straw
dry stems of grain plants
Russian · солома
Posh (selected voice ID; accent needs listening check)
Everyday / commonThe pig built a house from straw.The Three Little Pigs
The Three Little Pigs
About this text ⓘ
An original A2 retelling inspired by the traditional tale collected by Joseph Jacobs. All three pigs escape alive and the wolf runs away. It changes the historical plot and omits the turnip, apple and fair episodes; it is not a simplified transcription of the original.
Source: Traditional tale, collected by Joseph Jacobs, English Fairy Tales . View the source edition ↗
Levels are reading estimates, not certificates. CEFR is the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
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Words to notice
Study useful words. Save the ones you want to practise. Then select Completed vocab.
stick
a thin piece of wood
Russian · палка
Posh (selected voice ID; accent needs listening check)
Everyday / commonHe picked up a stick.The Three Little Pigs
brick
a hard block used for building walls
Russian · кирпич
Posh (selected voice ID; accent needs listening check)
Everyday / commonThe brick wall was strong.The Three Little Pigs
build
to make something by putting parts together
Russian · строить
Posh (selected voice ID; accent needs listening check)
Everyday / commonThey helped build a house.The Three Little Pigs
knock
to hit a door to ask someone to open it
Russian · стучать в дверь
Posh (selected voice ID; accent needs listening check)
Everyday / commonPlease knock before you come in.The Three Little Pigs
breath
air that you take into or let out of your lungs
Russian · вдох; воздух, который вдыхают или выдыхают
Posh (selected voice ID; accent needs listening check)
Everyday / commonThe wolf took a deep breath.The Three Little Pigs
huff
to breathe out noisily and strongly
Russian · шумно и сильно выдыхать; пыхтеть
Posh (selected voice ID; accent needs listening check)
Everyday / commonTraditional story refrain: huff and puff describe the wolf breathing noisily and blowing hard to knock down the house. The repetition builds rhythm and suspense. In everyday speech the expression can also describe noisy breathing after effort; it does not always mean an angry threat. The original separates the words with “and I’ll” and sometimes reverses their order. Reference: Joseph Jacobs, English Fairy Tales, The Story of the Three Little Pigs (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/7439).
The wolf began to huff.The Three Little Pigs
puff
to blow air out in short, strong breaths
Russian · дуть короткими сильными выдохами
Posh (selected voice ID; accent needs listening check)
Everyday / commonTraditional story refrain: huff and puff describe the wolf breathing noisily and blowing hard to knock down the house. The repetition builds rhythm and suspense. In everyday speech the expression can also describe noisy breathing after effort; it does not always mean an angry threat. The original separates the words with “and I’ll” and sometimes reverses their order. Reference: Joseph Jacobs, English Fairy Tales, The Story of the Three Little Pigs (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/7439).
The wolf began to puff.The Three Little Pigs
shake
to move quickly from side to side
Russian · трястись; быстро двигаться из стороны в сторону
Posh (selected voice ID; accent needs listening check)
Everyday / commonThe wind made the wall shake.The Three Little Pigs
chimney
a passage that carries smoke up and out of a house
Russian · дымоход; дымовая труба
Posh (selected voice ID; accent needs listening check)
Everyday / commonSmoke came out of the chimney.The Three Little Pigs
escape
to get away from danger
Russian · спастись; убежать от опасности
Posh (selected voice ID; accent needs listening check)
Everyday / commonThe pigs needed to escape.The Three Little Pigs
safe
away from danger or harm
Russian · в безопасности
Posh (selected voice ID; accent needs listening check)
Everyday / commonThe pigs were safe inside.The Three Little Pigs
proud
pleased because someone has done something well
Russian · гордиться; быть довольным чьим-то успехом
Posh (selected voice ID; accent needs listening check)
Everyday / commonTheir mother was proud of them.The Three Little Pigs
ouch
a word you say when something hurts
Russian · ой!; возглас от боли
Posh (selected voice ID; accent needs listening check)
Everyday / common“Ouch!” cried the wolf.The Three Little Pigs
supper
a meal eaten in the evening
Russian · ужин
Posh (selected voice ID; accent needs listening check)
Everyday / commonA current word for an evening meal. Some speakers usually say dinner instead.
The pigs ate supper together.The Three Little Pigs
packed
put things into a bag or container to take somewhere
Russian · собрали и уложили вещи или еду в дорогу
Posh (selected voice ID; accent needs listening check)
Everyday / commonPast simple of pack. Here it means preparing food to take on a journey.
The pigs packed some food.The Three Little Pigs
chinny chin chin
a playful rhyming phrase used when the pig firmly refuses to let the wolf in
Russian · игривое присловье про подбородок: в ответе поросёнка означает решительный отказ впустить волка
Posh (selected voice ID; accent needs listening check)
LiteraryTraditional story refrain: the whole reply means “No, I will not let you in!” Chin means the part of the face below the mouth; the repeated sounds add rhythm rather than a separate literal meaning. Jacobs prints chiny; this adaptation uses chinny. This is a storytelling expression, not a normal everyday refusal. Reference: Joseph Jacobs, English Fairy Tales, The Story of the Three Little Pigs (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/7439).
The pig answered with the words “chinny chin chin”.The Three Little Pigs