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A wax bird flying in the sunshine.

Bambini di cera Children of wax Les enfants de cire

Written by Southern African Folktale

Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager

Translated by Laura Pighini

Read by Sonia Pighini

Language Italian

Level Level 2

Narrate full story

Reading speed

Autoplay story


A man, a woman and three boys standing.

C’era una volta una famiglia che viveva felice.

Once upon a time, there lived a happy family.

Il était une fois une famille bien heureuse.


Three boys doing chores and working in a field.

Non litigavano mai fra di loro. I bambini aiutavano i loro genitori a casa e nei campi.

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

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


A man standing in front of a campfire holding his hand up and three boys standing next to him.

Ma non erano autorizzati ad avvicinarsi al fuoco.

But they were not allowed to go near a fire.

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


Half a house in daytime with the sun above it and the other half at nighttime with the moon and stars.

Dovevano fare tutti i loro lavori durante la notte. Perché erano fatti di cera!

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

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


A boy thinking about daytime.

Ma uno dei ragazzi sognava di uscire fuori alla luce del sole.

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

Mais un des garçons désirait se promener au soleil.


A boy walking through a bright doorway and two boys covering their eyes.

Un giorno il sogno fu troppo forte. I suoi fratelli cercarono di avvertirlo…

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

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


A boy melting.

Ma era troppo tardi! Si sciolse al caldo sole.

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

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


Two sad-looking boys with their arms around each other.

I bimbi di cera erano troppo tristi di vedere il loro fratello sciogliersi via.

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

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


Two boys shaping a lump of melted wax into a bird.

Perciò fecero un piano. Modellarono la massa di cera sciolta a forma di uccello.

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

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


A wax bird on a high mountain at sunrise.

Portarono il fratello uccello in alto su una montagna.

They took their bird brother up to a high mountain.

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


A wax bird flying in the sunshine.

E quando il sole sorse, questo volò via cantando alla luce del mattino.

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

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


Written by: Southern African Folktale
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Laura Pighini
Read by: Sonia Pighini
Language: Italian
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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