Matthijs 40 Posted May 7, 2003 A thread inspired by the grammar used in some discussions on this forum. English is a hard language for some. The text below is a translation of a well known story. A good laugh for Dutch or Belgian readers, and a nice puzzle for the others. </span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Little Thumbie There was once a poor woodshopper. This woodshopper said one day to his woman: "There sits no dry bread in it. I work myself an accident the whole day, but you and our children have not to eat." "I see the future dark in," his woman agreed. "We must try to fit a sleeve on it," the woodshopper said, "I have a plan: tomorrow we shall go on step with the children and then, in the middle of the wood, we'll leave them to their fate over." His women almost went off her little stick when she heard this. "What is there with you on the hand?" She cried, "Aren't you good sob?" But the woodshopper wasn't brought off his piece by her wailling; he gave no shrink. "It cannot differ to me what you think," he said, "There sits nothing else on, tomorrow we leave them in the wood." Little Thumbie, the youngest son had listened off his parents' conversation. The next morning be fore day and dew he went out and filled his pockets with pebbles. During the walk into the wood he knew unmarked-up to drop them one by one.  Then the parents told the children to sprockle some wood, and shined the plate. When the parents did not come for the day again, the children understood that they had been left in the stitch. Soon waterlanders appear. But Thumbie said: "Don't sit down by your package. I will sorrow for it that we get home wholeskins." Thank she the pebbles, he was able to find his way back. "By God," the parents said as they dayed up, "How have you ragged him that?" "No art on, "said Thumbie and explained what he had done. "If you want to be rid of us, you will have to stand up a bit earlier." That is just what the parents did. This time there came no pebbles on the pass, all Thumbie had was a piece of bread. He decided that his bread there then had to believe to is. He left a trail of breadcrumbs but he did not have it in the holes that they were being made into  soldiers by the birds. His parents departed with the Northern sun, as on the day before, but this time Thumbie soon touched rid of the trail. What now! Good counsel was expensive. The sun was already under, it was raining pipestems and the crying stood them nearer than the laughing. At last he saw a tiny light through the trees; it turned out to be a house. The lady who stood them to word wasa giantess. She gave them what to eat but Little Thumbie recieved the feeling that something was not fluff. He had understood that the giant was a people-eater who would see no bone in devouring them. "If we do not pass up, "he thought, "we shall be the cigar." As soon as they saw their chanche clean they took the legs and smear him. When the giant came home, he sniffed the air and bellowed: "I smell people flesh. Woman, why have let them go there from throught? Bring me my sevan-league boots, I go them behind after. He was about to haul in the children, but wonder above wonder, just then he decided to lie down in order to snap a little owl. When Thumbie and his brothers saw the giant lay pipping they decided to make him his boots off-handy. They squeezed them like an old thief but they knew him to draw his boots out. Then they made that they came away.But before that they saw chanche to roll the giant's pockets and pick in all his gold. At home they told their parents how they had boxed it before each other this time. With ail the gold they had sheep on the dry and they all bought what they will; the father a sled of a car and Thumbie a nailsuit. The mother a feast dress in which she looked a cleanliness. They bought a chest of a house and there lived they long and happily ever after. <span id='postcolor'> Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DarkLight 0 Posted May 7, 2003 Hehehe, great translation Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Epita 0 Posted May 7, 2003 Anyone want to translate that into Japanese or Russian, and then back again? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skul 0 Posted May 8, 2003 LOL! What the heck? I go them behind after? Sled of a car? A nailsuit? lol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cam0flage 0 Posted May 8, 2003 A great story, two thumbs up! greetings, someone who majors in English philology Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Frisbee 0 Posted May 8, 2003 haha,yeah,we have that one somewhere in our workbook for dutch,all those expressions sound hilarious when translated literally Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
