The Keys

Die Schlüssel

B215 minAudio

Marco gave me a crowbar at eight on Wednesday morning, and we started on Mr Pike's hut before the market opened.

How it begins

EnglishGerman

Marco gave me a crowbar at eight on Wednesday morning, and we started on Mr Pike's hut before the market opened.

Marco gab mir am Mittwochmorgen um acht ein Brecheisen, und wir fingen mit Mr Pikes Hütte an, bevor der Markt öffnete.

He had said he would do it with one of his kitchen men, and I had said I would rather do it myself. He had looked at me for a moment, the way he had looked at me when I dropped my first beam, and then handed me the crowbar. It took us three hours. The old beams came apart in our hands like wet cardboard, and the snow on them went down our collars. Under the counter we found a tin of candle ends from about 1980 and a child's glove. Mr Pike stood and watched the whole time, in his soldier's scarf, with his hands behind his back. When the last board was down he walked into the empty space and stood in the middle of it.

Er hatte gesagt, er würde es mit einem seiner Küchenmänner machen, und ich hatte gesagt, ich würde es lieber selbst tun. Er hatte mich einen Moment angesehen, so wie damals, als mir der erste Balken heruntergefallen war, und mir dann das Brecheisen gereicht. Wir brauchten drei Stunden. Die alten Balken fielen in unseren Händen auseinander wie nasse Pappe, und der Schnee darauf rutschte uns in den Kragen. Unter der Theke fanden wir eine Dose mit Kerzenresten von etwa 1980 und einen Kinderhandschuh. Mr Pike stand die ganze Zeit dabei, in seinem Soldatenschal, die Hände auf dem Rücken. Als das letzte Brett unten war, ging er in den leeren Platz und blieb in der Mitte stehen.

"Fifty years," he said. "My father built that."

„Fünfzig Jahre", sagte er. „Mein Vater hat sie gebaut."

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

Languages

The Keys · English (original)B2 Intermediate · 2,319 words · ~15 min · Audio
Die Schlüssel · GermanB2 Intermediate · 2,244 words · ~15 min · Audio
Τα κλειδιά · GreekB2 Intermediate · 2,222 words · ~15 min
Las llaves · SpanishB2 Intermediate · 2,304 words · ~15 min · Audio
Les Clés · FrenchB2 Intermediate · 2,546 words · ~15 min · Audio
चाबियाँ · HindiB2 Intermediate · 2,420 words · ~15 min
Kunci-Kunci · IndonesianB2 Intermediate · 1,994 words · ~15 min
Le chiavi · ItalianB2 Intermediate · 2,299 words · ~15 min
鍵 · JapaneseB2 Intermediate
열쇠 · KoreanB2 Intermediate · 1,583 words · ~10 min
De sleutels · DutchB2 Intermediate · 2,366 words · ~15 min
Klucze · PolishB2 Intermediate · 1,894 words · ~15 min
As chaves · PortugueseB2 Intermediate · 2,270 words · ~15 min
Cheile · RomanianB2 Intermediate · 2,133 words · ~15 min
Anahtarlar · TurkishB2 Intermediate · 1,506 words · ~10 min
Những chiếc chìa khóa · VietnameseB2 Intermediate · 2,509 words · ~15 min
钥匙 · ChineseB2 Intermediate

Questions

Which languages can I read The Keys in?

English, German, Greek, Spanish, French, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, 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 English is B2 Intermediate. In translation, German, Greek, Spanish, French, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Turkish, Vietnamese and Chinese are B2 Intermediate. Levels follow the Common European Framework, from Pre-A1 (starter) to C2.

How long is it?

About 2,319 words: around 5–15 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.

The Keys

How it begins

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