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Klassiker leicht erzählt A2 · Easy Classics A2 · Geschichte 9

Die Liga der Rothaarigen

Arthur Conan Doyle

In each language: The Red-Headed League · Die Liga der Rothaarigen

The famous Sherlock Holmes short story, retold in full in easy English. Mr Jabez Wilson, a pawnbroker with bright red hair, gets a strange job: four pounds a week to copy a big book, only because of the colour of his hair. After eight weeks, a card on the door says the League is closed. Is it only a joke? Holmes and Dr Watson find out, and the answer takes them into a dark cellar under a London bank at night.

In English and German · 3 chapters · about 7,400 words · 1 h 30 min to read.

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How it begins

GermanEnglish

Mr. Jabez Wilson

Mr Jabez Wilson

Mein Name ist Dr. Watson. Ich bin Arzt und ein Freund von Sherlock Holmes. Holmes ist Detektiv in der Baker Street, in London. Die Leute bringen ihm ihre seltsamen Probleme, und ich schreibe oft seine Fälle auf.

My name is Dr Watson. I am a doctor, and a friend of Sherlock Holmes. Holmes is a detective in Baker Street, in London. People bring him their strange problems, and I often write down his cases.

Eines Tages im Herbst vom letzten Jahr habe ich ihn besucht. Er war nicht allein. Er hat mit einem dicken, älteren Herrn mit einem roten Gesicht und hellroten Haaren gesprochen. Ich habe mich entschuldigt und wollte wieder gehen. Aber Holmes hat mich ins Zimmer gezogen und die Tür hinter mir zugemacht.

One day in the autumn of last year, I went to see him. He was not alone. He was talking with a fat, older gentleman with a red face and bright red hair. I said sorry and turned to go. But Holmes pulled me into the room and closed the door behind me.

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

Languages

  • The Red-Headed League · English (original)A2 Easy · 7,419 words · ~1 h 15 min
  • Die Liga der Rothaarigen · GermanA2 Easy · 7,553 words · ~1 h 30 min

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

More stories at this level

Easy stories in German with English beside it (all of them: Easy German stories).

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 Red-Headed League 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 7,419 words in 3 chapters: around 1 h 30 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.