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Italian Reading Practice: The Stork Princess

Read The Stork Princess in easy Italian. You already know the story, so you can follow along even when you meet new words. The English translation is under every line: tap any word to translate it, or press play to hear a native speaker read it to you.

The Stork Princess

A2Folklore · 160 words · 1 min audio

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Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess named Sofia.

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She was eighteen years old and lived in a castle with her father, the king.

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One day, an evil witch arrived at the castle.

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She was very angry because the king hadn't invited her to the party.

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Princess Sofia!

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You will become a stork until someone truly loves you!

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Sofia immediately turned into a large white stork.

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She flew away from the castle, very sad.

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Prince Marco searched for Sofia for many months.

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One day, he saw a stork near the lake.

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That stork has Sofia's eyes!

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I love you, my dear princess!

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When Marco said these words, the stork became Sofia again.

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Marco!

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Your faithful love has broken the spell!

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Thank you!

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The two young people returned to the castle.

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They got married and lived happily ever after.

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How to Practice Reading with This Story

  • Read for the gist first. Go through the whole text once without tapping anything. Then read it again and tap only the words that stop you.
  • Try each line before its translation. Read the line, guess what it means, then check the English underneath. Guessing from context is the skill that makes you fluent.
  • Listen, then read again. Press play and follow the highlighted words. Hearing the text links spelling to sound, so the next read is faster.
  • Come back tomorrow. The second and third read are where new words stick. You will notice how much more you understand.