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The Very Tired Lioness

The lioness is tired. Her sisters and daughters want her to join the hunt. But the sun is calling her.

Suggested age: 7–12岁 · Reading level L3 · 14 illustrated pages

The Very Tired Lioness — original illustrated page 1, English text included

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This book can be read page by page, heard with synthetic Voice 7 narration, downloaded and printed. Enable JavaScript for the interactive reader, or open the story pages below.

The lioness is tired. Her sisters and daughters want her to join the hunt. But the sun is calling her.

Read all 14 story pages
The Very Tired Lioness — original illustrated page 1, English text included
The Very Tired Lioness
The Very Tired Lioness — original illustrated page 2, English text included
There was once a very old and very tired lioness. She was so tired that she slept all day. And all night.
The Very Tired Lioness — original illustrated page 3, English text included
"Come and hunt with us," said her sisters and daughters. But the lioness was too tired.
The Very Tired Lioness — original illustrated page 4, English text included
"What’s wrong with her?" asked the young impalas. "Don’t go too close," warned their mothers. "She might eat you." But the lioness just flicked her ears to chase away the flies.
The Very Tired Lioness — original illustrated page 5, English text included
One day the lioness woke up with a strange feeling that something was watching her. When she looked up she saw a boiling roiling creature in the tree. "Who are you?" asked the lioness.
The Very Tired Lioness — original illustrated page 6, English text included
"I am the sun. I have come to fetch you." "Go away," grumbled the lioness. "I want to sleep."
The Very Tired Lioness — original illustrated page 7, English text included
When the lioness opened her eyes again, the sun was still in the tree. "Can’t you see, you are making us all hot and thirsty?" "It’s getting late," said the sun. "Follow me."
The Very Tired Lioness — original illustrated page 8, English text included
So the lioness slowly got up and followed the sun. "Happy hunting," called her sisters and daughters after her. "See you! See you!" chirped the bird.
The Very Tired Lioness — original illustrated page 9, English text included
But the lioness didn't hear anything. She just climbed higher and higher and higher into the sky.
The Very Tired Lioness — original illustrated page 10, English text included
"Phew, it is far," said the lioness.
The Very Tired Lioness — original illustrated page 11, English text included
"Not too far to go anymore," said the sun. "You can rest when we get there."
The Very Tired Lioness — original illustrated page 12, English text included
And so the lioness came to stay with the sun. All day she lay lazily in its warmth.
The Very Tired Lioness — original illustrated page 13, English text included
But at night, when the sun Was asleep, she looked down at the beautiful world she had left behind.
The Very Tired Lioness — original illustrated page 14, English text included

Creators and open license

Written by
Maren Bodenstein
Illustrated by
Imile Wepener
Created by
Nathan McKay (Designer); Margot Bertelsmann (Editor); Maren Bodenstein (Writer); Imile Wepener (Illustrator)

Source: Book Dash
Original: The Very Tired Lioness from Book Dash
License: CC BY 4.0

Original illustrated spreads and embedded English story text preserved; website layout and printable PDF assembled by Little Leaf. Age, level, theme and recommendation are editorial suggestions. Web and printable layout adapted by Little Leaf. Age and reading-level suggestions are editorial. Original stories and artwork belong to their credited creators. Website narration uses the selected synthetic Voice 7.