Brothers Grimm

Briar Rose

Dornröschen

After many childless years, a king and queen have a beautiful daughter and hold a great feast. They invite twelve of the kingdom’s thirteen fairies, having only twelve golden dishes. The thirteenth, left out, arrives uninvited and furious, bringing a curse for the princess.

B110 minAudio

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How it begins

EnglishGerman

Once upon a time, a king and queen ruled a country far away, in the days when there were still fairies.

Es war einmal vor langer Zeit, als es noch Feen gab. Da regierten ein König und eine Königin ein weit entferntes Land.

This king and queen had plenty of money, plenty of fine clothes to wear, plenty of good things to eat and drink, and a coach to ride in every day. But although they had been married for many years, they had no children, and this made them very sad.

Dieser König und diese Königin hatten viel Geld, viele schöne Kleider, viele gute Sachen zu essen und zu trinken und eine Kutsche für jeden Tag. Aber obwohl sie schon viele Jahre verheiratet waren, hatten sie keine Kinder. Das machte sie sehr traurig.

One day, as the queen was walking beside the river at the bottom of the garden, she saw a poor little fish that had thrown itself out of the water and lay gasping on the bank, nearly dead.

Eines Tages ging die Königin am Fluss unten im Garten spazieren. Da sah sie einen armen kleinen Fisch. Er hatte sich aus dem Wasser geworfen, lag nach Luft schnappend am Ufer und war fast tot.

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

Languages

Briar Rose · English (original)B1 Intermediate · 1,440 words · ~10 min · Audio
Dornröschen · GermanB1 Intermediate · 1,376 words · ~10 min · Audio
Αγριοτριανταφυλλιά · GreekB1 Intermediate · 1,380 words · ~10 min
Briar Rose · SpanishB1 Intermediate · 1,402 words · ~10 min · Audio
Églantine · FrenchB1 Intermediate · 1,534 words · ~15 min · Audio
ब्रायर रोज़ · HindiB1 Intermediate · 1,543 words · ~15 min
Mawar Berduri · IndonesianB1 Intermediate · 1,263 words · ~10 min
Rosaspina · ItalianB1 Intermediate · 1,446 words · ~10 min
いばら姫 · JapaneseB1 Intermediate
들장미 공주 · KoreanB1 Intermediate · 955 words · ~10 min
Doornroosje · DutchB1 Intermediate · 1,476 words · ~10 min
Śpiąca Królewna · PolishB1 Intermediate · 1,136 words · ~10 min
Briar Rose · PortugueseB1 Intermediate · 1,384 words · ~10 min
Briar Rose · RomanianB1 Intermediate · 1,398 words · ~10 min
Briar Rose · TurkishB1 Intermediate · 1,013 words · ~10 min
Briar Rose · VietnameseB1 Intermediate · 1,692 words · ~15 min
野玫瑰 · ChineseB1 Intermediate

Questions

Which languages can I read Briar Rose 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 B1 Intermediate. In translation, German, Greek, Spanish, French, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Turkish, Vietnamese and Chinese are B1 Intermediate. Levels follow the Common European Framework, from Pre-A1 (starter) to C2.

How long is it?

About 1,440 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.

Briar Rose

How it begins

Languages

Questions

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