The Four Deaf Men
Humorous Khmer Folktale (Level: B1)Reading Narratives
Reading a story is different from reading an ID card or a receipt. In a story, you must understand the plot (what happens) and the characters (who is in the story).
In many classic folktales, the comedy comes from misunderstandings. One character thinks one thing, while another character thinks something completely different! As you read, pay attention to what each person is thinking.
Review the story vocabulary in the next tab, then read the folktale in the Practice tab. Tap the dotted words in the story if you need help!
Action Words 🏃♂️
Conflict Words ⚡
Once, there was a deaf man who was herding his cattle. In the afternoon, he realized one cow was missing. He saw a farmer burning grass nearby and ran to ask him.
"Hey! Did you see my cow pass this way?" the herder shouted.
The farmer was also deaf. He thought the herder was asking, "Is this your land?" The farmer shook his hand and gestured, "No, go away! This is my grass."
The herder misunderstood the gesture. He thought the farmer meant, "I gave your cow to that man over there."
The herder was furious. He ran back and grabbed the farmer. They began to argue loudly in the middle of the road.
Just then, a third man walked by. He was carrying pots of sticky tree sap, and he was also deaf. The two fighting men stopped him. "You must judge our dispute!" they yelled.
The sap collector saw them pointing at him. He thought, "These men want to steal my sap to sell for money!" He shouted back, "I will not give you anything! Get away from me!"
Finally, all three men went to the village court. They stood before the judge, who was—you guessed it—also deaf.
The herder complained about his cow. The farmer complained about his grass. The sap collector complained about his sap.
The judge watched their angry faces. He thought they were arguing about family problems. He looked at them sternly and said, "Silence! Stop fighting over your wives. Go home and eat your dinner!" He dismissed the case immediately. The three men walked away, confused but silent.
Confusion Map
📝 Comprehension Check
Post-Reading Tasks
Practice your narrative skills!