Schweizer Abenteuer · Geschichte 10
Das Schweigen der Stiftsbibliothek
DuoText
In each language: Das Schweigen der Stiftsbibliothek · The Silence of the Abbey Library
On a class trip to the Abbey Library of St. Gallen, twelve-year-old class president Malin slips in her oversized felt slippers and tears a century-old replica. One small lie leads to another, and soon quiet Samir is the one under suspicion. But the tear has uncovered a secret hidden for over a hundred years, and only the truth can save it.
In German and English · 11 chapters · about 9,200 words · 1 h to read.
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Comment ça commence
Die Pantoffeln
The Slippers
Wir sind Pantoffeln. Grau, aus dickem Filz, viel zu gross für jeden Fuss, der in uns schlüpft. Seit Jahren stehen wir in Reihen vor der Tür des Barocksaals, und jeden Tag gleiten wir über den alten Holzboden, damit er nicht zerkratzt wird. Wir hören alles, denn wir sind ganz unten. Und wir erinnern uns an jeden Schritt, besonders an die Schritte, die plötzlich stocken.
We are slippers. Grey, made of thick felt, far too big for any foot that slips into us. For years we have stood in rows outside the door of the Baroque Hall, and every day we glide over the old wooden floor so that it does not get scratched. We hear everything, because we are right at the bottom. And we remember every step, especially the steps that suddenly falter.
Kaum hatte Malin Rüesch die schweren Filzpantoffeln über ihre Turnschuhe gezogen, als sie schon wusste, dass dieser Ausflug nicht nach ihrem Geschmack sein würde. Die Pantoffeln waren riesengross und schlurften bei jedem Schritt. Wer darin würdevoll gehen wollte, sah aus wie eine Ente auf Glatteis. Hinter ihr kicherte jemand, und Malin, die Klassenpräsidentin der 6b, drehte sich mit einem Blick unverhohlener Missbilligung um.
No sooner had Malin Rüesch pulled the heavy felt slippers over her trainers than she knew this outing would not be to her taste. The slippers were enormous and shuffled with every step. Anyone who tried to walk in them with dignity looked like a duck on black ice. Someone giggled behind her, and Malin, the class president of 6b, turned round with a look of undisguised disapproval.
Languages
- Das Schweigen der Stiftsbibliothek · German (original)B2 Intermediate · 9,172 words · ~1 h
- The Silence of the Abbey Library · English9,856 words · ~55 min
Open in the reader: German with English
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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 Das Schweigen der Stiftsbibliothek in?
- German and English. 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 B2 Intermediate. Levels follow the Common European Framework, from A1 (beginner) to C2.
- How long is it?
- About 9,172 words in 11 chapters: around 1 h 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.