The Fox and the Cat

One day (Eines Tages) the cat (die Katze) went (ging) into the forest (in den Wald) and met (und traf) Mr. Fox (Herrn Fuchs) there (dort). “He is (Er ist) very well-known (sehr bekannt) and very clever (und sehr klug) as well as (sowie) very experienced (sehr erfahren),” she (sie) thought (dachte) and spoke (und sprach) kindly to the fox (freundlich zum Fuchs):

-“Good day (Guten Tag), Mr. Fox (Herr Fuchs), how are you? (wie geht es Ihnen?) ”

The fox (Der Fuchs) was very arrogant (war sehr hochmütig) and proud of himself (und stolz auf sich).

One day the cat went into the forest and met Mr. Fox there. “He is very well-known and very clever as well as very experienced,” she thought and spoke kindly to the fox: -“Good day, Mr. Fox, how are you?” The fox was very arrogant and proud of himself.

went – ging; to go – gehen

thought – dachte; to think – denken

spoke – sprach; to speak – sprechen

He spoke (Er sprach) arrogantly (herablassend) to the cat (zu der Katze):

-“Oh you miserable (O du armseliger) whisker licker (Bartputzer), you mouse hunter (du Mäusejäger), what have you learned (was hast du gelernt)? How many arts (Wie viele Künste) do you (du) understand (verstehst)?”

-“I only know (Ich verstehe nur) a single one (eine einzige),” answered (antwortete) the cat modestly (die Katze bescheiden).

-“What kind of art (Was für eine Kunst) is that (ist das)?” asked the fox (fragte der Fuchs).

He spoke arrogantly to the cat: -“Oh you miserable whisker licker, you mouse hunter, what have you learned? How many arts do you understand?” -“I only know a single one,” answered the cat modestly. -“What kind of art is that?” asked the fox.

arrogantly - herablassend

have learnt – hast gelernt; to learn – lernen

modestly - bescheiden

-“When the dogs (Wenn die Hunde) are after me (hinter mir her sind), I can (ich kann) jump (springen) up a tree (auf einen Baum) and save (und retten) myself (mich).”

-“Is that all? (Ist das alles?)” said the fox (sagte der Fuchs), “I have mastered (ich beherrsche) a hundred arts (hundert Künste) and, in addition (und zusätzlich), I have (ich habe) a sack full of tricks (einen Sack voller Listen). Come with me (Komm mit mir), I will teach you (ich werde dich lehren) how to escape the dogs (wie man den Hunden entkommt).”

Then (Da) a hunter (ein Jäger) came along (kam daher) with four dogs (mit vier Hunden). The cat (Die Katze) quickly (schnell) jumped up a tree (sprang auf einen Baum) and sat on a branch (und setzte sich auf einen Ast), completely hidden (ganz versteckt) behind the leaves (hinter den Blättern).

-“When the dogs are after me, I can jump up a tree and save myself.” -“Is that all?” said the fox, “I have mastered a hundred arts and, in addition, I have a sack full of tricks. Come with me, I will teach you how to escape the dogs.” Then a hunter came along with four dogs. The cat quickly jumped up a tree and sat on a branch, completely hidden behind the leaves.

to escape – entkommen

sat – setzte sich; to sit – sich setzen

came along – kam daher; to come - kommen

-“Open the sack (Mach den Sack auf), Mr. Fox (Herr Fuchs), open the sack (mach den Sack auf),” the cat called out to him (rief ihm die Katze zu).

But the dogs (Aber die Hunde) had (hatten) already (schon) caught him (ihn gepackt) and were holding him fast (und hielten ihn fest).

-“Hey, Mr. Fox (Hey, Herr Fuchs),” called the cat (rief die Katze), “you are stuck (Ihr bleibt stecken) with your hundred arts (mit Euren hundert Künsten). If you had (Hättet Ihr wie ich) been able (können) to climb up (hinaufklettern) like me (wie ich), you would (wärt Ihr) have remained (geblieben) safe (in Sicherheit).”

-“Open the sack, Mr. Fox, open the sack,” the cat called out to him. But the dogs had already caught him and were holding him fast.

-“Hey, Mr. Fox,” called the cat, “you are stuck with your hundred arts. If you had been able to climb up like me, you would have remained safe.”

called out – rief; to call – rufen

had been able to – hättet können; tob e able – können

have remained – geblieben; to remain - bleiben