Piccolissima — Page 1
Produced by Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. HTML version by Al Haines.
Producido por Charles Franks y el Equipo de Corrección de Pruebas Distribuido en Línea. Versión HTML por Al Haines.
PICCOLISSIMA
PICCOLISSIMA
BY
POR
MRS. FOLLEN
SRA. FOLLEN
With illustrations by Gammatt Billings and others
Con ilustraciones de Gammatt Billings y otros
PREFACE.
PREFACIO.
This little story I have translated from the French of Mademoiselle Montgolfier.
Este pequeño relato lo he traducido del francés de Mademoiselle Montgolfier.
If children enjoy it as much as I have, and think it as pretty, they will not regret that I have preferred it to any thing I could write for them.
Si los niños lo disfrutan tanto como yo, y lo encuentran tan bonito, no lamentarán que lo haya preferido a cualquier cosa que pudiera escribir para ellos.
Mademoiselle Montgolfier says in her preface to the little book, "Notwithstanding the fanciful character of this story, it is, in fact, simply a little lesson in Natural History," and that "she would engage for the truth of all that Piccolissima relates of the manners and customs of the insects with whom she makes acquaintance."
Mademoiselle Montgolfier dice en su prefacio al pequeño libro: «A pesar del carácter fantástico de esta historia, es, en realidad, simplemente una pequeña lección de Historia Natural», y que «ella respondería por la veracidad de todo lo que Piccolissima relata sobre los hábitos y costumbres de los insectos con quienes traba conocimiento».
It may also interest our young, and, perhaps, our more advanced readers, to know, that Mademoiselle Montgolfier is the daughter of the celebrated Montgolfier who invented balloons, and made the first ascension.
También puede interesar a nuestros jóvenes lectores, y quizás a los más avanzados, saber que Mademoiselle Montgolfier es la hija del célebre Montgolfier que inventó los globos aerostáticos y realizó el primer ascenso.
I had, when in France, the pleasure of seeing this very interesting lady, and know her affection for children; and I am sure that it will please her to know that her tiny naturalist is welcomed by the American children.
Tuve, durante mi estancia en Francia, el placer de conocer a esta muy interesante dama, y conozco su afecto por los niños; y estoy segura de que le complacerá saber que su diminuta naturalista es bien recibida por los niños americanos.
I therefore feel a particular pleasure in introducing the wonderfully small Piccolissima to their acquaintance, and recommending her to their affectionate regard.
Por ello siento un placer especial al presentar a la maravillosamente pequeña Piccolissima a su conocimiento, y al recomendarla a su afectuosa consideración.
E. L. F.
E. L. F.
BROOKLINE, October, 1857.
BROOKLINE, octubre de 1857.
PICCOLISSIMA.
PICCOLISSIMA.
Piccolissima was descended on the father's side from the famous Tom Thumb, so well known to all children.
Piccolissima descendía por línea paterna del famoso Pulgarcito, tan conocido por todos los niños.
Vocabulary
- Producido
- Created or manufactured; past participle of producir
- por
- By, for, or through; common Spanish preposition
- y
- And; basic coordinating conjunction in Spanish
- el
- The; masculine singular definite article in Spanish
- Equipo
- Team or equipment; a group working together
- de
- Of or from; very common Spanish preposition
- Corrección
- Correction or proofreading; fixing errors in text
- Pruebas
- Proofs or tests; evidence or trial versions of text
- Distribuido
- Distributed or spread out; past participle of distribuir
- en
- In, on, or at; fundamental Spanish preposition
- Línea
- Line; also used in phrase 'en línea' meaning online
- Versión
- Version; a particular form or edition of something
- Al
- Contraction of 'a' and 'el'; meaning to the
- POR
- By, for, or through; common Spanish preposition
- SRA
- Abbreviation for señora; title meaning Mrs or Ms
- Con
- With; preposition indicating accompaniment or means
- ilustraciones
- Illustrations; drawings or images in a book
- otros
- Others; referring to additional people or things
- PREFACIO
- Preface; introductory section at the start of a book
- Este
- This; masculine singular demonstrative adjective or pronoun
- pequeño
- Small or little; adjective describing something tiny
- relato
- Story or account; a short narrative or tale
- lo
- It or him; masculine direct object pronoun in Spanish
- he
- I have; first-person singular of haber auxiliary verb
- traducido
- Translated; past participle of traducir, to translate
- del
- Contraction of 'de' and 'el'; meaning of the
- francés
- French; relating to France or its language
- Si
- If; conditional conjunction used in hypothetical clauses
- los
- The; masculine plural definite article in Spanish
- niños
- Children or boys; young people in general
- disfrutan
- They enjoy; third-person plural of disfrutar
- tanto
- So much or as much; indicates degree or quantity
- como
- As, like, or how; used in comparisons and questions
- yo
- I; first-person singular subject pronoun in Spanish
- encuentran
- They find; third-person plural of encontrar
- tan
- So or as; used before adjectives in comparisons
- bonito
- Pretty or nice; adjective describing something attractive
- no
- No or not; basic negation word in Spanish
- lamentarán
- They will regret; future tense of lamentar
- que
- That, which, or who; very common Spanish conjunction
- haya
- Has; present subjunctive of haber auxiliary verb
- preferido
- Preferred; past participle of preferir, to prefer
- a
- To or at; fundamental Spanish preposition
- cualquier
- Any or whatever; indefinite adjective indicating any option
- cosa
- Thing; a general word for any object or matter
- pudiera
- Could or might; past subjunctive of poder
- escribir
- To write; infinitive verb for producing written text
- para
- For or in order to; preposition indicating purpose
- ellos
- They or them; third-person plural masculine pronoun
- dice
- Says or tells; third-person singular of decir
- su
- His, her, its, or their; possessive adjective in Spanish
- prefacio
- Preface; introductory remarks before the main text
- al
- To the; contraction of preposition a and article el
- libro
- Book; a written or printed work bound together
- A
- To or at; fundamental Spanish preposition
- pesar
- Despite; also to weigh; used in phrase a pesar de
- carácter
- Character or nature; the essential quality of something
- fantástico
- Fantastic or imaginary; beyond ordinary reality or belief
- esta
- This; feminine singular demonstrative adjective or pronoun
- historia
- History or story; a narrative or account of events
- es
- Is; third-person singular present tense of ser
- realidad
- Reality; the actual state of things as they exist
- simplemente
- Simply; in a simple or straightforward manner
- una
- A or an; feminine singular indefinite article in Spanish
- pequeña
- Small or little; feminine form of pequeño
- lección
- Lesson; a unit of teaching or something learned
- Historia
- History or story; study of past events and narratives
- Natural
- Natural; relating to nature or the physical world
- ella
- She or her; third-person singular feminine pronoun
- respondería
- She would respond; conditional tense of responder
- la
- The; feminine singular definite article in Spanish
- veracidad
- Truthfulness or accuracy; quality of being truthful
- todo
- All or everything; referring to the entirety of something
- relata
- Relates or recounts; third-person singular of relatar
- sobre
- About or on top of; Spanish preposition with multiple uses
- hábitos
- Habits; regular behaviors or customs of living beings
- costumbres
- Customs or habits; traditional practices of a group
- insectos
- Insects; small six-legged animals like ants or bees
- con
- With; preposition showing accompaniment or instrument
- quienes
- Who or whom; relative pronoun referring to people
- traba
- Strikes up or forms; third-person singular of trabar
- conocimiento
- Knowledge or acquaintance; understanding gained through experience
- También
- Also or too; adverb adding information or agreement
- puede
- Can or may; third-person singular of poder
- interesar
- To interest; to engage someone's curiosity or attention
- nuestros
- Our; first-person plural masculine possessive adjective
- jóvenes
- Young people; adjective or noun meaning youth or young
- lectores
- Readers; people who read books or other texts
- quizás
- Perhaps or maybe; adverb expressing uncertainty or possibility
- más
- More or most; comparative adverb indicating greater degree
- avanzados
- Advanced; at a higher level of knowledge or skill
- saber
- To know; infinitive verb for having knowledge or information
- hija
- Daughter; a female child in relation to her parents
- célebre
- Famous or celebrated; widely known and admired person
- inventó
- Invented; third-person singular preterite of inventar
- globos
- Balloons or globes; round inflated objects or spheres
- aerostáticos
- Aerostatic; relating to hot-air or gas-filled balloons
- realizó
- Carried out or achieved; preterite of realizar
- primer
- First; masculine form of primero before a noun
- ascenso
- Ascent or rise; the act of going upward or being promoted
- Tuve
- I had; first-person singular preterite of tener
- durante
- During; preposition indicating time span of an event
- mi
- My; first-person singular possessive adjective in Spanish
- estancia
- Stay or sojourn; a period of residing somewhere temporarily
- Francia
- France; a country in Western Europe
- placer
- Pleasure; a feeling of enjoyment or satisfaction
- conocer
- To meet or know; to be acquainted with someone
- muy
- Very; adverb intensifying adjectives or other adverbs
- interesante
- Interesting; engaging or holding one's attention and curiosity
- dama
- Lady; a refined or noble woman
- conozco
- I know; first-person singular present of conocer
- afecto
- Affection; a feeling of fondness or warmth toward someone
- estoy
- I am; first-person singular present of estar
- segura
- Sure or safe; feminine adjective meaning certain or secure
- le
- To him, to her, or to you; indirect object pronoun
- complacerá
- Will please; future tense of complacer, to please
- diminuta
- Tiny; very small; feminine adjective for very little
- naturalista
- Naturalist; someone who studies nature and living things
- bien
- Well or good; adverb indicating quality or approval
- recibida
- Received; feminine past participle of recibir
- americanos
- Americans; people from America or the Americas
- Por
- For, by, or through; common Spanish preposition
- ello
- It or that; neuter pronoun referring to a concept
- siento
- I feel; first-person singular present of sentir
- un
- A or an; masculine singular indefinite article in Spanish
- especial
- Special; distinct or exceptional in some notable way
- presentar
- To present or introduce; to show or offer something formally
- maravillosamente
- Marvelously; in a wonderful or extraordinary manner
- recomendarla
- To recommend her or it; infinitive recomendarla with pronoun
- afectuosa
- Affectionate; showing warmth, care, and friendly regard
- consideración
- Consideration; thoughtful regard or respect for others
- E
- And; variant of 'y' used before words starting with i
- octubre
- October; the tenth month of the year
- descendía
- Descended; imperfect tense of descender, to descend
- línea
- Line; a row, lineage, or boundary in various contexts
- paterna
- Paternal; relating to one's father or father's side
- famoso
- Famous; widely known and recognized by many people
- Pulgarcito
- Tom Thumb; a classic fairy-tale character very small
- conocido
- Known; familiar or recognized by people generally
- todos
- Everyone or all; referring to a complete group of people
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