DuoText original

Die Stimme von Unterdorf

The Voice of Lower Village

A valley in Bhutan, the last day of the archery tournament: for thirty-one years Thinley Wangdi has shouted the mocking verses that rattle the opposing archers, and today, of all days, his voice is gone. His granddaughter has a recording from last year on her phone, the loudspeaker is standing by the target anyway, and nobody has ever said it is forbidden. Then an old rival recognises a verse.

C120 minBeginning free

Read

The rest of this book is for subscribers

The beginning is free. Reader opens the whole of every subscriber book, with its narration and more word meanings.

See plans

How it begins

GermanEnglish

Heiser

Hoarse

Am Morgen des Endspiels wachte Thinley Wangdi auf und hatte keine Stimme mehr.

On the morning of the final, Thinley Wangdi woke up and no longer had a voice.

Er merkte es nicht sofort. Er lag unter der Wolldecke, hörte die Hähne von Unterdorf einander widersprechen und dachte, was er seit einunddreißig Jahren am letzten Turniertag dachte: Heute. Dann räusperte er sich, um den ersten Vers des Tages zu erproben, und aus seiner Brust kam ein Geräusch, als schöbe jemand eine Tür über Kies.

He did not notice at once. He lay under the woollen blanket, listening to the roosters of Lower Village contradict one another, and thought what he had thought for thirty-one years on the last day of the tournament: today. Then he cleared his throat to try out the first verse of the day, and what came out of his chest was a sound like someone pushing a door across gravel.

The opening paragraphs, as the reader shows them. Read on

Languages

Die Stimme von Unterdorf · German (original)C1 Advanced · 3,418 words · ~20 min
صوت أونتردورف · ArabicC1 Advanced · 2,750 words · ~15 min
Η φωνή του Κάτω Χωριού · GreekC1 Advanced · 3,542 words · ~20 min
The Voice of Lower Village · EnglishC1 Advanced · 3,622 words · ~20 min
La voz de Unterdorf · SpanishC1 Advanced · 3,557 words · ~20 min
La voix d’Unterdorf · FrenchC1 Advanced · 3,957 words · ~20 min
उंतरडॉर्फ़ की आवाज़ · HindiC1 Advanced · 3,957 words · ~20 min
Suara dari Unterdorf · IndonesianC1 Advanced · 3,194 words · ~20 min
La voce di Unterdorf · ItalianC1 Advanced · 3,466 words · ~20 min
ウンテルドルフの声 · JapaneseC1 Advanced
운터도르프의 목소리 · KoreanC1 Advanced · 2,578 words · ~15 min
De stem van Unterdorf · DutchC1 Advanced · 3,554 words · ~20 min
Głos z Unterdorf · PolishC1 Advanced · 2,974 words · ~15 min
A Voz de Unterdorf · PortugueseC1 Advanced · 3,476 words · ~20 min
Vocea din Unterdorf · RomanianC1 Advanced · 3,597 words · ~20 min
เสียงแห่งอุนเทอร์ดอร์ฟ · ThaiC1 Advanced
Aşağı Köy’ün Sesi · TurkishC1 Advanced · 2,615 words · ~15 min
Tiếng hô của Làng Dưới · VietnameseC1 Advanced · 5,043 words · ~30 min
下村之声 · ChineseC1 Advanced

Questions

Which languages can I read Die Stimme von Unterdorf in?

German, Arabic, Greek, English, Spanish, French, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Thai, Turkish, Vietnamese and Chinese. 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?

The original German is C1 Advanced. In translation, Arabic, Greek, English, Spanish, French, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Thai, Turkish, Vietnamese and Chinese are C1 Advanced. Levels follow the Common European Framework, from Pre-A1 (starter) to C2.

How long is it?

About 3,418 words in 7 chapters: around 5–30 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?

Only the beginning. Read it online with no account. The rest of the book, the narration and the downloads (PDF, EPUB, and AZW3 and MOBI for Kindle) come with Reader.

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.

Die Stimme von Unterdorf

How it begins

Languages

Questions

More stories at this level