Which languages can I read The Blue Carbuncle in?

English and German. 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.

The original English is A2 Easy. In translation, German is A2 Easy. Levels follow the Common European Framework, from A1 (beginner) to C2.

About 7,010 words in 3 chapters: around 1 h 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.

Klassiker leicht erzählt A2 · Easy Classics A2 · Geschichte 10

Der blaue Karfunkel

Arthur Conan Doyle

In each language: The Blue Carbuncle · Der blaue Karfunkel

The famous Sherlock Holmes short story, retold in full in easy English. Two days after Christmas, Holmes studies an old hat that somebody lost in the street. Then the man who found it runs in: inside the Christmas goose, his wife found a beautiful blue stone, the jewel that somebody stole from a rich countess. A poor man is already in prison for the theft. Holmes and Dr Watson follow the goose across cold, dark London to find the real thief.

In English and German · 3 chapters · about 7,000 words · 1 h 15 min to read.

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How it begins

GermanEnglish

Der Hut und die Gans

The Hat and the Goose

Es war der zweite Morgen nach Weihnachten. Ich habe meinen Freund Sherlock Holmes in seiner Wohnung in der Baker Street 221B besucht. Ich wollte ihm frohe Weihnachten wünschen. Holmes war Detektiv, und Leute aus ganz London sind mit seltsamen Problemen zu ihm gekommen. Ich bin Arzt, und mein Name ist Watson.

It was the second morning after Christmas. I went to see my friend Sherlock Holmes at his rooms in 221B Baker Street. I wanted to wish him a happy Christmas. Holmes was a detective, and people came to him with strange problems from all over London. I am a doctor, and my name is Watson.

Holmes hat in einem lila Morgenmantel auf dem Sofa gelegen. Neben ihm war ein Stapel Morgenzeitungen. Neben dem Sofa hat ein Holzstuhl gestanden. An der Lehne von dem Stuhl hat ein sehr alter schwarzer Hut gehangen, und auf dem Sitz hat eine Lupe gelegen. Eine Lupe ist ein rundes Glas, durch das kleine Dinge groß aussehen.

Holmes was lying on the sofa in a purple dressing gown. There was a pile of morning newspapers next to him. There was a wooden chair beside the sofa. A very old black hat hung on the back of the chair, and a lens lay on the seat. A lens is a round glass that makes small things look big.

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

Languages

The Blue Carbuncle · English (original)A2 Easy · 7,010 words · ~1 h 15 min
Der blaue Karfunkel · GermanA2 Easy · 7,165 words · ~1 h 15 min

Open in the reader: German with English · English with German

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 Blue Carbuncle in?: English and German. 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 A2 Easy. In translation, German is A2 Easy. Levels follow the Common European Framework, from A1 (beginner) to C2.
How long is it?: About 7,010 words in 3 chapters: around 1 h 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.