Which languages can I read The Storyteller 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.

In translation, German, Spanish, French and Italian are B2 Intermediate. Levels follow the Common European Framework, from A1 (beginner) to C2.

About 1,963 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.

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.

Classic

Der Erzähler

Saki

In each language: The Storyteller · Der Erzähler · El cuentacuentos · Le Conteur · Il narratore

On a hot afternoon, a railway carriage holds three restless children, their aunt and a bachelor stranger. When the aunt's dull story about a good little girl falls flat, the bachelor tells one of his own, about Bertha, who is horribly good, and the Prince's park of pigs.

In English, German, Spanish, French and Italian · about 2,000 words · 10–15 min to read.

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How it begins

GermanEnglish

Es war ein heißer Nachmittag, und das Eisenbahnabteil war dementsprechend schwül; der nächste Halt war Templecombe, fast eine Stunde entfernt. Die Insassen des Abteils waren ein kleines Mädchen, ein noch kleineres Mädchen und ein kleiner Junge.

It was a hot afternoon, and the railway carriage was correspondingly sultry, and the next stop was at Templecombe, nearly an hour ahead. The occupants of the carriage were a small girl, and a smaller girl, and a small boy.

Eine Tante der Kinder belegte einen Eckplatz, und der weiter entfernte Eckplatz auf der gegenüberliegenden Seite war von einem Junggesellen besetzt, der ein Fremder für ihre Gruppe war, aber die kleinen Mädchen und der kleine Junge nahmen das Abteil nachdrücklich in Beschlag.

An aunt belonging to the children occupied one corner seat, and the further corner seat on the opposite side was occupied by a bachelor who was a stranger to their party, but the small girls and the small boy emphatically occupied the compartment.

Sowohl die Tante als auch die Kinder unterhielten sich auf eine begrenzte, beharrliche Weise, die einen an die Aufmerksamkeit einer Stubenfliege erinnerte, die sich nicht entmutigen lassen will.

Both the aunt and the children were conversational in a limited, persistent way, reminding one of the attentions of a housefly that refuses to be discouraged.

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

Languages

The Storyteller · English (original)1,963 words · ~10 min
Der Erzähler · GermanB2 Intermediate · 1,884 words · ~15 min
El cuentacuentos · SpanishB2 Intermediate · 1,948 words · ~15 min
Le Conteur · FrenchB2 Intermediate · 2,150 words · ~15 min
Il narratore · ItalianB2 Intermediate · 1,816 words · ~10 min

Open in the reader: German with English · Spanish with English · French with English · Italian with English

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 Storyteller 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 B2 Intermediate. Levels follow the Common European Framework, from A1 (beginner) to C2.
How long is it?: About 1,963 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.