DUTCH COURSE · LEARN & PRACTISE
Lesson 56 · A fairy tale
A1 reading
Read, listen and understand
Look at the picture and title, then read the Dutch story. Try to understand the main idea before opening the word help or translation.
Choose the slow recording or the recording at a natural pace. Read along, then try reading aloud yourself.
This fairy tale uses past-tense verbs. Er was eens means “once upon a time”.
A fairy tale
Een sprookje
Er was eens een prinses in Nederland. Ze woonde in een groot kasteel. Op een dag kwam er een draak. De draak wilde het kasteel aanvallen.
De prinses was dapper. Ze ging naar buiten en praatte met de draak. Ze vroeg: “Waarom ben je zo boos?” De draak was eenzaam. Hij had geen vrienden.
De prinses luisterde naar hem. De draak werd rustig. Hij wilde het kasteel niet meer aanvallen. De prinses en de draak werden vrienden. Ze leefden nog lang en gelukkig.
Listen slowly
Listen at a natural pace
Word help
er was eens
once upon a time
het kasteel
the castle
dapper
brave
eenzaam
lonely
aanvallen
to attack
Read the meaning
Once upon a time there was a princess in the Netherlands. She lived in a large castle. One day a dragon arrived. The dragon wanted to attack the castle.
The princess was brave. She went outside and spoke to the dragon. She asked, “Why are you so angry?” The dragon was lonely. He had no friends.
The princess listened to him. The dragon calmed down. He no longer wanted to attack the castle. The princess and the dragon became friends. They lived happily ever after.
Check your understanding
Answer first, then open the answer. Find the part of the text that supports it.
Where did the princess live?
In een groot kasteel.
In a large castle.
What did the dragon want to do at first?
Hij wilde het kasteel aanvallen.
He wanted to attack the castle.
What did the princess do?
Ze ging naar buiten en praatte met de draak.
She went outside and spoke to the dragon.
Why was the dragon lonely?
Hij had geen vrienden.
He had no friends.
How does the story end?
De prinses en de draak worden vrienden.
The princess and the dragon become friends.
Use your own words
Tell the beginning and the ending of this story in your own words.
Read your sentences aloud. Keep a few useful words and reread the text another day.