Brothers Grimm

The Turnip

Die Rübe

Two brothers are soldiers; one is rich, the other poor. The poor one takes off his red coat and becomes a gardener. When he grows a turnip so huge that two oxen can hardly pull it and gives it to the king, his rich brother grows envious and sets out to do better.

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How it begins

EnglishGerman

There were two brothers who were both soldiers. One was rich and the other was poor. The poor one decided to try to improve his life, so he took off his red coat and became a gardener. He dug his ground well and sowed turnips.

Es gab zwei Brüder, die beide Soldaten waren. Einer war reich und der andere war arm. Der arme beschloss zu versuchen, sein Leben zu verbessern, also zog er seinen roten Rock aus und wurde Gärtner. Er grub sein Land gut um und säte Rüben.

When the seeds came up, there was one plant bigger than all the rest. It kept getting bigger and bigger and seemed as if it would never stop growing. It could have been called the prince of turnips, because there never was one like it before, and there never will be again.

Als die Samen aufgingen, gab es eine Pflanze, die größer war als alle anderen. Sie wurde immer größer und größer und schien gar nicht mehr aufzuhören zu wachsen. Man hätte sie den Prinzen der Rüben nennen können, denn vorher hatte es noch nie so eine gegeben, und es wird auch nie wieder eine geben.

At last it was so big that it filled a cart, and two oxen could hardly pull it. The gardener didn't know what in the world to do with it, or whether it would be a blessing or a curse to him. One day he said to himself, "What should I do with it?

Schließlich war sie so groß, dass sie einen Wagen füllte, und zwei Ochsen konnten sie kaum ziehen. Der Gärtner wusste überhaupt nicht, was er damit anfangen sollte, oder ob sie ein Segen oder ein Fluch für ihn sein würde. Eines Tages sagte er zu sich selbst: „Was soll ich damit tun?

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

Languages

The Turnip · English (original)B1 Intermediate · 1,131 words · ~10 min · Audio
Die Rübe · GermanB1 Intermediate · 1,122 words · ~10 min · Audio
Το γογγύλι · GreekB1 Intermediate · 1,097 words · ~10 min
El nabo · SpanishB1 Intermediate · 1,070 words · ~10 min · Audio
Le Navet · FrenchB1 Intermediate · 1,239 words · ~10 min · Audio
शलजम · HindiB1 Intermediate · 1,251 words · ~10 min
Lobak · IndonesianB1 Intermediate · 1,011 words · ~10 min
La rapa · ItalianB1 Intermediate · 1,112 words · ~10 min
カブ · JapaneseB1 Intermediate
순무 · KoreanB1 Intermediate · 762 words · ~5 min
De raap · DutchB1 Intermediate · 1,151 words · ~10 min
Rzepa · PolishB1 Intermediate · 889 words · ~5 min
O nabo · PortugueseB1 Intermediate · 1,068 words · ~10 min
Gulia · RomanianB1 Intermediate · 1,127 words · ~10 min
Şalgam · TurkishB1 Intermediate · 804 words · ~5 min
Củ cải trắng · VietnameseB1 Intermediate · 1,406 words · ~10 min
大萝卜 · ChineseB1 Intermediate

Questions

Which languages can I read The Turnip 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 1,131 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 Turnip

How it begins

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Questions

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