姑娘，小树，余烬，小拖车，扫把，小房门，小跳蚤和小虱子，全淹没了。