German · Intermediate
Adapted from The Little Match Girl
On a cold New Year’s Eve, a poor girl lights her matches and sees visions in their flames.
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Scene 1 · Intermediate
Am letzten Abend des alten Jahres war es bitterkalt. Es schneite heftig, und es wurde bereits dunkel. Ein armes kleines Mädchen irrte durch die Straßen. Es trug nichts auf dem Kopf und hatte keine Schuhe an den Füßen.
On the last evening of the old year, it was bitterly cold. It was snowing heavily, and it was already getting dark. A poor little girl wandered through the streets. She had nothing on her head and no shoes on her feet.
Als es von zu Hause losgegangen war, hatte es noch Pantoffeln getragen. Doch die hatten seiner Mutter gehört und waren ihm viel zu groß gewesen. Beim Überqueren der Straße hatte das Mädchen zwei Kutschen ausweichen müssen, die mit hoher Geschwindigkeit vorbeifuhren. Es war losgerannt und hatte dabei beide Pantoffeln verloren.
When she had left home, she had still been wearing slippers. But they had belonged to her mother and were much too big for her. As the girl crossed the street, she had to dodge two carriages speeding past. She ran and lost both slippers.
Den einen hatte es nicht wiederfinden können. Den anderen hatte ein Junge geschnappt und war damit davongelaufen. Er hatte gesagt, der Pantoffel könne ihm später als Wiege dienen, wenn er einmal selbst Kinder hätte.
She hadn't been able to find one of them again. A boy had snatched the other and run off with it. He had said the slipper could serve him as a cradle later, if he ever had children of his own.
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