The Little Whale
الْحُوتُ الصَّغِير
A little whale wonders what the world above the water looks like. The octopus is busy, the crab is busy — but the turtle knows. Read it, then colour the whale, octopus and turtle in the Sea Animals coloring book.
Ages 3–6 · 10 scenes · 3 min
⬇ Download the PDF — freeRead-aloud tip: point at every word as you say it — the tashkeel marks show your child exactly which vowel each letter carries.
فِي الْبَحْرِ الْوَاسِعِ حُوتٌ صَغِيرٌ مَعَ أُمِّهِ.
fi-l-baHri-l-waasi'i Huutun Saghiirun ma'a ummih.
In the wide sea there is a little whale with his mother.
قَالَ الْحُوتُ الصَّغِيرُ: أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَرَى مَا فَوْقَ الْمَاءِ!
qaala-l-Huutu-S-Saghiiru: uriidu an araa maa fawqa-l-maa'!
The little whale said: I want to see what is above the water!
سَأَلَ الْأُخْطَبُوطَ: مَاذَا يُوجَدُ فَوْقَ الْمَاءِ؟
sa'ala-l-ukhTubuuTa: maadhaa yujadu fawqa-l-maa'?
He asked the octopus: what is above the water?
قَالَ الْأُخْطَبُوطُ: لَا أَدْرِي، أَنَا أَخْتَبِئُ بَيْنَ الصُّخُورِ.
qaala-l-ukhTubuuTu: laa adrii, anaa akhtabii bayna-S-Sukhuur.
The octopus said: I don't know — I hide between the rocks.
سَأَلَ السَّلْطَعُونَ: مَاذَا يُوجَدُ فَوْقَ الْمَاءِ؟
sa'ala-s-sulT'uuna: maadhaa yujadu fawqa-l-maa'?
He asked the crab: what is above the water?
قَالَ السَّلْطَعُونُ: لَا أَدْرِي، أَنَا أَمْشِي عَلَى الرَّمْلِ.
qaala-s-sulT'uuna: laa adrii, anaa amshii 'ala-r-raml.
The crab said: I don't know — I walk on the sand.
سَأَلَ السَّلْحَفَاةَ، فَقَالَتْ: أَنَا أَعْرِفُ!
sa'ala-s-sulahfaata, fa qaalat: anaa a'rif!
He asked the turtle, and she said: I know!
فَوْقَ الْمَاءِ شَمْسٌ مُشْرِقَةٌ وَسَمَاءٌ زَرْقَاءُ وَطُيُورٌ.
fawqa-l-maa'i shamsun mushriqatun wa samaa'un zarqaa'u wa Tuyuur.
Above the water there is a shining sun, a blue sky and birds.
صَعِدَ الْحُوتُ الصَّغِيرُ فَوْقَ الْمَاءِ، فَرِحَ بِالشَّمْسِ.
sa'ida-l-Huutu-S-Saghiiru fawqa-l-maa'i, faRiHa bi-sh-shams.
The little whale rose above the water and delighted in the sun.
عَادَ إِلَى أُمِّهِ وَقَالَ: الْبَحْرُ جَمِيلٌ، وَفَوْقَهُ أَجْمَلُ!
'aada ila ummihii wa qaala:-l-baHru jamiil, wa fawqahu ajmal!
He returned to his mother and said: the sea is beautiful — and above it is even more beautiful!
The lesson · الْعِبْرَة
Whoever asks questions, arrives. Keep asking — that is how the sea gets bigger.
مَنْ سَأَلَ وَصَلَ — فَوَاصِلِ السُّؤَالَ، هَكَذَا يَتَوَسَّعُ الْبَحْرُ.
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