The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse — Page 6

English → It Full Text Level 1/10

Tittlemouse ventured to come out--everybody had gone away.

Tittlemouse si azzardò ad uscire--se n'erano andati tutti.

But the untidiness was something dreadful--"Never did I see such a mess--smears of honey; and moss, and thistledown--and marks of big and little dirty feet--all over my nice clean house!"

Ma il disordine era qualcosa di terribile--"Mai ho visto un tale caos--macchie di miele; e muschio, e lanugine di cardo--e impronte di grandi e piccoli piedi sporchi--dappertutto nella mia bella casa pulita!"

She gathered up the moss and the remains of the beeswax.

Raccolse il muschio e i resti della cera d'api.

Then she went out and fetched some twigs, to partly close up the front door.

Poi uscì e portò alcuni ramoscelli, per chiudere parzialmente la porta d'ingresso.

"I will make it too small for Mr. Jackson!"

"La farò troppo piccola per il Signor Jackson!"

She fetched soft soap, and flannel, and a new scrubbing brush from the storeroom.

Prese del sapone molle, e flanella, e una nuova spazzola per strofinare dalla dispensa.

But she was too tired to do any more.

Ma era troppo stanca per fare altro.

First she fell asleep in her chair, and then she went to bed.

Prima si addormentò sulla sedia, e poi andò a letto.

"Will it ever be tidy again?" said poor Mrs. Tittlemouse.

"Sarà mai di nuovo in ordine?" disse la povera Signora Tittlemouse.

Next morning she got up very early and began a spring cleaning which lasted a fortnight.

La mattina seguente si alzò molto presto e iniziò una pulizia di primavera che durò due settimane.

She swept, and scrubbed, and dusted; and she rubbed up the furniture with beeswax, and polished her little tin spoons.

Spazzò, e strofinò, e spolverò; e lucidò i mobili con la cera d'api, e lustrava i suoi piccoli cucchiaini di stagno.

When it was all beautifully neat and clean, she gave a party to five other little mice, without Mr. Jackson.

Quando era tutto magnificamente ordinato e pulito, diede una festa a cinque altri topolini, senza il Signor Jackson.

He smelt the party and came up the bank, but he could not squeeze in at the door.

Annusò la festa e salì sul terrapieno, ma non riuscì a infilarsi dalla porta.

So they handed him out acorn-cupfuls of honey-dew through the window, and he was not at all offended.

Così gli porsero dalla finestra tazzine di ghianda piene di rugiada di miele, e lui non si offese affatto.

He sat outside in the sun, and said--"Tiddly, widdly, widdly! Your very good health, Mrs. Tittlemouse!"

Sedette fuori al sole, e disse--"Tiddly, widdly, widdly! Alla sua salute, Signora Tittlemouse!"

Vocabulary

si: Reflexive or reciprocal pronoun meaning oneself or each other
azzardò: He/she dared or ventured to do something risky
ad: Preposition meaning to or at, used before vowels
uscire: To go out or exit a place
se: Conjunction meaning if or whether in a sentence
n': Contracted form of ne, meaning of it or some
erano: They were; third-person plural imperfect of essere
andati: Gone; past participle of andare, meaning to go
tutti: All or everyone; referring to an entire group
Ma: Conjunction meaning but, introducing a contrast
il: Definite article the for masculine singular nouns
disordine: Disorder or mess; a state of untidiness
era: Was; third-person singular imperfect of essere
qualcosa: Something; an unspecified thing or matter
di: Preposition meaning of, from, or about
terribile: Terrible or dreadful; extremely bad or shocking
Mai: Never or ever; used in negative or emphatic contexts
ho: I have; first-person singular of avere
visto: Seen; past participle of vedere, to see
un: Indefinite article a or an for masculine nouns
tale: Such or such a; indicating degree or similarity
caos: Chaos; a state of complete disorder and confusion
macchie: Stains or spots; marks left on a surface
miele: Honey; sweet substance produced by bees
e: Conjunction meaning and, linking words or clauses
muschio: Moss; small green plant growing on damp surfaces
lanugine: Fluff or down; soft light fibrous material or fuzz
cardo: Thistle; a prickly wild plant with purple flowers
impronte: Footprints or marks left behind on a surface
grandi: Large or big; adjective describing size or importance
piccoli: Small or little; adjective for small masculine plural nouns
piedi: Feet; the lower extremities used for walking
sporchi: Dirty or filthy; not clean, soiled with dirt
dappertutto: Everywhere; in all places or throughout entirely
nella: In the; contraction of in and the feminine article la
mia: My; feminine singular possessive adjective or pronoun
bella: Beautiful or lovely; feminine adjective describing attractiveness
casa: House or home; a place where one lives
pulita: Clean; feminine adjective meaning tidy and free of dirt
Raccolse: He/she collected or gathered; past tense of raccogliere
i: Definite article the for masculine plural nouns
resti: Remains or remnants; what is left over of something
della: Of the; contraction of di and the feminine article la
cera: Wax; a solid substance used in candles or sealing
d': Contracted form of di meaning of, used before vowels
api: Bees; flying insects that produce honey
Poi: Then or afterwards; indicating the next step or time
uscì: He/she went out; past tense of uscire
portò: He/she brought or carried; past tense of portare
alcuni: Some or a few; masculine plural indefinite adjective
ramoscelli: Small twigs or little branches from a plant or tree
per: Preposition meaning for, in order to, or through
chiudere: To close or shut; to block or seal an opening
parzialmente: Partially or partly; not completely or fully done
la: Definite article the for feminine singular nouns
porta: Door; a movable barrier used to enter or exit
ingresso: Entrance or entryway; the way into a building or room
La: I will make it; also the feminine definite article the
farò: I will make or do; future tense of fare
troppo: Too or too much; exceeding a desired or normal amount
piccola: Small or little; feminine adjective describing small size
Signor: Mister or sir; a title of address for a man
Prese: He/she took or grabbed; past tense of prendere
del: Some of the; contraction of di and the article il
sapone: Soap; a cleaning substance used for washing
molle: Soft or tender; also means wet or damp in context
flanella: Flannel; a soft woven fabric used for cleaning or clothing
una: Indefinite article a or an for feminine singular nouns
nuova: New; feminine adjective meaning recently made or acquired
spazzola: Brush; a tool with bristles used for cleaning or grooming
strofinare: To scrub or rub; to clean by rubbing vigorously
dalla: From the; contraction of da and the feminine article la
dispensa: Pantry or larder; a room or cupboard for storing food
stanca: Tired or weary; feminine adjective describing exhaustion
fare: To do or to make; a very common Italian verb
altro: Other or more; referring to something additional or different
Prima: First or before; indicating precedence in time or order
addormentò: He/she fell asleep; past tense of addormentarsi
sulla: On the; contraction of su and the feminine article la
sedia: Chair; a piece of furniture for sitting
poi: Then or next; indicating subsequent action in a sequence
andò: He/she went; past tense of andare, to go
a: Preposition meaning to or at a place or time
letto: Bed; furniture used for sleeping; also past participle of leggere
Sarà: It will be; future tense of essere, to be
mai: Ever or never; used in questions and negative sentences
nuovo: New; masculine adjective meaning recently made or fresh
in: Preposition meaning in, inside, or into a place
ordine: Order or tidiness; a state of being organized and neat
disse: He/she said; past tense of dire, to say
povera: Poor or unfortunate; feminine adjective expressing sympathy
Signora: Madam or Mrs.; a respectful title for an adult woman
mattina: Morning; the early part of the day
seguente: Following or next; the one that comes after another
alzò: He/she got up or rose; past tense of alzarsi
molto: Very or a lot; an adverb indicating high degree
presto: Early or soon or quickly; indicating speed or early time
iniziò: He/she began or started; past tense of iniziare
pulizia: Cleaning or cleanliness; the act or state of being clean
primavera: Spring; the season between winter and summer
che: That, which, or who; a conjunction or relative pronoun
durò: It lasted; past tense of durare, to last or endure
due: Two; the number 2 in Italian
settimane: Weeks; plural of settimana, a period of seven days
Spazzò: He/she swept; past tense of spazzare, to sweep clean
strofinò: He/she scrubbed or rubbed; past tense of strofinare
spolverò: He/she dusted; past tense of spolverare, to remove dust
lucidò: He/she polished; past tense of lucidare, to make shine
mobili: Furniture; movable objects used to furnish a room
con: Preposition meaning with, indicating accompaniment or instrument
lustrava: He/she was polishing; imperfect tense of lustrare
suoi: His, her, or its; masculine plural possessive adjective
cucchiaini: Teaspoons; small spoons used for stirring or measuring
stagno: Tin or pewter; a metallic material used for utensils
Quando: When; a conjunction introducing a time clause
tutto: Everything or all; referring to the entirety of something
magnificamente: Magnificently or wonderfully; in an impressive and splendid manner
ordinato: Tidy or orderly; well-organized and neatly arranged
pulito: Clean; masculine adjective meaning free from dirt or mess
diede: He/she gave; past tense of dare, to give
festa: Party or celebration; a festive gathering or holiday
cinque: Five; the number 5 in Italian
altri: Other or others; masculine plural referring to additional people
topolini: Little mice; diminutive plural of topo, mouse
senza: Without; preposition indicating absence or lack of something
Annusò: He/she sniffed; past tense of annusare, to smell or sniff
salì: He/she climbed or went up; past tense of salire
sul: On the; contraction of su and masculine article il
terrapieno: Embankment or earthwork; a raised bank of compacted earth
ma: But; conjunction indicating contrast or exception
non: Not; negation adverb used to negate verbs or clauses
riuscì: He/she managed or succeeded; past tense of riuscire
infilarsi: To slip into or squeeze through a tight space
Così: So or thus; indicating manner or consequence
gli: To him; indirect object pronoun for masculine singular
porsero: They handed or offered; past tense of porgere
finestra: Window; an opening in a wall admitting light or air
tazzine: Small cups; diminutive plural of tazza, often espresso cups
ghianda: Acorn; the nut or fruit produced by oak trees
piene: Full; feminine plural adjective meaning completely filled
rugiada: Dew; water droplets that form on surfaces overnight
lui: He or him; third-person masculine singular pronoun
offese: He/she offended; past tense of offendere, to offend
affatto: At all; used in negation meaning not in the least
Sedette: He/she sat; past tense of sedere or sedersi, to sit
fuori: Outside or out; indicating a position exterior to something
al: At the; contraction of a and the masculine article il
sole: Sun; the star at the center of our solar system
Alla: To the; contraction of a and the feminine article la
sua: His, her, or its; feminine singular possessive adjective
salute: Health; also used as a toast meaning cheers or bless you

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