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An eagle standing on a rock looking down at a hen.

Hen and Eagle Hen and Eagle Poule et Aigle

Written by Ann Nduku

Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager

Read by Darshan Soni

Language English

Level Level 3

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Reading speed

Autoplay story


A hen and an eagle jumping.

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.

Il était une fois deux amies: Poule et Aigle. Elles habitaient en paix avec tous les autres oiseaux. Pas un seul ne pouvait voler.


A tired-looking eagle sitting next to a bare tree.

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.

Un jour, il y a eu une famine dans le pays. Aigle devait marcher très loin pour trouver de la nourriture. Elle revenait épuisée. « Il doit y avoir une façon plus simple de voyager ! » dit Aigle.


A hen surrounded by a variety of bird feathers.

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.”

Après une bonne nuit de sommeil, Poule eut une idée de génie. Elle commença à recueillir les plumes tombées de tous leurs amis oiseaux. « Cousons-les ensemble par-dessus nos propres plumes, » dit-elle. « Peut-être que cela rendra nos voyages plus faciles. »


An eagle with beautiful wings flying above a hen.

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.

Aigle était la seule dans le village qui avait une aiguille, alors elle commença à coudre la première. Elle se fabriqua une belle paire d’ailes et vola au-dessus de Poule. Poule emprunta l’aiguille, mais elle se fatigua de coudre. Elle laissa l’aiguille sur l’armoire et se rendit dans la cuisine pour préparer de la nourriture pour ses enfants.


Lots of birds with beautiful wings flying.

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.

Mais les autres oiseaux avaient vu Aigle s’envoler. Ils demandèrent à Poule de leur prêter l’aiguille pour qu’ils puissent se faire des ailes aussi. Bientôt il y avait des oiseaux qui volaient partout dans le ciel.


Three birds looking at a needle.

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.

Quand le dernier oiseau retourna l’aiguille empruntée, Poule n’était pas là. Donc, ses enfants prirent l’aiguille et commencèrent à jouer avec elle. Lorsqu’ils se fatiguèrent de ce jeu, ils laissèrent l’aiguille dans le sable.


An eagle sitting on a tree branch and a hen looking for something in her kitchen.

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.

Plus tard cet après-midi-là, Aigle revint. Elle demanda d’avoir l’aiguille pour réparer quelques plumes qui s’étaient desserrées durant son voyage. Poule jeta un coup d’œil sur l’armoire. Elle regarda dans la cuisine. Elle regarda dans la cour. Mais on ne pouvait pas trouver l’aiguille.


An eagle standing on a rock looking down at a hen.

“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.”

« Donne-moi un autre jour, » Poule supplia Aigle. « Ensuite, tu pourras réparer ton aile et t’envoler pour aller chercher de la nourriture encore une fois. » « Seulement un autre jour, » dit Aigle. « Si tu ne peux pas trouver l’aiguille, tu devras me donner un de tes poussins comme paiement. »


A hen scratching in the sand and an eagle flying above.

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.

Quand Aigle arriva le jour suivant, elle trouva Poule en train de gratter dans le sable, mais pas d’aiguille. Alors, Aigle descendit très vite en vol, attrapa un des poussins et l’emporta avec elle. À jamais après cela, chaque fois qu’Aigle apparaît, elle trouve Poule qui gratte dans le sable pour essayer de retrouver l’aiguille.


The shadow of an eagle in the sand and three chicks running.

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.”

Lorsque l’ombre de l’aile d’Aigle tombe par terre, Poule avertit ses poussins. « Tassez-vous du terrain sec et dégagé. » Et ils répondent, « Nous ne sommes pas imbéciles. Nous courrons. »


Written by: Ann Nduku
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Read by: Darshan Soni
Language: English
Level: 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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