Which languages can I read Whittington and His Cat 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 B1 Intermediate. Levels follow the Common European Framework, from A1 (beginner) to C2.

About 3,204 words: around 20–30 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

Whittington und seine Katze

Joseph Jacobs

In each language: Whittington and His Cat · Whittington und seine Katze · Whittington y su gato · Whittington et son chat · Whittington e il suo gatto

Orphan Dick Whittington follows a waggon to London, sure its streets are paved with gold, and finds hunger instead. Taken in by a merchant, he suffers a cruel cook and a rat-filled garret, until a penny buys him a cat. Then the merchant's ship sails, and every servant may send something.

In English, German, Spanish, French and Italian · about 3,200 words · 20–30 min to read.

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How it begins

GermanEnglish

Zur Zeit des berühmten Königs Eduard III. gab es einen kleinen Jungen namens Dick Whittington, dessen Vater und Mutter starben, als er noch sehr jung war.

In the reign of the famous King Edward III. there was a little boy called Dick Whittington, whose father and mother died when he was very young.

Da der arme Dick noch nicht alt genug zum Arbeiten war, ging es ihm sehr schlecht; er bekam nur wenig zu essen und manchmal gar nichts zum Frühstück, denn die Leute, die im Dorf lebten, waren sehr arm und konnten ihm kaum mehr als Kartoffelschalen und ab und zu eine harte Brotkruste abgeben.

As poor Dick was not old enough to work, he was very badly off; he got but little for his dinner, and sometimes nothing at all for his breakfast; for the people who lived in the village were very poor indeed, and could not spare him much more than the parings of potatoes, and now and then a hard crust of bread.

Nun hatte Dick schon sehr viele seltsame Dinge über die große Stadt namens London gehört; denn die Landleute glaubten damals, dass die Menschen in London alle feine Herren und Damen seien, dass es dort den ganzen Tag Gesang und Musik gäbe und dass die Straßen alle mit Gold gepflastert seien.

Now Dick had heard a great many very strange things about the great city called London; for the country people at that time thought that folks in London were all fine gentlemen and ladies; and that there was singing and music there all day long; and that the streets were all paved with gold.

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Languages

Whittington and His Cat · English (original)3,204 words · ~20 min
Whittington und seine Katze · GermanB1 Intermediate · 3,118 words · ~25 min
Whittington y su gato · SpanishB1 Intermediate · 3,116 words · ~25 min
Whittington et son chat · FrenchB1 Intermediate · 3,330 words · ~30 min
Whittington e il suo gatto · ItalianB1 Intermediate · 3,011 words · ~25 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 Whittington and His Cat 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 3,204 words: around 20–30 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?: 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.