On Saturday the nineteenth the big snow came. It snowed all day and all night, more snow than the square had seen in twenty years, enormous soft flakes that turned solid by the morning. The buses stopped. Part of a roof on one of the market huts gave way under the weight, and the market was closed. Karim spent the day on the phone, shouting at the council. My father spent it clearing the steps of every old person on the square, one after another, with a shovel.
How it begins
On Saturday the nineteenth the big snow came. It snowed all day and all night, more snow than the square had seen in twenty years, enormous soft flakes that turned solid by the morning. The buses stopped. Part of a roof on one of the market huts gave way under the weight, and the market was closed. Karim spent the day on the phone, shouting at the council. My father spent it clearing the steps of every old person on the square, one after another, with a shovel.
Am Samstag, dem neunzehnten, ist der große Schnee gekommen. Es hat den ganzen Tag und die ganze Nacht geschneit, mehr Schnee, als der Platz seit zwanzig Jahren gesehen hatte, riesige weiche Flocken, die bis zum Morgen fest geworden sind. Die Busse sind nicht mehr gefahren. Unter dem Gewicht ist ein Teil vom Dach einer Marktbude eingebrochen, und der Markt war zu. Karim hat den ganzen Tag telefoniert und den Stadtrat angeschrien. Mein Vater hat den Tag damit verbracht, mit einer Schaufel die Stufen von allen alten Menschen auf dem Platz freizumachen, einen nach dem anderen.
That evening, at Edith's kitchen table, we answered the last letter. A boy called Leo wanted Saint Nicholas to make his big sister nicer. Edith's answer suggested that he ask his big sister what she wanted for Christmas, because nobody ever asked big sisters. Ben wrote it, and put the pen down, and closed the bottle of ink.
An dem Abend haben wir an Ediths Küchentisch den letzten Brief beantwortet. Ein Junge namens Leo wollte, dass Sankt Nikolaus seine große Schwester netter macht. Ediths Antwort hat vorgeschlagen, dass er seine große Schwester fragt, was sie sich zu Weihnachten wünscht, denn niemand fragt große Schwestern je. Ben hat sie geschrieben, den Füller hingelegt und die Tintenflasche zugemacht.
"That's all of them," he said. "Forty-two years. All of them answered."
„Das sind alle“, hat er gesagt. „Zweiundvierzig Jahre. Alle beantwortet.“
Languages
- A Column With No Names · English (original)B1 Intermediate · 1,778 words · ~15 min · Audio
- Eine Kolumne ohne Namen · GermanB1 Intermediate · 1,834 words · ~15 min · Audio
- Una columna sin nombres · SpanishB1 Intermediate · 1,733 words · ~15 min · Audio
- Une chronique sans noms · FrenchB1 Intermediate · 1,996 words · ~15 min · Audio
German with English · Spanish with English · French with English · English with German · English with Spanish · English with French · German with Spanish · German with French · Spanish with German · Spanish with French · French with German · French with Spanish
Questions
Which languages can I read A Column With No Names in?
English, German, Spanish and French. 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 English is B1 Intermediate. In translation, German, Spanish and French are B1 Intermediate. Levels follow the Common European Framework, from Pre-A1 (starter) to C2.
How long is it?
About 1,778 words: around 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 downloads (PDF, EPUB, and AZW3 and MOBI for Kindle) need a free account.
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.