Back to stories list

A wax bird flying in the sunshine.

蠟做嘅細路仔 Children of wax Les enfants de cire

Written by Southern African Folktale

Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager

Translated by dohliam

Read by Zoe Lam

Language Cantonese

Level Level 2

Narrate full story

Reading speed

Autoplay story


A man, a woman and three boys standing.

好耐好耐之前,有一個好快樂嘅家庭。

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.

班細路仔從來都唔會打交,仲成日喺屋企同埋農田度幫爹哋媽咪做嘢。

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.

但係佢哋唔准靠近火。

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.

佢哋淨係可以喺夜晚黑做嘢。冇計啦,因為佢哋都係用蠟做嘅!

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.

但係其中一個男仔好想出去,感受一下陽光。

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.

有一日,佢終於忍唔住啦。雖然兄弟都警告過佢……

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.

但係已經太遲啦!佢喺炎熱嘅太陽底下融咗。

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.

其他蠟做嘅細路仔見到佢哋嘅兄弟逐漸融化、消失,非常之傷心。

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.

但係佢哋諗出咗一個好辦法:就係將融化咗嗰嚿蠟捻成一隻雀仔。

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.

佢哋將變成雀仔嘅兄弟帶去一座高山上面。

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.

太陽慢慢升起,佢一路迎向晨光唱歌,一路遠走高飛。

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: dohliam
Read by: Zoe Lam
Language: Cantonese
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.
Options
Back to stories list Download PDF