The Tale of Two Bad Mice — Page 3

English → It Full Text Level 1/10

He put the ham in the middle of the floor, and hit it with the tongs and with the shovel--bang, bang, smash, smash!

Mise il prosciutto nel mezzo del pavimento, e lo colpì con le molle e con la paletta--bang, bang, smash, smash!

The ham flew all into pieces, for underneath the shiny paint it was made of nothing but plaster!

Il prosciutto volò tutto in pezzi, poiché sotto la vernice lucente era fatto di nient'altro che gesso!

THEN there was no end to the rage and disappointment of Tom Thumb and Hunca Munca.

ALLORA non ci fu fine alla rabbia e alla delusione di Tom Thumb e Hunca Munca.

They broke up the pudding, the lobsters, the pears and the oranges.

Fecero a pezzi il budino, le aragoste, le pere e le arance.

As the fish would not come off the plate, they put it into the red-hot crinkly paper fire in the kitchen; but it would not burn either.

Poiché il pesce non voleva staccarsi dal piatto, lo misero nel fuoco di carta arricciata incandescente in cucina; ma non voleva bruciare nemmeno quello.

TOM THUMB went up the kitchen chimney and looked out at the top--there was no soot.

TOM THUMB salì su per il camino della cucina e guardò fuori dalla cima--non c'era fuliggine.

WHILE Tom Thumb was up the chimney, Hunca Munca had another disappointment.

MENTRE Tom Thumb era su per il camino, Hunca Munca ebbe un'altra delusione.

She found some tiny canisters upon the dresser, labelled--Rice--Coffee--Sago--but when she turned them upside down, there was nothing inside except red and blue beads.

Trovò alcune piccole scatole sul buffet, etichettate--Riso--Caffè--Sago--ma quando le capovolse, non c'era nulla dentro tranne perline rosse e blu.

THEN those mice set to work to do all the mischief they could--especially Tom Thumb!

ALLORA quei topi si misero al lavoro per fare tutti i dispetti che potevano--specialmente Tom Thumb!

He took Jane's clothes out of the chest of drawers in her bedroom, and he threw them out of the top floor window.

Prese i vestiti di Jane dal cassettone nella sua camera da letto, e li gettò fuori dalla finestra dell'ultimo piano.

But Hunca Munca had a frugal mind.

Ma Hunca Munca aveva una mente parsimoniosa.

After pulling half the feathers out of Lucinda's bolster, she remembered that she herself was in want of a feather bed.

Dopo aver strappato metà delle piume dal cuscino di Lucinda, si ricordò che lei stessa aveva bisogno di un letto di piume.

WITH Tom Thumb's assistance she carried the bolster downstairs, and across the hearth-rug.

CON l'aiuto di Tom Thumb portò il cuscino al piano di sotto, e attraverso il tappeto del caminetto.

It was difficult to squeeze the bolster into the mouse-hole; but they managed it somehow.

Era difficile far passare il cuscino nel buco del topo; ma in qualche modo ci riuscirono.

Vocabulary

Mise: Past tense of 'mettere'; she/he placed or put
il: Masculine singular definite article meaning 'the'
prosciutto: Italian cured ham, often served thinly sliced
nel: Contraction of 'in il'; meaning 'in the'
mezzo: Middle or half; also means 'middle' of something
del: Contraction of 'di il'; meaning 'of the'
pavimento: The floor of a room or building
e: Conjunction meaning 'and', connecting words or clauses
lo: Masculine singular direct object pronoun meaning 'him/it'
colpì: Past tense of 'colpire'; he/she struck or hit
con: Preposition meaning 'with', indicating accompaniment or means
le: Feminine plural article or indirect object pronoun 'the/her'
molle: Tongs or springs; plural of 'molla' (spring/tongs)
la: Feminine singular definite article or pronoun meaning 'the/her'
paletta: Small shovel or paddle used for various purposes
Il: Masculine singular definite article meaning 'the'
volò: Past tense of 'volare'; it/he/she flew through air
tutto: Meaning 'all' or 'everything', indicating totality
in: Preposition meaning 'in' or 'into', indicating location
pezzi: Plural of 'pezzo'; pieces or fragments of something
poiché: Conjunction meaning 'since' or 'because', giving a reason
sotto: Preposition meaning 'under' or 'beneath' something
vernice: Paint or varnish applied to coat a surface
lucente: Shining or glossy; describing a bright, gleaming surface
era: Past tense of 'essere'; meaning 'was', indicating state
fatto: Past participle of 'fare'; meaning 'made' or 'done'
di: Preposition meaning 'of' or 'from', showing possession
nient'altro: Meaning 'nothing else' or 'nothing other than'
che: Conjunction or pronoun meaning 'that', 'which', or 'who'
gesso: Chalk or plaster; a soft white material for writing
ALLORA: Meaning 'then' or 'so', indicating consequence or time
non: Negation adverb meaning 'not', used to negate verbs
ci: Reflexive or locative pronoun meaning 'us', 'there', 'it'
fu: Past tense of 'essere'; meaning 'was' (remote past)
fine: End or conclusion of something; also means 'fine/thin'
alla: Contraction of 'a la'; meaning 'to the' (feminine)
rabbia: Anger or rage; intense feeling of displeasure
delusione: Disappointment or disillusionment after unmet expectations
Fecero: Past tense plural of 'fare'; they made or did something
a: Preposition meaning 'to', 'at', or 'in' a place
budino: Pudding; a soft sweet dessert dish
aragoste: Plural of 'aragosta'; lobsters, large marine crustaceans
pere: Plural of 'pera'; pears, a sweet fruit
arance: Plural of 'arancia'; oranges, a citrus fruit
Poiché: Conjunction meaning 'since' or 'because', giving a reason
pesce: Fish; an aquatic animal or its meat as food
voleva: Past tense of 'volere'; he/she/it wanted something
staccarsi: To detach or come off from a surface or object
dal: Contraction of 'da il'; meaning 'from the'
piatto: Plate or dish; also an adjective meaning flat
misero: They put or placed; past tense plural of 'mettere'
fuoco: Fire; the combustion producing heat and light
carta: Paper; also can mean card or map
arricciata: Curled or crinkled; describing paper twisted into curls
incandescente: Incandescent or glowing; extremely hot and emitting light
cucina: Kitchen; the room where food is prepared and cooked
ma: Conjunction meaning 'but', introducing a contrast or exception
bruciare: To burn; to be on fire or cause fire
nemmeno: Not even; used to emphasize negation strongly
quello: Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'that one' or 'that thing'
salì: Past tense of 'salire'; he/she climbed or went up
su: Preposition meaning 'up', 'on', or 'upon' something
per: Preposition meaning 'for', 'through', or 'in order to'
camino: Fireplace or chimney; structure for venting smoke upward
della: Contraction of 'di la'; meaning 'of the' (feminine)
guardò: Past tense of 'guardare'; he/she looked or watched something
fuori: Outside or out; indicating position exterior to something
cima: Top or summit; the highest point of something
c'era: Contraction of 'ci era'; meaning 'there was'
fuliggine: Soot; black residue deposited by smoke in chimney
MENTRE: Conjunction meaning 'while' or 'whereas', indicating simultaneity
ebbe: Past tense of 'avere'; he/she had (remote past tense)
un'altra: Feminine form of 'another', referring to another thing
Trovò: Past tense of 'trovare'; he/she found something
alcune: Feminine plural of 'some'; referring to a few things
piccole: Feminine plural of 'piccolo'; meaning small or little things
scatole: Plural of 'scatola'; boxes or containers for storing items
sul: Contraction of 'su il'; meaning 'on the' (masculine)
buffet: Sideboard or buffet table for displaying items or food
etichettate: Labeled; having labels or tags attached to identify contents
Riso: Rice; a common grain used in many Italian dishes
Caffè: Coffee; a popular hot beverage made from roasted beans
quando: Conjunction meaning 'when', introducing a time clause
capovolse: Past tense of 'capovolgere'; he/she turned upside down
nulla: Nothing; indicating absence or lack of anything inside
dentro: Inside or within; indicating interior position of something
tranne: Except or apart from; excluding a particular element
perline: Plural of 'perlina'; small beads used for decoration
rosse: Feminine plural of 'rosso'; meaning red in color
blu: Blue; a color, invariable adjective in Italian
quei: Masculine plural demonstrative meaning 'those' near or far
topi: Plural of 'topo'; mice or rats, small rodents
si: Reflexive pronoun meaning 'themselves', 'oneself', or 'each other'
al: Contraction of 'a il'; meaning 'to the' (masculine)
lavoro: Work or job; activity done to achieve a purpose
fare: Infinitive meaning 'to do' or 'to make' something
tutti: All or everyone; masculine plural form of 'tutto'
i: Masculine plural definite article meaning 'the'
dispetti: Plural of 'dispetto'; pranks, mischief, or spiteful acts
potevano: Past tense plural of 'potere'; they were able to
specialmente: Especially or particularly; used to single out something notable
Prese: Past tense of 'prendere'; he/she took or grabbed something
vestiti: Plural of 'vestito'; clothes or garments worn on body
cassettone: Chest of drawers or dresser for storing clothing
nella: Contraction of 'in la'; meaning 'in the' (feminine)
sua: Feminine possessive adjective meaning 'her', 'his', or 'its'
camera: Room; often used for bedroom ('camera da letto')
da: Preposition meaning 'from', 'by', or 'since'
letto: Bed; furniture used for sleeping; also past participle 'read'
li: Third person plural direct object pronoun meaning 'them'
gettò: Past tense of 'gettare'; he/she threw something away
finestra: Window; an opening in a wall admitting light or air
dell'ultimo: Contraction of 'di il ultimo'; meaning 'of the last'
piano: Floor or story of a building; also means 'slow' or 'flat'
Ma: Conjunction meaning 'but', introducing a contrasting statement
aveva: Past tense of 'avere'; he/she/it had something
una: Feminine singular indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an'
mente: Mind; the faculty of thought, memory, and reasoning
parsimoniosa: Thrifty or frugal; careful and sparing with resources
Dopo: Preposition or conjunction meaning 'after' in time
aver: Short form of 'avere' used in compound infinitives
strappato: Past participle of 'strappare'; torn or ripped apart forcefully
metà: Half; one of two equal parts of a whole
delle: Contraction of 'di le'; meaning 'of the' (feminine plural)
piume: Plural of 'piuma'; feathers or down from birds
cuscino: Pillow or cushion used for comfort or decoration
ricordò: Past tense of 'ricordare'; he/she remembered or recalled something
lei: Third person feminine pronoun meaning 'she' or 'her'
stessa: Feminine form of 'stesso'; meaning 'herself' or 'same'
bisogno: Need or necessity; something required or indispensable
un: Masculine singular indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an'
CON: Preposition meaning 'with', indicating accompaniment or instrument
l'aiuto: Contraction of 'il aiuto'; meaning 'the help' or 'assistance'
portò: Past tense of 'portare'; he/she brought or carried something
attraverso: Preposition meaning 'through' or 'across' a space
tappeto: Carpet or rug; fabric covering placed on the floor
caminetto: Small fireplace or hearth in a room for warmth
Era: Past tense of 'essere'; meaning 'it was', indicating state
difficile: Difficult or hard; not easy to do or understand
far: Shortened form of 'fare'; to make or cause something
passare: To pass or go through; to move from one side
buco: Hole or gap; an opening in a surface or material
topo: Mouse or rat; a small rodent
qualche: Some or any; an indefinite adjective indicating an unspecified amount
modo: Way or manner; a method of doing or achieving something
riuscirono: Past tense plural of 'riuscire'; they managed or succeeded

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