Classic
Das Geschenk der Weisen
O. Henry
In each language: The Gift of the Magi · Das Geschenk der Weisen · El regalo de los Reyes Magos · Le Cadeau des Rois mages · Il dono dei Magi
On the day before Christmas, Della has only one dollar and eighty-seven cents to spend on a present for her husband, Jim, in their shabby furnished flat. She is proud of one thing she owns, and as she looks into the mirror, she suddenly decides what to do.
In English, German, Spanish, French and Italian · about 2,100 words · 10–15 min to read.
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Leggi in tedesco a sinistra. inglese è a destra per aiutarti e, mentre leggi, il pulsante a forma di occhio la sfoca o la nasconde.
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Come comincia
Ein Dollar und siebenundachtzig Cent. Das war alles. Und sechzig Cent davon waren in Pennys.
One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all. And sixty cents of it was in pennies.
Pennys, die einzeln und zu zweit zusammengespart wurden, indem man den Lebensmittelhändler, den Gemüsehändler und den Fleischer so lange bearbeitete, bis die Wangen brannten vor der stillen Unterstellung von Geiz, die ein solches Feilschen implizierte. Dreimal zählte Della es nach.
Pennies saved one and two at a time by bulldozing the grocer and the vegetable man and the butcher until one’s cheeks burned with the silent imputation of parsimony that such close dealing implied. Three times Della counted it.
Ein Dollar und siebenundachtzig Cent. Und am nächsten Tag würde Weihnachten sein.
One dollar and eighty-seven cents. And the next day would be Christmas.
Languages
- The Gift of the Magi · English (original)2,062 words · ~10 min
- Das Geschenk der Weisen · GermanB2 Intermediate · 2,074 words · ~15 min
- El regalo de los Reyes Magos · SpanishB2 Intermediate · 2,098 words · ~15 min
- Le Cadeau des Rois mages · FrenchB2 Intermediate · 2,230 words · ~15 min
- Il dono dei Magi · ItalianB2 Intermediate · 2,027 words · ~15 min
Open in the reader: German with English · English with French · Spanish with English · French with English · Italian 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 The Gift of the Magi 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 2,062 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.