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Les enfants de cire Children of wax

Written by Southern African Folktale

Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager

Translated by Alexandra Danahy

Read by Monique Bournot-Trites

Language French

Level Level 2

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Reading speed

Autoplay story


Il était une fois une famille bien heureuse.

Once upon a time, there lived a happy family.


Ils ne se disputaient jamais. Ils aidaient leurs parents à la maison et dans les champs.

They never fought with each other. They helped their parents at home and in the fields.


Mais ils n’avaient pas le droit de s’approcher d’un feu.

But they were not allowed to go near a fire.


Ils devaient faire tout leur travail pendant la nuit. Puisqu’ils étaient faits de cire !

They had to do all their work during the night. Because they were made of wax!


Mais un des garçons désirait se promener au soleil.

But one of the boys longed to go out in the sunlight.


Un jour son désir était trop puissant. Ses frères l’avertirent…

One day the longing was too strong. His brothers warned him…


Mais c’était trop tard ! Il fondit au soleil brûlant.

But it was too late! He melted in the hot sun.


Les enfants de cire étaient si tristes de voir leur frère fondre.

The wax children were so sad to see their brother melting away.


Mais ils firent un plan. Ils façonnèrent le morceau de cire fondue en oiseau.

But they made a plan. They shaped the lump of melted wax into a bird.


Ils apportèrent leur frère l’oiseau jusqu’au sommet d’une montagne haute.

They took their bird brother up to a high mountain.


Et lorsque le soleil se leva, il s’envola vers la lumière du matin en chantant.

And as the sun rose, he flew away singing into the morning light.


Written by: Southern African Folktale
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Alexandra Danahy
Read by: Monique Bournot-Trites
Language: French
Level: Level 2
Source: Children of wax from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International License.
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