Classic
Der selbstsüchtige Riese
Oscar Wilde
In each language: The Selfish Giant · Der selbstsüchtige Riese · El gigante egoísta · Le Géant égoïste · Il gigante egoista
A giant returns home from years away and drives the children out of his beautiful garden, building a high wall to keep them out for good. Without them, spring itself seems to forget the place, and the giant is left wondering why winter never leaves.
In English, German, Spanish, French and Italian · about 1,700 words · 10–15 min to read.
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So fängt es an
Der eigensüchtige Riese
The Selfish Giant
Jeden Nachmittag, wenn sie aus der Schule kamen, gingen die Kinder in den Garten des Riesen, um dort zu spielen.
Every afternoon, as they were coming from school, the children used to go and play in the Giant’s garden.
Es war ein großer, schöner Garten mit weichem, grünem Gras.
It was a large lovely garden, with soft green grass.
Languages
- The Selfish Giant · English (original)1,655 words · ~10 min
- Der selbstsüchtige Riese · GermanB1 Intermediate · 1,578 words · ~15 min
- El gigante egoísta · SpanishB1 Intermediate · 1,531 words · ~15 min
- Le Géant égoïste · FrenchB1 Intermediate · 1,658 words · ~15 min
- Il gigante egoista · ItalianB1 Intermediate · 1,452 words · ~10 min
Open in the reader: German with English · German with Italian · Spanish with English · French with English · Italian with English
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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 The Selfish Giant 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 1,655 words: around 10–15 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.