Language through Literature

One sentence of «Le petit Chaperon rouge»


Sentence 20 of 34 · Le petit Chaperon rouge, Charles Perrault, 1697

— Le Loup lui cria en adoucissant un peu sa voix : Tire la chevillette, la bobinette cherra.

The Wolf called out to her, softening his voice a little: “Pull the peg, and the latch will fall.”

Where it stands

The sentences either side of it, each with its own page.

— Qui est là ?

“Who is there?”

— Le petit Chaperon rouge, qui entendit la grosse voix du Loup, eut peur d’abord, mais, croyant que sa mère-grand était enrhumée, répondit : C’est votre fille, le petit Chaperon rouge, qui vous apporte une galette et un petit pot de beurre, que ma mère vous envoie.

Little Red Riding Hood, hearing the Wolf’s gruff voice, was frightened at first, but, thinking that her grandmother had a cold, answered: “It is your granddaughter, Little Red Riding Hood, who is bringing you a cake and a little pot of butter that my mother is sending you.”

— Le petit Chaperon rouge tira la chevillette, et la porte s’ouvrit.

Little Red Riding Hood pulled the peg, and the door opened.

Every word in it

As printedDictionary formMeaning
Le lethe (le, la, l’, les); him, her, it, them — as an object (art./pron.)
Loup loupwolf (n., m.)
lui luihim; to him, to her (pron.)
cria crierto cry out, shout, call (v.); crier au voleur — to cry “stop thief”
en enin, into; while (+ -ing) (prep.); of it, of them, some (pron.); en train de — in the middle of; s’en aller — to go away
adoucissant adoucirto soften, sweeten (v.)
un una, an; one (art./num.); l’un… l’autre — the one… the other; les unes… les autres — some… others
peu peulittle (adv.); un peu — a little; si peu — so little; peu instruit — little schooled
sa sonhis, her, its (det.) — son, sa, ses; also le son, sound: à son de trompe; also bran (n., m.) — du son, rabbit bait
voix voixvoice (n., f.)
Tire tirerto pull, draw (v.)
chevillette chevillettelittle peg, latch-pin (n., f.)
bobinette bobinettelittle bobbin; the wooden latch of a cottage door (n., f.) — Perrault’s word
cherra choirto fall (v., archaic) — cherra, will fall

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Perrault and Daudet, all eight tales · Charles Perrault

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