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König Johann und der Abt

James Baldwin (1841–1925)

In each language: King John and the Abbot · König Johann und der Abt · El rey Juan y el abad · Le roi Jean et l’abbé · Re Giovanni e l’abate

In Canterbury, a rich abbot lives in such grand style that the harsh King John resents it. The king gives him three hard questions to answer within two weeks, or he will lose his head. Sad and afraid, the abbot rides off to seek help from the learned.

In English, German, Spanish, French and Italian · about 1,200 words · 5–10 min to read.

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Du liest links auf Deutsch. Englisch steht rechts als Hilfe, und beim Lesen kannst du es mit der Augen-Taste verwischen oder ausblenden.

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So fängt es an

GermanEnglish

I. DIE DREI FRAGEN.

I. THE THREE QUESTIONS.

Es war einmal ein König von England namens Johann. Er war ein schlechter König; denn er war hart und grausam zu seinem Volk, und solange er seinen Willen durchsetzen konnte, kümmerte es ihn nicht, was aus den anderen Leuten wurde. Er war der schlimmste König, den England je hatte.

There was once a king of England whose name was John. He was a bad king; for he was harsh and cruel to his people, and so long as he could have his own way, he did not care what became of other folks. He was the worst king that England ever had.

Nun gab es in der Stadt Canterbury einen reichen alten Abt, der in großem Stil in einem prächtigen Haus namens Abtei lebte.

Now, there was in the town of Canterbury a rich old abbot who lived in grand style in a great house called the Abbey.

Die ersten Absätze, so wie der Reader sie zeigt. Weiterlesen

Languages

  • King John and the Abbot · English (original)1,235 words · ~5 min
  • König Johann und der Abt · GermanB1 Intermediate · 1,182 words · ~10 min
  • El rey Juan y el abad · SpanishB1 Intermediate · 1,124 words · ~10 min
  • Le roi Jean et l’abbé · FrenchB1 Intermediate · 1,331 words · ~10 min
  • Re Giovanni e l’abate · ItalianB1 Intermediate · 1,079 words · ~10 min

Open in the reader: German with English · Spanish with English · French with English · Italian with English

More stories at this level

Intermediate stories in German with English beside it (all of them: Intermediate German stories).

Reading it as a parallel text

A parallel text puts a story next to its translation, paragraph by paragraph. Read in the language you are working on and glance across only when a sentence stops you: the story keeps moving, and the words you look up stay in context. More in how to read with a parallel text.

Questions

Which languages can I read King John and the Abbot in?
English, German, Spanish, French and Italian. Pick the language you want to read and the one to keep beside it: every paragraph sits next to its translation, so you can check a sentence without losing your place.
What level is it?
In translation, German, Spanish, French and Italian are B1 Intermediate. Levels follow the Common European Framework, from A1 (beginner) to C2.
How long is it?
About 1,235 words: around 5–10 min of reading, with the translation beside it. The time depends on the edition's level: an easier edition is read more slowly.
Is it free?
Yes. Read it online with no account. The e-reader files (EPUB, and AZW3 and MOBI for Kindle) need a free account; the PDF doesn't.
Can I read it on a Kindle or Kobo?
Yes. Download the EPUB for Kobo, Apple Books and most e-readers, or the AZW3 or MOBI for a Kindle, with each paragraph followed by its translation. There is also a side-by-side PDF to print, and each language on its own.