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If you are looking for a beautiful story in English, this classic story Love by Guy de Maupassant is a perfect choice for you. It is a powerful and emotional story that shows the true meaning of love, loyalty, and loss through a simple but unforgettable event.
The story begins with a hunting trip on a cold morning in a quiet marsh. Two men go out to hunt birds, enjoying nature and the silence around them. Everything seems normal at first. However, the situation changes when one of the birds is shot. What happens next is deeply moving — the other bird refuses to leave its partner and continues to cry and circle in the sky. This moment reveals a touching example of true love and devotion in nature.
This version of the story has been carefully rewritten for Level 3 (B1) English learners. The language is clear, natural, and easy to understand, while still keeping the emotional depth and artistic beauty of the original story. It uses simple grammar structures such as Past Simple and Past Continuous, along with useful vocabulary for everyday English.
In addition, this learning version includes helpful sections like vocabulary lists, comprehension questions, and grammar exercises. These features will help you improve your reading skills, understand new words, and practice English in a meaningful context.
If you want to enjoy a beautiful story in English while improving your language skills, this story is an excellent place to start.
This story was rewritten by LearnEnglish-new.com for English learners. The story is in the public domain, so it is free from copyright. Enjoy reading and improve your English skills!
Love
Guy de Maupassant
Contents
Chapter One: A Strange Memory of Love
Chapter Three: The Cry in the Sky
Chapter One
A Strange Memory of Love
One day, I read a short news story. A man killed a woman, and then he killed himself. People said, “He did it because of love.”
I was not surprised. But this story brought back a deep memory from my youth — a memory that I have never forgotten.
At that time, I loved hunting more than anything. I loved nature, especially wild and quiet places. Marshes were my favorite. They were full of mystery. The air felt alive, and every small sound seemed important.
One autumn evening, my cousin Karl invited me to his home in the countryside. He wanted to go duck hunting with me.
Karl was a strong and cheerful man. His face was always red from the cold air, and he laughed loudly. He loved hunting, just like me.
His house stood in a wide valley. Around it, there were forests and green fields. A river flowed quietly through the land and opened into a large marsh.
That marsh was his pride.
During dinner, Karl spoke excitedly.
“We leave at three in the morning,” he said. “The birds will be there at sunrise.”
I went to bed early, but I could not sleep easily. I was thinking about the cold air, the silent marsh… and the hunt.
Chapter 1 – Vocabulary
Memory — something you remember.
I have a strong memory of that day.
Mystery — something strange or unknown.
The place was full of mystery.
Flow — to move like water.
The river flows slowly.
Excitedly — with strong feeling of joy.
She spoke excitedly about her trip.
Marsh — wet land with water and plants.
Birds live in the marsh.
Valley — land between hills.
The house was in a valley.
Pride — something you are happy about.
The garden is his pride.
Questions
1. What news story did the narrator read?
3. What did he love doing in his youth?
5. Who was Karl?
2. How did it make him feel?
4. Why did he like marshes?
6. Where did Karl live?
7. What was their plan?
Chapter 1 – Grammar Exercises
Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C):
1. He ___ a news story.
A) read
B) reads
C) reading
3. The narrator ___ hunting.
A) love
B) loved
C) loves
5. The river ___ through the valley.
A) flow
B) flows
C) flowed
2. Karl ___ him to the countryside.
A) invite
B) invited
C) inviting
4. He could not sleep ___ he was excited.
A) although
B) because
C) but
6. Karl ___ speaking about the plan.
A) is
B) was
C) were
7. He went to bed ___ he was tired.
A) because
B) although
C) but
Please write your answers in the comments. The correct answers will be posted later.
Chapter Two
The Frozen World
At three in the morning, someone woke me.
The cold hit me immediately. It felt like the whole world was dead and frozen.
Karl and I dressed quickly. We drank hot coffee, and the warmth spread through our bodies. Then we stepped outside.
The air was sharp and painful. It cut into our faces like a knife.
The sky was dark, and the moon hung low and weak. Everything was silent. No wind, no sound — only our breath, which looked like white smoke in the air.
We walked slowly toward the marsh with our dogs. The ground was hard under our feet. The plants were frozen, and the water did not move.
It felt like we were walking through a dream… or a dead world.
At last, we reached a small glass hut. We went inside and waited.
The cold was still strong, so we made a fire. Slowly, the light filled the hut. It shone like a bright jewel in the darkness.
Then suddenly — a cry.
A long, wild cry came from the sky.
A bird.
Life was waking up.
Karl quickly said, “Put out the fire. It is time.”
Chapter 2 – Vocabulary
Frozen — very cold, turned into ice
The lake is frozen in winter.
Hang — to stay in the air without moving.
The moon hung low in the sky.
Breath — the air that comes from your mouth.
His breath looked white in the cold air.
Sharp — very strong and painful (for cold or wind)
The sharp wind hurt my face.
Silent — without any sound
The night was completely silent.
Hut — a small simple house
They waited in a small hut.
Cry — a loud sound made by a person or animal.
The bird gave a sad cry.
Questions
1. What time did they wake up?
3. What did they drink?
5. How did the marsh feel?
7. How did the marsh feel?
2. How did the cold feel?
4. What did their breath look like?
6. What did they do in the hut?
Chapter 2 – Grammar Exercises
Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C):
1. They ___ up at three.
A) wake
B) woke
C) waking
3. They ___ toward the marsh.
A) walk
B) walked
C) walking
5. They made a fire ___ they were cold.
A) although
B) because
C) but
7. A bird ___ above them.
A) cry
B) cried
C) crying
2. The air ___ very cold.
A) is
B) was
C) were
4. While they ___, it was silent.
A) walk
B) were walking
C) walked
6. The moon ___ in the sky.
A) hang
B) hung
C) hanging
Please write your answers in the comments. The correct answers will be posted later.
Chapter Three
The Cry in the Sky
The sky slowly became lighter.
Then — a shot.
Karl fired his gun, and the hunt began.
Birds flew across the sky in dark lines. We shot again and again. The dogs ran fast and brought the birds back to us.
The sun rose slowly. The sky turned blue.
We were ready to leave.
Then suddenly — two birds flew above us.
I raised my gun and fired.
One bird fell at my feet.
It was beautiful.
But at that same moment, a sound filled the air.
A cry.
Not just any cry — it was full of pain.
The second bird was flying above us, turning in circles. It was crying again and again.
Karl looked up and said quietly,
“You killed the female. The male will not leave.”
The bird did not go away.
It stayed. It cried.
Chapter 3 – Vocabulary
1. Shot — the loud sound made when a gun is fired.
We heard a shot in the distance.
3. Raise — to lift something up
He raised his gun slowly.
5. Circle — to move around in a round path.
The bird circled above us again and again.
7. Quietly — in a soft way, without noise.
He spoke quietly to his friend.
2. Line — a long, thin shape or mark.
Birds flew in a long line across the sky.
4. Fall — to drop down to the ground.
The bird fell into the water.
6. Pain — a strong feeling of hurt or sadness.
There was pain in the bird’s cry.
Questions
1. What started the hunt?
3. What happened when the narrator fired?
5. What did the second bird do?
2. What did the dogs do?
4. What kind of bird fell?
6. What did Karl say?
7. Why was the cry special?
Chapter 3 – Grammar Exercises
Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C):
1. Karl ___ his gun.
A) fire
B) fired
C) firing
3. The narrator ___ his gun.
A) raise
B) raised
C) raising
5. The bird fell ___ the ground.
A) in
B) on
C) at
7. The bird ___ in circles.
A) fly
B) flew
C) flying
2. The birds ___ in the sky.
A) fly
B) flew
C) flying
4. While they ___, the sun rose.
A) hunt
B) hunted
C) were hunting
6. It cried ___ it was sad.
A) although
B) because
C) but
Please write your answers in the comments. The correct answers will be posted later.
Chapter Four
Love and Loss
The male bird stayed above us. It did not leave.
It could fly away, far into the sky… but it stayed.
Again and again, it came back.
It was not afraid. It was calling its partner.
Karl said, “Put the bird on the ground.”
I did. The male bird came closer.
Closer. Closer.
It forgot the danger. It only remembered love.
Karl raised his gun. A shot. The bird fell.
Silence.
I stood still. My heart felt heavy. This was not just hunting anymore. This was something else.
Something deep. I picked up both birds and placed them together.
Then I left that place. And I never forgot what I saw that day.
Chapter 4 – Vocabulary
1. Leave — to go away from a place or person.
The bird did not want to leave its partner.
3. Danger — something that can hurt you.
The bird came closer, even though there was danger.
5. Shot — the sound made by a gun
We heard a loud shot in the marsh.
2. Afraid — feeling fear or worry.
The bird was not afraid of danger.
4. Remember — to keep something in your mind.
He will always remember that moment.
6. Silence — a complete lack of sound
After the shot, there was deep silence.
7. Heavy — a strong emotional feeling, often sadness.
He felt a heavy sadness in his heart.
Questions
1. Why didn’t the bird leave?
3. Was it afraid?
5. Why did the bird come closer?
7. How did the narrator feel?
2. What did it do again and again?
4. What did Karl tell the narrator to do?
6. What happened to the bird?
Chapter 4 – Grammar Exercises
Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C):
1. The bird ___ closer.
A) come
B) came
C) coming
3. Karl ___ his gun.
A) raise
B) raised
C) raising
5. It ___ to the ground.
A) fall
B) fell
C) falling
7. He ___ the place.
A) leave
B) left
C) leaving
2. It ___ afraid.
A) is not
B) was not
C) were not
4. The bird came ___ it loved its partner.
A) although
B) because
C) but
6. The narrator ___ sad.
A) feel
B) felt
C) feeling
Please write your answers in the comments. The correct answers will be posted later.
Read the original story: americanliterature.com
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