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TheFableCottage.com presents
Il Gabbiano e la
Balena
THE SEAGULL AND THE WHALE
Note: This story was originally published on our sister website, The Italian Experiment.
Republished here with everyone's permission, because we're all the same person.
C’erano una volta un gabbiano che amava una balena, e una balena che
amava un gabbiano.
Once upon a time there was a seagull who loved a whale, and a whale who loved a
seagull.
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12.08.2021 Il Gabbiano e la Balena (The Seagull and the Whale)
The seagull loved the whale's beautiful smile. He loved the graceful way she swam
through the ocean.
The whale loved the seagull's charming white feathers. She loved to watch him
soar through the sky.
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12.08.2021 Il Gabbiano e la Balena (The Seagull and the Whale)
In summer, the seagull and the whale met in the bay. They talked a lot. They talked
about the moon, and the tides, and the ships on the ocean.
The seagull told jokes and the whale laughed. The whale sang sad songs and the
seagull cried.
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12.08.2021 Il Gabbiano e la Balena (The Seagull and the Whale)
"One day, you can come to meet my family in the ocean," said the whale.
"And you can meet my friends on the land," said the seagull.
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12.08.2021 Il Gabbiano e la Balena (The Seagull and the Whale)
But the world does not stop turning just because a seagull and whale fall in love.
Summer became autumn, and autumn became winter. The ocean became cold,
and all the whales left in search of warmer waters.
“Vieni con me dove ci sono acque più calde”, disse la balena. “È un posto
meraviglioso. Fa sempre caldo, e ci sono tantissimi pesci da mangiare”.
"Come with me to (where there are) warmer waters," said the whale. "It’s a wonderful
place. It's always warm, and there are so many fish to eat."
"I love to eat fish," said the seagull. "And I love you. I will follow you anywhere. But first,
teach me to be a whale."
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12.08.2021 Il Gabbiano e la Balena (The Seagull and the Whale)
"Like this!" said the whale, "follow me!", and she dived deep into the water.
"OK!" said the seagull, and he also dived into the water.
Andò sempre più a fondo. “Sto nuotando!” disse ridendo. “Sono una
balena!”
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12.08.2021 Il Gabbiano e la Balena (The Seagull and the Whale)
But soon he could not breathe. He returned to the surface, gasping. He tried to
swim, again and again, but he ran out of breath every time.
"I don't think a seagull can become a whale," said the seagull. "Come with me instead.
I live up on the cliffs. It is a wonderful place. It's warm and cosy, and every morning you
can watch the sun rise."
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12.08.2021 Il Gabbiano e la Balena (The Seagull and the Whale)
“Amo guardare il sole che sorge”, disse la balena. “E amo te. Ti seguirò
ovunque. Ma prima, insegnami come diventare un gabbiano”.
"I love to watch the sun rise," said the whale. "And I love you. I will follow you
anywhere. But first, teach me to be a seagull."
"Like this!" said the seagull. "Follow me!", and he flapped his wings and soared into
the sky.
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12.08.2021 Il Gabbiano e la Balena (The Seagull and the Whale)
“Ve bene!” disse la balena. Chiuse gli occhi con forza e cominciò a sbattere
le pinne, proprio come faceva il gabbiano. Le sbatteva sempre di più, su e
giù. L’acqua schizzava dappertutto. “Sto volando!” disse sorridendo. “Sono
un gabbiano!”
"OK!" said the whale. She squeezed her eyes shut and flapped her fins, just like the
seagull. She flapped more and more, up and down. Water splashed everywhere.
"I'm flying!" she laughed. "I'm a seagull!"
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12.08.2021 Il Gabbiano e la Balena (The Seagull and the Whale)
Ma quando aprì gli occhi, si accorse che non stava volando. Era ancora
nell’acqua. Provò a volare, ancora e ancora, ma non ci riuscì.
But when she opened her eyes, she was not soaring in the sky. She was still in the
water. She tried to fly, again and again, but she just couldn't.
“Non penso che una balena possa diventare un gabbiano”, disse la balena.
“Tu non sai volare, io non so nuotare. Dove possiamo andare a vivere
insieme?” chiese il gabbiano.
"I don't think a whale can become a seagull," said the whale.
"You can't fly, and I can't swim. So where can we go to live together?" said the seagull.
"You love to swim deep in the ocean," he said. "That is your favourite thing to do. You
will never be happy here."
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12.08.2021 Il Gabbiano e la Balena (The Seagull and the Whale)
"And you love to fly and soar into the sky," said the whale. "That is your favourite thing
to do. You will never be happy here either."
And so, because the seagull and whale loved each other so much, they said
goodbye.
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12.08.2021 Il Gabbiano e la Balena (The Seagull and the Whale)
But they never forgot each other. Every time the whale saw a seagull flying high in
the sky, she thought of her seagull. She hoped he was like that: happy in the sky.
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12.08.2021 Il Gabbiano e la Balena (The Seagull and the Whale)
E ogni volta che il gabbiano vedeva una balena che si tuffava nell’oceano,
ripensava alla sua balena. E sperava che anche lei fosse così: felice
nell’oceano.
And every time the seagull saw a whale diving deep in the ocean, he thought of his
whale. He hoped she was like that: happy in the ocean.
Based on "The Bird and The Whale", by Aletta. Illustrated by Aletta. Translated by Davide.
Voiced by Andrea. Music by Ryan. Also available in English, French, Spanish, German,
and Russian.
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