Joseph Jacobs

The Story of the Three Bears

Die Geschichte von den drei Bären

While three bears are out for a walk letting their porridge cool, an old woman lets herself into their house uninvited and starts trying out their belongings one by one. She tastes their porridge, sits in their chairs, and finally lies down in one of their beds to sleep, just as the bears are coming home.

B110 minAudio

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How it begins

EnglishGerman

Once upon a time there were Three Bears who lived together in a house of their own in a wood. One of them was a Little, Small, Wee Bear, one was a Middle-sized Bear, and the other was a Great, Huge Bear.

Es waren einmal drei Bären, die zusammen in einem eigenen Haus im Wald lebten. Einer von ihnen war ein kleiner, winziger Bär, einer war ein mittelgroßer Bär, und der andere war ein großer, riesiger Bär.

They each had a pot for their porridge: a little pot for the Little, Small, Wee Bear, a middle-sized pot for the Middle Bear, and a great pot for the Great, Huge Bear.

Jeder von ihnen hatte einen Topf für seinen Brei: einen kleinen Topf für den kleinen, winzigen Bären, einen mittelgroßen Topf für den mittleren Bären und einen großen Topf für den großen, riesigen Bären.

And they each had a chair to sit in: a little chair for the Little, Small, Wee Bear, a middle-sized chair for the Middle Bear, and a great chair for the Great, Huge Bear.

Und jeder von ihnen hatte einen Stuhl zum Sitzen: einen kleinen Stuhl für den kleinen, winzigen Bären, einen mittelgroßen Stuhl für den mittleren Bären und einen großen Stuhl für den großen, riesigen Bären.

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

Languages

The Story of the Three Bears · English (original)B1 Intermediate · 1,330 words · ~10 min · Audio
Die Geschichte von den drei Bären · GermanB1 Intermediate · 1,216 words · ~10 min · Audio
Η ιστορία των τριών αρκούδων · GreekB1 Intermediate · 1,199 words · ~10 min
La historia de los tres osos · SpanishB1 Intermediate · 1,279 words · ~10 min · Audio
L’Histoire des trois ours · FrenchB1 Intermediate · 1,381 words · ~10 min · Audio
तीन भालुओं की कहानी · HindiB1 Intermediate · 1,354 words · ~10 min
Kisah Tiga Beruang · IndonesianB1 Intermediate · 1,144 words · ~10 min
La storia dei tre orsi · ItalianB1 Intermediate · 1,250 words · ~10 min
『三びきのクマのお話』 · JapaneseB1 Intermediate
곰 세 마리 이야기 · KoreanB1 Intermediate · 851 words · ~5 min
Het verhaal van de drie beren · DutchB1 Intermediate · 1,302 words · ~10 min
Opowieść o trzech niedźwiedziach · PolishB1 Intermediate · 1,022 words · ~10 min
A história dos três ursos · PortugueseB1 Intermediate · 1,285 words · ~10 min
Povestea celor trei urși · RomanianB1 Intermediate · 1,217 words · ~10 min
Üç Ayının Hikâyesi · TurkishB1 Intermediate · 914 words · ~10 min
Chuyện ba chú gấu · VietnameseB1 Intermediate · 1,481 words · ~10 min
三只熊的故事 · ChineseB1 Intermediate

Questions

Which languages can I read The Story of the Three Bears 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 1,330 words: around 5–10 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 Story of the Three Bears

How it begins

Languages

Questions

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