español · English · A1–A2
Easy Spanish short stories with English translation (A1–A2)
Fables, fairy tales and short legends in Spanish, with the English beside every paragraph. Short enough to finish in one sitting, simple enough for your first months of Spanish.
65 free easy stories in Spanish
Each one opens in your browser with no account, the Spanish and the English side by side, paragraph by paragraph, shortest first. Every story is also a free Spanish–English ebook for Kindle, Kobo or any e-reader: downloading needs a free account, no payment (which file to pick).
ES
El granjero y la cigüeña
Aesop
The Farmer and the Stork
A1Aesop · Spanish · 5 min
ES
El perro y su reflejo
Aesop
The Dog and His Reflection
A1Aesop · Spanish · 5 min
ES
La gallina de los huevos de oro
Aesop
The Goose and the Golden Egg
A1Aesop · Spanish · 5 min
ES
El león y el asno
Aesop
The Lion and the Ass
A1Aesop · Spanish · 5 min
ES
La zorra y las uvas
Aesop
The Fox and the Grapes
A1Aesop · Spanish · 5 min
ES
El lobo y la grulla
Aesop
The Wolf and the Crane
A1Aesop · Spanish · 5 min
ES
La liebre y sus orejas
Aesop
The Hare and His Ears
A1Aesop · Spanish · 5 min
ES
El roble y los juncos
Aesop
The Oak and the Reeds
A1Aesop · Spanish · 5 min
ES
El haz de leña
Aesop
The Bundle of Sticks
A1Aesop · Spanish · 5 min
ES
La liebre y la tortuga
Aesop
The Tortoise and the Hare
A1Aesop · Spanish · 5 min
ES
La lechera
Aesop
The Milkmaid and Her Pail
A1Aesop · Spanish · 5 min
ES
El anciano y su nieto
Brothers Grimm
The Old Man and His Grandson
A1Brothers Grimm · Spanish · 5 min
ES
La zorra y la cigüeña
Aesop
The Fox and the Stork
A1Aesop · Spanish · 5 min
ES
La zorra y el cuervo
Aesop
The Fox and the Crow
A1Aesop · Spanish · 5 min
ES
Las ranas pidiendo rey
Aesop
The Frogs Who Wished for a King
A1Aesop · Spanish · 5 min
ES
La pequeñita
Joseph Jacobs
Teeny-Tiny
A1Joseph Jacobs · Spanish · 5 min
ES
Los tres hombres de Gotham
James Baldwin (1841–1925)
Three Men of Gotham
A1James Baldwin (1841–1925) · Spanish · 5 min
ES
Diógenes el sabio
James Baldwin (1841–1925)
Diogenes the Wise Man
A2James Baldwin (1841–1925) · Spanish · 5 min
ES
Bruce y la araña
James Baldwin (1841–1925)
Bruce and the Spider
A2James Baldwin (1841–1925) · Spanish · 5 min
ES
La princesa y el guisante
Hans Christian Andersen
The Princess and the Pea
A2Hans Christian Andersen · Spanish · 5 min
ES
Los trescientos valientes
James Baldwin (1841–1925)
The Brave Three Hundred
A2James Baldwin (1841–1925) · Spanish · 5 min
ES
Alejandro y Bucéfalo
James Baldwin (1841–1925)
Alexander and Bucephalus
A2James Baldwin (1841–1925) · Spanish · 5 min
ES
El rey Canuto a la orilla del mar
James Baldwin (1841–1925)
King Canute on the Seashore
A2James Baldwin (1841–1925) · Spanish · 5 min
ES
Los hombres ciegos y el elefante
James Baldwin (1841–1925)
The Blind Men and the Elephant
A2James Baldwin (1841–1925) · Spanish · 5 min
ES
La historia de Guillermo Tell
James Baldwin (1841–1925)
The Story of William Tell
A2James Baldwin (1841–1925) · Spanish · 5 min
ES
Damon y Pitias
James Baldwin (1841–1925)
Damon and Pythias
A2James Baldwin (1841–1925) · Spanish · 5 min
ES
La espada de Damocles
James Baldwin (1841–1925)
The Sword of Damocles
A2James Baldwin (1841–1925) · Spanish · 5 min
ES
El rey Alfredo y los pasteles
James Baldwin (1841–1925)
King Alfred and the Cakes
A2James Baldwin (1841–1925) · Spanish · 5 min
ES
El cuento sin fin
James Baldwin (1841–1925)
The Endless Tale
A2James Baldwin (1841–1925) · Spanish · 5 min
ES
Henny-Penny
Joseph Jacobs
Henny-Penny
A1Joseph Jacobs · Spanish · 5 min
ES
Androcles y el león
James Baldwin (1841–1925)
Androclus and the Lion
A2James Baldwin (1841–1925) · Spanish · 5 min
ES
La anciana y su cerdito
Joseph Jacobs
The Old Woman and Her Pig
A1Joseph Jacobs · Spanish · 5 min
ES
Jack el Perezoso
Joseph Jacobs
Lazy Jack
A2Joseph Jacobs · Spanish · 5 min
ES
Horacio en el puente
James Baldwin (1841–1925)
Horatius at the Bridge
A2James Baldwin (1841–1925) · Spanish · 5 min
ES
Ratita Titty y Ratita Tatty
Joseph Jacobs
Titty Mouse and Tatty Mouse
A1Joseph Jacobs · Spanish · 5 min
ES
El Barco Blanco
James Baldwin (1841–1925)
The White Ship
A2James Baldwin (1841–1925) · Spanish · 5 min
ES
Johnny-Cake
Joseph Jacobs
Johnny-Cake
A2Joseph Jacobs · Spanish · 5 min
ES
El cuento de los dos ratones malos
Beatrix Potter
The Tale of Two Bad Mice
A2Beatrix Potter · Spanish · 5 min
ES
El cuento de Perico, el conejo travieso
Beatrix Potter
The Tale of Peter Rabbit
A2Beatrix Potter · Spanish · 5 min
ES
Los tres cerditos
Joseph Jacobs
The Story of the Three Little Pigs
A2Joseph Jacobs · Spanish · 5 min
ES
La pequeña cerillera
Hans Christian Andersen
The Little Match Girl
A2Hans Christian Andersen · Spanish · 5 min
ES
El lobo y los siete cabritillos
Brothers Grimm
The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids
A2Brothers Grimm · Spanish · 5 min
ES
La maravillosa tejedora
James Baldwin (1841–1925)
The Wonderful Weaver
A2James Baldwin (1841–1925) · Spanish · 5 min
ES
El cuento de Benjamín Conejo
Beatrix Potter
The Tale of Benjamin Bunny
A2Beatrix Potter · Spanish · 5 min
ES
El Diluvio
James Baldwin (1841–1925)
The Flood
A2James Baldwin (1841–1925) · Spanish · 10 min
ES
El nabo
Brothers Grimm
The Turnip
A2Brothers Grimm · Spanish · 10 min
ES
El rey Juan y el abad
James Baldwin (1841–1925)
King John and the Abbot
A2James Baldwin (1841–1925) · Spanish · 10 min
ES
El cuento de Jemima Pato-Charco
Beatrix Potter
The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck
A2Beatrix Potter · Spanish · 10 min
ES
La Madre Holle
Brothers Grimm
Mother Holle
A2Brothers Grimm · Spanish · 10 min
ES
La campana de Atri
James Baldwin (1841–1925)
The Bell of Atri
A2James Baldwin (1841–1925) · Spanish · 10 min
ES
Los tres tontos
Joseph Jacobs
The Three Sillies
A2Joseph Jacobs · Spanish · 10 min
ES
La historia de los tres osos
Joseph Jacobs
The Story of the Three Bears
A2Joseph Jacobs · Spanish · 10 min
ES
Rapunzel
Brothers Grimm
Rapunzel
A2Brothers Grimm · Spanish · 10 min
ES
La bella durmiente
Brothers Grimm
Briar Rose
A2Brothers Grimm · Spanish · 10 min
ES
Las tres preguntas
Leo Tolstoy
Three Questions
A2Leo Tolstoy · Spanish · 10 min
ES
La oca de oro
Brothers Grimm
The Golden Goose
A2Brothers Grimm · Spanish · 10 min
ES
El traje nuevo del emperador
Hans Christian Andersen
The Emperor’s New Clothes
A2Hans Christian Andersen · Spanish · 10 min
ES
El gigante egoísta
Oscar Wilde
The Selfish Giant
A2Oscar Wilde · Spanish · 10 min
ES
La historia de Ío
James Baldwin (1841–1925)
The Story of Io
A2James Baldwin (1841–1925) · Spanish · 10 min
ES
El artesano maravilloso
James Baldwin (1841–1925)
The Wonderful Artisan
A2James Baldwin (1841–1925) · Spanish · 15 min
ES
Juan con suerte
Brothers Grimm
Hans in Luck
A2Brothers Grimm · Spanish · 15 min
ES
La historia de Prometeo
James Baldwin (1841–1925)
The Story of Prometheus
A2James Baldwin (1841–1925) · Spanish · 15 min
ES
Cadmo y Europa
James Baldwin (1841–1925)
Cadmus and Europa
A2James Baldwin (1841–1925) · Spanish · 20 min
ES
Hansel y Gretel
Brothers Grimm
Hansel and Gretel
A2Brothers Grimm · Spanish · 20 min
ES
El conejo de terciopelo
Margery Williams
The Velveteen Rabbit
A2Margery Williams · Spanish · 25 min
What easy Spanish stories are like
The easiest stories are Aesop’s fables and old nursery tales: a few hundred words each, a handful of characters, and plots you may already know from childhood. Knowing the story frees your attention for the Spanish.
A step up are the Grimm and Andersen fairy tales and short legends from history (William Tell, the Sword of Damocles, King Canute). They repeat the same sentence patterns, which is exactly what a beginner needs to see many times over.
How to read Spanish at A1–A2
Read the English first if you need to
At A1 there is no shame in reading a paragraph in English, then the Spanish. You are matching words to meaning, and the paragraph beside it makes that quick.
Finish, then reread
Read the whole story once, glancing across whenever you are lost. The second time, cover the English and look only when you are stuck. Most readers are surprised how much stayed.
Collect a few words, not every word
Pick three or four words per story that keep coming back and learn those. The rest will return in the next story.
More on the method in how to read a parallel text.