Rudyard Kipling

The Cat that Walked by Himself

Die Katze, die für sich allein ging

Long ago, when all the animals are wild, the Dog, the Horse and the Cow each come to the Woman’s cave and are tamed for roast bones and good grass. The Cat will be neither friend nor servant, yet he wants the fire and the milk, and means to keep his freedom.

B135 minAudio

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How it begins

EnglishGerman

Hear and attend and listen; for this befell and behappened and became and was, O my Best Beloved, when the Tame animals were wild.

Hört zu und gebt acht und horcht; denn dies begab sich und geschah und wurde und war, o mein Allerliebstes, als die zahmen Tiere noch wild waren.

The Dog was wild, and the Horse was wild, and the Cow was wild, and the Sheep was wild, and the Pig was wild—as wild as wild could be—and they walked in the Wet Wild Woods by their wild lones. But the wildest of all the wild animals was the Cat.

Der Hund war wild, und das Pferd war wild, und die Kuh war wild, und das Schaf war wild, und das Schwein war wild – so wild, wie man nur wild sein konnte – und sie gingen in den nassen, wilden Wäldern für sich allein. Aber das wildeste aller wilden Tiere war die Katze.

He walked by himself, and all places were alike to him.

Sie ging für sich allein, und alle Orte waren ihr gleich.

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

Languages

The Cat that Walked by Himself · English (original)B1 Intermediate · 4,028 words · ~35 min · Audio
Die Katze, die für sich allein ging · GermanB1 Intermediate · 4,016 words · ~35 min · Audio
Ο Γάτος που Περπατούσε Μόνος του · GreekB1 Intermediate · 3,931 words · ~35 min
El gato que caminaba solo · SpanishB1 Intermediate · 3,838 words · ~30 min · Audio
Le Chat qui s’en va tout seul · FrenchB1 Intermediate · 4,323 words · ~35 min · Audio
बिल्ली जो अकेली चलती थी · HindiB1 Intermediate · 4,203 words · ~35 min
Kucing yang Berjalan Sendiri · IndonesianB1 Intermediate · 3,586 words · ~30 min
Il gatto che se ne andava sempre solo · ItalianB1 Intermediate · 3,854 words · ~30 min
『ひとりで歩いたねこ』 · JapaneseB1 Intermediate
혼자 걷는 고양이 · KoreanB1 Intermediate · 2,551 words · ~20 min
De kat die in zijn eentje liep · DutchB1 Intermediate · 4,171 words · ~35 min
Kot, który chadzał własnymi drogami · PolishB1 Intermediate · 3,343 words · ~30 min
O Gato que Andava Sozinho · PortugueseB1 Intermediate · 3,980 words · ~35 min
Pisica care mergea singură · RomanianB1 Intermediate · 3,946 words · ~35 min
Kendi Başına Yürüyen Kedi · TurkishB1 Intermediate · 2,776 words · ~25 min
Chú mèo tự mình đi dạo · VietnameseB1 Intermediate · 4,808 words · ~40 min
独来独往的猫 · ChineseB1 Intermediate

Questions

Which languages can I read The Cat that Walked by Himself 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 4,028 words: around 5–40 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.

The Cat that Walked by Himself

How it begins

Languages

Questions

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