The Sky Is Falling · chapter 1 of 3
The Acorn
小红鸡的头
A hen is hit on the head and is sure the sky is falling. She hurries off to warn the king, and a fox happens to know a shortcut.
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Read what you hear
- Narrator 早上，小红鸡在大树下面玩。她心里很高兴。
Zǎoshang, Xiǎohóngjī zài dà shù xiàmiàn wán. Tā xīnli hěn gāoxìng.
In the morning, Little Red Hen was playing under a big tree. She was in a very good mood.
- Little Red Hen 今天天气真好！我想在树下唱歌！
Jīntiān tiānqì zhēn hǎo! Wǒ xiǎng zài shù xià chànggē!
What a lovely day! I want to sing under the tree!
- Little Red Hen 哎呀！什么东西打了我？我的头好疼！
Āiyā! Shénme dōngxi dǎ le wǒ? Wǒ de tóu hǎo téng!
Ouch! What hit me? My head really hurts!
- Little Red Hen 有东西从天上掉下来了！那是什么？
Yǒu dōngxi cóng tiānshàng diào xiàlái le! Nà shì shénme?
Something fell down from the sky! What was that?
- Little Red Hen 是天！天要塌了！大家快来看啊！
Shì tiān! Tiān yào tā le! Dàjiā kuài lái kàn a!
It's the sky! The sky is falling! Everyone, come quick!
- Little Red Hen 我要去告诉国王！他一定会帮我们！
Wǒ yào qù gàosu guówáng! Tā yídìng huì bāng wǒmen!
I must go tell the king! He will surely help us!
- Little Red Hen 国王有很多人。他一定知道怎么办。
Guówáng yǒu hěn duō rén. Tā yídìng zhīdào zěnme bàn.
The king has so many people. He will know what to do.
- Little Red Hen 快，快！我不能在这儿等！
Kuài, kuài! Wǒ bù néng zài zhèr děng!
Quick, quick! I can't wait here!
- Narrator 她跑呀跑，一直跑到了小河边。
Tā pǎo ya pǎo, yìzhí pǎo dào le xiǎo hé biān.
She ran and ran, all the way to a little river.
- Duck 小红鸡，你今天跑得真快！你要去哪儿？
Xiǎohóngjī, nǐ jīntiān pǎo de zhēn kuài! Nǐ yào qù nǎr?
Little Red Hen, you're so fast today! Where are you going?
- Little Red Hen 鸭子！天要塌了！我要去找国王！
Yāzi! Tiān yào tā le! Wǒ yào qù zhǎo guówáng!
Duck! The sky is falling! I'm going to find the king!
- Duck 天要塌了？你是怎么知道的？
Tiān yào tā le? Nǐ shì zěnme zhīdào de?
The sky is falling? How do you know?
- Little Red Hen 有东西打了我的头！它是从天上掉下来的！
Yǒu dōngxi dǎ le wǒ de tóu! Tā shì cóng tiānshàng diào xiàlái de!
Something hit my head! It fell out of the sky!
- Duck 哎呀，太可怕了！我跟你一起去！
Āiyā, tài kěpà le! Wǒ gēn nǐ yìqǐ qù!
Oh no, how awful! I'll go with you!
- Goose 你们好！你们跑得这么快，要去哪儿呀？
Nǐmen hǎo! Nǐmen pǎo de zhème kuài, yào qù nǎr ya?
Hello, you two! You're running so fast. Where are you off to?
- Duck 大鹅！天要塌了！我们要去找国王！
Dà'é! Tiān yào tā le! Wǒmen yào qù zhǎo guówáng!
Goose! The sky is falling! We're going to find the king!
- Goose 天要塌了？那我也跟你们去！
Tiān yào tā le? Nà wǒ yě gēn nǐmen qù!
The sky is falling? Then I'm coming with you!
- Goose 可是国王住在哪儿？你们知道吗？
Kěshì guówáng zhù zài nǎr? Nǐmen zhīdào ma?
But where does the king live? Do you know?
- Little Red Hen 这个……我不知道。你知道吗，鸭子？
Zhège… wǒ bù zhīdào. Nǐ zhīdào ma, yāzi?
Well... I don't know. Do you, Duck?
- Duck 我也不知道。我们都不知道。
Wǒ yě bù zhīdào. Wǒmen dōu bù zhīdào.
I don't know either. None of us knows.
- Goose 那我们问谁呢？这儿没有别人。
Nà wǒmen wèn shéi ne? Zhèr méiyǒu biéren.
Then who do we ask? There's no one else here.
- Fox 我知道。
Wǒ zhīdào.
I know.
- Goose 哎呀！你是谁？你从哪儿来的？
Āiyā! Nǐ shì shéi? Nǐ cóng nǎr lái de?
Oh my! Who are you? Where did you come from?
- Fox 我是狐狸。我住在这儿，住了很久。
Wǒ shì húli. Wǒ zhù zài zhèr, zhù le hěn jiǔ.
I'm a fox. I've lived around here for a long time.
- Little Red Hen 你真的知道国王在哪儿吗？
Nǐ zhēn de zhīdào guówáng zài nǎr ma?
Do you really know where the king is?
- Fox 当然！我有一条近路，很快就到。
Dāngrán! Wǒ yǒu yì tiáo jìn lù, hěn kuài jiù dào.
Of course! I know a shortcut. We'll be there soon.
- Fox 朋友们，跟我来吧。国王在等你们。
Péngyoumen, gēn wǒ lái ba. Guówáng zài děng nǐmen.
Come with me, friends. The king is waiting for you.
What changed in the story?
- Why does Little Red Hen think the sky is falling?
“有东西从天上掉下来了！”
- Where is Little Red Hen going?
“我要去告诉国王！”
- Who is the first friend to join her?
“我跟你一起去！”
- What problem do the friends have?
“国王住在哪儿？”……“我不知道。”
- What does the fox offer them?
“我有一条近路。”