Italian short stories – Learning Italian through English
Aesop’s Fables – Il gufo e la cavalletta
Once upon a time, there was a very old and wise owl. The owl lived in the hollow of an old oak tree. She used to sleep all day and woke up only at sundown. Then she would fly around all night slowly and hunt for bugs and insects when it was very dark. She loved to eat insects and bugs and mice and frogs very much.
TranslateC’era una volta un gufo molto vecchio e saggio. Il gufo viveva nella cavità di una vecchia quercia. Dormiva tutto il giorno e si svegliava solo al tramonto. Poi volava lentamente tutta la notte e andava a caccia di insetti quando era molto buio. Amava molto mangiare insetti, cimici, topi e rane.
And what did the owl sing at night? “Whoooooo Whoooooo Whoooooo” she sang as she flew around in the night. She could not see very well during the day as she was very old.
One summer she was sleeping well in the morning. A grasshopper saw her and wanted to make fun of her. The grasshopper started to chirp very loudly.
TranslateE cosa cantava il gufo di notte? “Whoooooo Whoooooo Whoooooo” cantava mentre volava in giro nella notte. Non riusciva a vedere molto bene durante il giorno perché era molto vecchia.
Un’estate dormiva bene la mattina. Una cavalletta l’ha vista e voleva prenderla in giro. La cavalletta iniziò a cinguettare molto forte.
“Churp Churp Churp Churp. Chirp Chirp Chirp Chirp. Churp Churp Churp Churp. Chirp Chirp Chirp Chirp” he sang in a very loud and irritating way.
The owl woke up because of the sound and popped out its head from the tree.
“Mr Grasshopper. If you don’t mind, can you please sing somewhere else? I am very old and need to sleep.”
Translate“Churp Churp Churp Churp” cantava in modo molto forte e irritante.
Il gufo si svegliò a causa del suono e sporse la testa dall’albero.
“Signora cavalletta, se non ti dispiace, puoi per favore cantare da qualche altra parte? Sono molto vecchio e ho bisogno di dormire”.
The grasshopper was very naughty and replied back in a very rude manner.
“My dear owl. Maybe you should sleep somewhere else. I am free and can sing wherever I want. I am free and can sing however loudly I want.”
TranslateLa cavalletta era molto cattiva e rispose in modo molto scortese.
“Mio caro gufo. Forse dovresti dormire da qualche altra parte. Sono libero e posso cantare dove voglio. Sono libero e posso cantare a volume più alto che voglio”.
Saying so, the grasshopper continued to sing more loudly than before.
The wise owl knew that it would not do her any good by arguing with the brash young grasshopper. She knew that, during the day, she could not catch the grasshopper and punish him.
TranslateCosì dicendo, la cavalletta continuò a cantare più forte di prima.
Il saggio gufo sapeva che non le sarebbe servito a nulla discutere con la giovane e sfacciata cavalletta. Sapeva che, durante il giorno, non poteva catturare la cavalletta e punirla.
So she said to him in the sweetest of tones, “But you have mistaken me. I am unable to sleep because your sound is so melodious. I think that we must drink to your voice. I have a bottle of wonderful wine with me, the best in the world. I had kept it unopened for so long. Now I think is the best time to open it. Come and join me”
TranslateCosì lei gli disse con il tono più dolce: «Ma tu mi hai frainteso. Non riesco a dormire perché il tuo suono è così melodioso. Penso che dobbiamo brindare alla tua voce. Ho con me una bottiglia di vino meraviglioso, il migliore del mondo. L’avevo tenuto chiuso per così tanto tempo. Ora penso che sia il momento migliore per aprirlo. Vieni ed unisciti a me”
The grasshopper was filled with pride and was moved by the flattery of the owl. He flew into the den of the owl. The owl quickly moved towards the grasshopper and ate him.
TranslateLa cavalletta era piena di orgoglio e fu commossa dalle lusinghe del gufo. Volò nella tana del gufo. Il gufo si mosse rapidamente verso la cavalletta e lo mangiò.
Moral: Flattery is not a proof of true admiration. Never let flattery throw you off your guard against an enemy.
TranslateMorale: l’adulazione non è una prova di vera ammirazione. Non lasciare mai che l’adulazione ti faccia perdere la guardia contro un nemico.
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About: Studying through Dual Language immersion is among the best techniques for learning a new language. The objective of this website is to teach yourself how to read and speak Italian confidently using English as a base 🙂 These Italian short stories are super cool to read for beginners and also for entertaining children. Aesop tales are among the best stories that can be studied on a daily basis.
