Polish · 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.
Read and listen in Polish, with English alongside.
Sample free · Free account for the full edition
Already have an account? Log in
Try the first scene with audio and English translations. No account needed.
Scene 1 · Intermediate
Był ostatni wieczór starego roku. Zapadał już mrok, śnieg sypał gęsto, a mróz był dotkliwy. Po ulicach błąkała się biedna mała dziewczynka. Nie miała nic na głowie i szła boso.
It was the last evening of the old year. Darkness was already falling, snow was coming down heavily, and the cold was biting. A poor little girl was wandering through the streets. She had no hat on and was barefoot.
Kiedy wychodziła z domu, miała jeszcze pantofle, lecz były na nią o wiele za duże — wcześniej nosiła je jej matka. Dziewczynka zgubiła je, gdy przebiegała przez ulicę, uciekając przed dwoma rozpędzonymi powozami. Jednego pantofla nie udało jej się odnaleźć, drugi zaś porwał jakiś chłopiec. Uciekając z nim, powiedział, że zrobi z niego kołyskę, kiedy sam będzie miał dzieci.
When she left home, she still had her slippers, but they were much too big for her—her mother had worn them before. The girl lost them as she ran across the street, fleeing from two speeding carriages. She never managed to find one slipper, and some boy snatched the other. As he ran off with it, he said he would make it into a cradle when he had children of his own.
Open the reader, then choose a level in Reading options. Find a version you can follow comfortably, and return to the same story at a higher level when you are ready.
Yes. In Reading options, you can show the English translation beside or below the story, or hide it.
Your account saves your reading and audio position. You need to be signed in with a working connection to save your progress.
Yes. Create a free account or log in to read and listen to this story. No payment card is required.