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Hen and Eagle Hen and Eagle ˈhɛn ˈænd ˈiɡəɫ

Written by Ann Nduku

Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager

Read by Darshan Soni

Language English

Level Level 3

Narrate full story

Autoplay story


Once upon a time, Hen and Eagle were friends. They lived in peace with all the other birds. None of them could fly.

Once upon a time, Hen and Eagle were friends. They lived in peace with all the other birds. None of them could fly.

ˈwəns əˈpɑn ˈeɪ ˈtaɪm ˈhɛn ˈænd ˈiɡəɫ ˈwɝ ˈfɹɛndz ˈðeɪ ˈɫaɪvd ˈɪn ˈpis ˈwɪð ˈɔɫ ˈðə ˈəðɝ ˈbɝdz ˈnən ˈəv ˈðɛm ˈkʊd ˈfɫaɪ


One day, there was famine in the land. Eagle had to walk very far to find food. She came back very tired. “There must be an easier way to travel!” said Eagle.

One day, there was famine in the land. Eagle had to walk very far to find food. She came back very tired. “There must be an easier way to travel!” said Eagle.

ˈwən ˈdeɪ ˈðɛɹ ˈwɑz ˈfæmən ˈɪn ˈðə ˈɫænd ˈiɡəɫ ˈhæd ˈtu ˈwɑk ˈvɛɹi ˈfɑɹ ˈtu ˈfaɪnd ˈfud ˈʃi ˈkeɪm ˈbæk ˈvɛɹi ˈtaɪɝd ˈðɛɹ ˈməst ˈbi ˈæn ˈiziɝ ˈweɪ ˈtu ˈtɹævəɫ ˈsɛd ˈiɡəɫ


After a good night’s sleep, Hen had a brilliant idea. She began collecting the fallen feathers from all their bird friends. “Let’s sew them together on top of our own feathers,” she said. “Perhaps that will make it easier to travel.”

After a good night’s sleep, Hen had a brilliant idea. She began collecting the fallen feathers from all their bird friends. “Let’s sew them together on top of our own feathers,” she said. “Perhaps that will make it easier to travel.”

ˈæftɝ ˈeɪ ˈɡʊd ˈnaɪts ˈsɫip ˈhɛn ˈhæd ˈeɪ ˈbɹɪɫjənt aɪˈdiə ˈʃi biˈɡæn kəˈɫɛktɪŋ ˈðə ˈfɑɫən ˈfɛðɝz ˈfɹəm ˈɔɫ ˈðɛɹ ˈbɝd ˈfɹɛndz ˈɫɛts ˈsoʊ ˈðɛm təˈɡɛðɝ ˈɑn ˈtɑp ˈəv ˈaʊɝ ˈoʊn ˈfɛðɝz ˈʃi ˈsɛd pɝˈhæps ˈðæt ˈwɪɫ ˈmeɪk ˈɪt ˈiziɝ ˈtu ˈtɹævəɫ


Eagle was the only one in the village with a needle, so she started sewing first. She made herself a pair of beautiful wings and flew high above Hen. Hen borrowed the needle but she soon got tired of sewing. She left the needle on the cupboard and went into the kitchen to prepare food for her children.

Eagle was the only one in the village with a needle, so she started sewing first. She made herself a pair of beautiful wings and flew high above Hen. Hen borrowed the needle but she soon got tired of sewing. She left the needle on the cupboard and went into the kitchen to prepare food for her children.

ˈiɡəɫ ˈwɑz ˈðə ˈoʊnɫi ˈwən ˈɪn ˈðə ˈvɪɫədʒ ˈwɪð ˈeɪ ˈnidəɫ ˈsoʊ ˈʃi ˈstɑɹtɪd ˈsoʊɪŋ ˈfɝst ˈʃi ˈmeɪd hɝˈsɛɫf ˈeɪ ˈpɛɹ ˈəv ˈbjutəfəɫ ˈwɪŋz ˈænd ˈfɫu ˈhaɪ əˈbəv ˈhɛn ˈhɛn ˈbɑˌɹoʊd ˈðə ˈnidəɫ ˈbət ˈʃi ˈsun ˈɡɑt ˈtaɪɝd ˈəv ˈsoʊɪŋ ˈʃi ˈɫɛft ˈðə ˈnidəɫ ˈɑn ˈðə ˈkəbɝd ˈænd ˈwɛnt ˈɪntu ˈðə ˈkɪtʃən ˈtu pɹiˈpɛɹ ˈfud ˈfɔɹ ˈhɝ ˈtʃɪɫdɹən


But the other birds had seen Eagle flying away. They asked Hen to lend them the needle to make wings for themselves too. Soon there were birds flying all over the sky.

But the other birds had seen Eagle flying away. They asked Hen to lend them the needle to make wings for themselves too. Soon there were birds flying all over the sky.

ˈbət ˈðə ˈəðɝ ˈbɝdz ˈhæd ˈsin ˈiɡəɫ ˈfɫaɪɪŋ əˈweɪ ˈðeɪ ˈæskt ˈhɛn ˈtu ˈɫɛnd ˈðɛm ˈðə ˈnidəɫ ˈtu ˈmeɪk ˈwɪŋz ˈfɔɹ ðəmˈsɛɫvz ˈtu ˈsun ˈðɛɹ ˈwɝ ˈbɝdz ˈfɫaɪɪŋ ˈɔɫ ˈoʊvɝ ˈðə ˈskaɪ


When the last bird returned the borrowed needle, Hen was not there. So her children took the needle and started playing with it. When they got tired of the game, they left the needle in the sand.

When the last bird returned the borrowed needle, Hen was not there. So her children took the needle and started playing with it. When they got tired of the game, they left the needle in the sand.

ˈhwɛn ˈðə ˈɫæs ˈbɝd ɹiˈtɝnd ˈðə ˈbɑˌɹoʊd ˈnidəɫ ˈhɛn ˈwɑz ˈnɑt ˈðɛɹ ˈsoʊ ˈhɝ ˈtʃɪɫdɹən ˈtʊk ˈðə ˈnidəɫ ˈænd ˈstɑɹtɪd ˈpɫeɪɪŋ ˈwɪð ˈɪt ˈhwɛn ˈðeɪ ˈɡɑt ˈtaɪɝd ˈəv ˈðə ˈɡeɪm ˈðeɪ ˈɫɛft ˈðə ˈnidəɫ ˈɪn ˈðə ˈsænd


Later that afternoon, Eagle returned. She asked for the needle to fix some feathers that had loosened on her journey. Hen looked on the cupboard. She looked in the kitchen. She looked in the yard. But the needle was nowhere to be found.

Later that afternoon, Eagle returned. She asked for the needle to fix some feathers that had loosened on her journey. Hen looked on the cupboard. She looked in the kitchen. She looked in the yard. But the needle was nowhere to be found.

ˈɫeɪtɝ ˈðæt ˌæftɝˈnun ˈiɡəɫ ɹiˈtɝnd ˈʃi ˈæskt ˈfɔɹ ˈðə ˈnidəɫ ˈtu ˈfɪks ˈsəm ˈfɛðɝz ˈðæt ˈhæd ˈɫusənd ˈɑn ˈhɝ ˈdʒɝni ˈhɛn ˈɫʊkt ˈɑn ˈðə ˈkəbɝd ˈʃi ˈɫʊkt ˈɪn ˈðə ˈkɪtʃən ˈʃi ˈɫʊkt ˈɪn ˈðə ˈjɑɹd ˈbət ˈðə ˈnidəɫ ˈwɑz ˈnoʊˌwɛɹ ˈtu ˈbi ˈfaʊnd


“Just give me a day,” Hen begged Eagle. “Then you can fix your wing and fly away to get food again.” “Just one more day,” said Eagle. “If you can’t find the needle, you’ll have to give me one of your chicks as payment.”

“Just give me a day,” Hen begged Eagle. “Then you can fix your wing and fly away to get food again.” “Just one more day,” said Eagle. “If you can’t find the needle, you’ll have to give me one of your chicks as payment.”

ˈdʒəst ˈɡɪv ˈmi ˈeɪ ˈdeɪ ˈhɛn ˈbɛɡd ˈiɡəɫ ˈðɛn ˈju ˈkæn ˈfɪks ˈjɔɹ ˈwɪŋ ˈænd ˈfɫaɪ əˈweɪ ˈtu ˈɡɛt ˈfud əˈɡeɪn ˈdʒəst ˈwən ˈmɔɹ ˈdeɪ ˈsɛd ˈiɡəɫ ˈɪf ˈju ˈkænt ˈfaɪnd ˈðə ˈnidəɫ ˈjuɫ ˈhæv ˈtu ˈɡɪv ˈmi ˈwən ˈəv ˈjɔɹ ˈtʃɪks ˈæz ˈpeɪmənt


When Eagle came the next day, she found Hen scratching in the sand, but no needle. So Eagle flew down very fast and caught one of the chicks. She carried it away. Forever after that, whenever Eagle appears, she finds Hen scratching in the sand for the needle.

When Eagle came the next day, she found Hen scratching in the sand, but no needle. So Eagle flew down very fast and caught one of the chicks. She carried it away. Forever after that, whenever Eagle appears, she finds Hen scratching in the sand for the needle.

ˈhwɛn ˈiɡəɫ ˈkeɪm ˈðə ˈnɛks ˈdeɪ ˈʃi ˈfaʊnd ˈhɛn ˈskɹætʃɪŋ ˈɪn ˈðə ˈsænd ˈbət ˈnoʊ ˈnidəɫ ˈsoʊ ˈiɡəɫ ˈfɫu ˈdaʊn ˈvɛɹi ˈfæst ˈænd ˈkɑt ˈwən ˈəv ˈðə ˈtʃɪks ˈʃi ˈkæɹid ˈɪt əˈweɪ fɝˈɛvɝ ˈæftɝ ˈðæt hwɛˈnɛvɝ ˈiɡəɫ əˈpɪɹz ˈʃi ˈfaɪndz ˈhɛn ˈskɹætʃɪŋ ˈɪn ˈðə ˈsænd ˈfɔɹ ˈðə ˈnidəɫ


As the shadow of Eagle’s wing falls on the ground, Hen warns her chicks. “Get out of the bare and dry land.” And they respond: “We are not fools. We will run.”

As the shadow of Eagle’s wing falls on the ground, Hen warns her chicks. “Get out of the bare and dry land.” And they respond: “We are not fools. We will run.”

ˈæz ˈðə ˈʃæˌdoʊ ˈəv ˈiɡəɫz ˈwɪŋ ˈfɔɫz ˈɑn ˈðə ˈɡɹaʊnd ˈhɛn ˈwɔɹnz ˈhɝ ˈtʃɪks ˈɡɛt ˈaʊt ˈəv ˈðə ˈbɛɹ ˈænd ˈdɹaɪ ˈɫænd ˈænd ˈðeɪ ɹiˈspɑnd ˈwi ˈɑɹ ˈnɑt ˈfuɫz ˈwi ˈwɪɫ ˈɹən


Written by: Ann Nduku
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Read by: Darshan Soni
Language: English
Level 3
Source: Hen and Eagle from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International License.
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