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The Waterbug
(adapted for didactic purposes from the original story by Doris Stickney)
[per sapere il significato delle parole evidenziate,
passaci sopra con il mouse senza cliccare]
Down below the surface of a _________ pond, lived a little colony of waterbugs. It was a happy little colony, living _________ away from the sun. Most of the time the waterbugs _________ very busy, scurrying over the soft mud on the bottom of the pond. They did notice, however, that every once in a while one of their companions seemed to _________ interest in just scurrying about. Clinging to the stalk of a lily leaf, it _________ slowly climb upwards and never be seen again.
“Look!” said one of the waterbugs one morning. “Another of _________ companions is climbing up a lily stalk. Where do you think she’s going?”
Up and up went the waterbug, higher and higher, until eventually it disappeared from _________. Its friends waited and waited, but it didn’t return.
“That’s strange!” said one waterbug.
“_________ she happy here?” asked a second.
“Where do you suppose she’s gone?” wondered a third.
No one had an answer. They were greatly puzzled. Finally, one of the waterbugs, a leader in the colony, gathered its companions together.
“I have an idea,” she said. “The next one of _________ who climbs up the lily stalk must promise to come back and tell us where she went and why.”
“We promise,” they all replied solemnly.
One _________ day, not long after, the same waterbug who had suggested the plan, found _________ climbing up the lily stalk. Up and up she climbed until, _________ really understanding what was happening, she had broken _________ the surface of the water and _________ unceremoniously onto the broad, green lily leaf above. Picking herself back up, she looked down in surprise, _________ to believe what she saw.
A complete change _________ come to her old body. It had somehow acquired four glorious silvery wings and a splendid long tail. As the _________ of the sun rapidly dried the moisture from her new body, an irresistible urge to try out her new wings _________ hold of her and, in a flash of silvery light, she found herself soaring up above the pond.
She had turned into a dragonfly!
Swooping and dipping in great curves, she _________ freely through the air, exhilarated _________ the wonderful new sensation, until eventually she came to rest on a large lily leaf. Looking down _________ the surface of the water to the bottom of the pond, she suddenly remembered her old companions, the waterbugs. They were _______ there, scurrying around over the soft mud, just _________ she had done until that day.
On seeing _________ old companions, the dragonfly remembered the promise they had all made and, without thinking, she flew up into the air and _________ to dive into the pond. But, to her great surprise, as she hit the surface of the water, she _________ bounced back up into the air. Now that she was a dragonfly, she _________ no longer go below the water.
“I can’t return to my companions,” she said to herself in dismay. “I’ve tried, but I _________ keep my promise. And _________ if I could go back, none of my old companions _________ recognize me in my new body. I guess I’ll just _________ to wait until they become dragonflies, too. Then they’ll understand what _________ happened to me, and where I went when I left the pond.”
And the dragonfly flew _________ away into its wonderful new world of sun and air.
ATTENZIONE
VERSIONE CORRETTA QUI SOTTO
Down below the surface of a quiet pond, lived a little colony of waterbugs. It was a happy little colony, living far away from the sun. Most of the time the waterbugs were very busy, scurrying over the soft mud on the bottom of the pond. They did notice, however, that every once in a while one of their companions seemed to lose interest in just scurrying about. Clinging to the stalk of a lily leaf, it would slowly climb upwards and never be seen again.
“Look!” said one of the waterbugs one morning. “Another of our companions is climbing up a lily stalk. Where do you think she’s going?”
Up and up went the waterbug, higher and higher, until eventually it disappeared from sight. Its friends waited and waited, but it didn’t return.
“That’s strange!” said one waterbug.
“Wasn’t she happy here?” asked a second.
“Where do you suppose she’s gone?” wondered a third.
No one had an answer. They were greatly puzzled. Finally, one of the waterbugs, a leader in the colony, gathered its companions together.
“I have an idea,” she said. “The next one of us who climbs up the lily stalk must promise to come back and tell us where she went and why.”
“We promise,” they all replied solemnly.
One spring day, not long after, the same waterbug who had suggested the plan, found herself climbing up the lily stalk. Up and up she climbed until, without really understanding what was happening, she had broken through the surface of the water and fallen unceremoniously onto the broad, green lily leaf above. Picking herself back up, she looked down in surprise, unable to believe what she saw.
A complete change had come to her old body. It had somehow acquired four glorious silvery wings and a splendid long tail. As the warmth of the sun rapidly dried the moisture from her new body, an irresistible urge to try out her new wings took hold of her and, in a flash of silvery light, she found herself soaring up above the pond.
She had turned into a dragonfly!
Swooping and dipping in great curves, she flew freely through the air, exhilarated by the wonderful new sensation, until eventually she came to rest on a large lily leaf. Looking down below the surface of the water to the bottom of the pond, she suddenly remembered her old companions, the waterbugs. They were all there, scurrying around over the soft mud, just as she had done until that day.
On seeing her old companions, the dragonfly remembered the promise they had all made and, without thinking, she flew up into the air and turned to dive into the pond. But, to her great surprise, as she hit the surface of the water, she simply bounced back up into the air. Now that she was a dragonfly, she could no longer go below the water.
“I can’t return to my companions,” she said to herself in dismay. “I’ve tried, but I can’t keep my promise. And even if I could go back, none of my old companions would recognize me in my new body. I guess I’ll just have to wait until they become dragonflies, too. Then they’ll understand what has happened to me, and where I went when I left the pond.”
And the dragonfly flew happily away into its wonderful new world of sun and air.
Your comments are always very welcome.
Ingliando 
Very gentle story and I was very curious to know it ended !
Before to listen this story , the dragonfly seems me ugly, Now , she seems me beautiful !! 🙂
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Thanks for your comment. I am going to add a corrected version here so you can see the small mistakes you’ve made.
Very gentle story and I was very curious to know how it ended!
Before listening to this story, the dragonfly seems ugly to me, Now, she seems beautiful!!
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Thanks for your correction !
Night 🙂
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The waterbugs notice that every so often, one of their number decides to walk up the stem of a water lily above the surface of the water, and they never return. They make a group decision that the next one to go up the stem will come back down and tell the others what ‘s above. One day a little waterbug finds himself walking up the stem and when he lies on the lilypod the sun is so warm that he goes into a deep sleep. When he awakes, he has grown wings he has become a dragonfly. He is so excited flying about, and only just remembers his proise to the other waterbugs to tell them what happened . He dives down to the water, but finds he cannot break the surface his wings prevent him from going below. Since he can’t to his friends he realises. They will just have to find out in their own time anout the wanderful world above the water .
What I like this story is the simplicity of the concept, but I didn’ t undestend very well all the words so I had listened more times the text.
The idea is that dragonflies can never return underwater to visit the water bugs, just one who has died cannot return to life, but change her life. That is compatible with Cristianity teories.
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CORRECTED VERSION
The waterbugs notice that every so often, one of their number decides to walk up the stem of a water lily above the surface of the water, and never returns. They make a group decision that the next one to go up the stem will come back down and tell the others what’s above. One day a little waterbug finds himself walking up the stem and when he lies on the lilypod the sun is so warm that he goes into a deep sleep. When he awakes, he has grown wings; he has become a dragonfly. He is so excited flying about, and only just remembers his promise to the other waterbugs to tell them what happened. He dives down to the water, but finds he cannot break the surface; his wings prevent him from going below. He can’t go back to his friends he realises. They will just have to find out in their own time about the wonderful world above the water .
What I like about this story is the simplicity of the concept, but I didn’ t undestand all the words very well so I had to listen to the text several times.
The idea is that dragonflies can never return underwater to visit the waterbugs, just as one who has died cannot return to life, but changes her life. That is compatible with Cristian theories.
Hi Marcella, I’ve done some quick corrections to your summary which is pretty good on the whole. Personally I prefer not to give the story a specific religious interpretation but a more general spiritual one, but that’s a subjective question. Well done.
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CORRECTED VERSION
The waterbugs notice that every so often, one of their number decides to walk up the stem of a water lily above the surface of the water, and never returns. They make a group decision that the next one to go up the stem will come back down and tell the others what’s above. One day a little waterbug finds himself walking up the stem and when he lies on the lilypod the sun is so warm that he goes into a deep sleep. When he awakes, he has grown wings; he has become a dragonfly. He is so excited flying about, and only just remembers his promise to the other waterbugs to tell them what happened. He dives down to the water, but finds he cannot break the surface; his wings prevent him from going below. He can’t go back to his friends he realises. They will just have to find out in their own time about the wonderful world above the water .
What I like about this story is the simplicity of the concept, but I didn’ t undestand all the words very well so I had to listen to the text several times.
The idea is that dragonflies can never return underwater to visit the waterbugs, just as one who has died cannot return to life, but changes her life. That is compatible with Cristian theories.
Hi Marcella, I’ve done some quick corrections to your summary which is pretty good on the whole. Personally I prefer not to give the story a specific religious interpretation but a more general spiritual one, but that’s a subjective question. Well done.
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