Classic
Die wunderbare Weberin
James Baldwin (1841–1925)
In each language: The Wonderful Weaver · Die wunderbare Weberin · La maravillosa tejedora · La merveilleuse tisserande · La meravigliosa tessitrice
Arachne spins and weaves so beautifully that she boasts no one, not even the goddess Athena, could match her skill at the loom. Athena appears at her door and proposes a contest to settle the matter once and for all, with a steep price for whichever of them loses.
In English, German, Spanish, French and Italian · about 1,100 words · 5–10 min to read.
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So fängt es an
I. DIE KETTE.
I. THE WARP.
Es gab ein junges Mädchen in Griechenland namens Arachne. Ihr Gesicht war blass, aber schön, ihre Augen waren groß und blau, und ihr Haar war lang und wie Gold.
There was a young girl in Greece whose name was Arachne. Her face was pale but fair, and her eyes were big and blue, and her hair was long and like gold.
Alles, was sie von morgens bis mittags tun wollte, war, in der Sonne zu sitzen und zu spinnen; und alles, was sie von mittags bis abends tun wollte, war, im Schatten zu sitzen und zu weben.
All that she cared to do from morn till noon was to sit in the sun and spin; and all that she cared to do from noon till night was to sit in the shade and weave.
Languages
- The Wonderful Weaver · English (original)1,111 words · ~5 min
- Die wunderbare Weberin · GermanB1 Intermediate · 1,055 words · ~10 min
- La maravillosa tejedora · SpanishB1 Intermediate · 1,021 words · ~10 min
- La merveilleuse tisserande · FrenchB1 Intermediate · 1,134 words · ~10 min
- La meravigliosa tessitrice · ItalianB1 Intermediate · 994 words · ~10 min
Open in the reader: German with English · 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 Wonderful Weaver 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 1,111 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.