Oscar Wilde

The Devoted Friend

Der ergebene Freund

A Water-rat tells a Duck and a Linnet how noble and rare true friendship is, and the Linnet offers him a story on the subject. It is about an honest little gardener named Hans and his self-proclaimed best friend, the rich miller Hugh, who talks beautifully about friendship while taking from Hans.

B135 minAudio

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How it begins

EnglishGerman

One morning the old Water-rat put his head out of his hole. He had bright beady eyes and stiff grey whiskers and his tail was like a long bit of black india-rubber.

Eines Morgens steckte die alte Wasserratte ihren Kopf aus ihrem Loch. Sie hatte helle, perlenartige Augen und steife graue Schnurrhaare, und ihr Schwanz glich einem langen Stück schwarzen Kautschuks.

The little ducks were swimming about in the pond, looking just like a lot of yellow canaries, and their mother, who was pure white with real red legs, was trying to teach them how to stand on their heads in the water.

Die kleinen Enten schwammen im Teich umher und sahen aus wie eine Schar gelber Kanarienvögel, und ihre Mutter, die schneeweiß war und echte rote Beine hatte, versuchte ihnen beizubringen, wie man im Wasser auf dem Kopf steht.

“You will never be in the best society unless you can stand on your heads,” she kept saying to them; and every now and then she showed them how it was done. But the little ducks paid no attention to her.

„Ihr werdet es nie in die beste Gesellschaft schaffen, wenn ihr nicht auf dem Kopf stehen könnt“, sagte sie immer wieder zu ihnen; und ab und zu zeigte sie ihnen, wie es gemacht wird. Aber die kleinen Enten schenkten ihr keine Beachtung.

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

Languages

The Devoted Friend · English (original)B1 Intermediate · 4,332 words · ~35 min · Audio
Der ergebene Freund · GermanB1 Intermediate · 4,168 words · ~35 min · Audio
Ο Αφοσιωμένος Φίλος · GreekB1 Intermediate · 4,076 words · ~35 min
El amigo fiel · SpanishB1 Intermediate · 4,023 words · ~35 min · Audio
L’Ami dévoué · FrenchB1 Intermediate · 4,556 words · ~40 min · Audio
सच्चा मित्र · HindiB1 Intermediate · 4,716 words · ~40 min
Sahabat yang Setia · IndonesianB1 Intermediate · 3,770 words · ~30 min
L’amico devoto · ItalianB1 Intermediate · 3,886 words · ~30 min
『献身的な友だち』 · JapaneseB1 Intermediate
헌신적인 친구 · KoreanB1 Intermediate · 2,926 words · ~25 min
De toegewijde vriend · DutchB1 Intermediate · 4,372 words · ~35 min
Oddany przyjaciel · PolishB1 Intermediate · 3,597 words · ~30 min
O Amigo Dedicado · PortugueseB1 Intermediate · 4,167 words · ~35 min
Prietenul devotat · RomanianB1 Intermediate · 4,156 words · ~35 min
Vefakar Dost · TurkishB1 Intermediate · 3,003 words · ~25 min
Người Bạn Tận Tụy · VietnameseB1 Intermediate · 5,403 words · ~45 min
忠实的朋友 · ChineseB1 Intermediate

Questions

Which languages can I read The Devoted Friend 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 4,332 words: around 5–45 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 Devoted Friend

How it begins

Languages

Questions

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