Shadowing Practice: The Silent Princess & The Talkative Princess | Stories for Teenagers | @EnglishFairyTales - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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The Silent Princess and the Talkative Princess A long, long time ago, in a kingdom walled by mountains and veiled in endless forests, forests.
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The Silent Princess and the Talkative Princess A long, long time ago, in a kingdom walled by mountains and veiled in endless forests, forests.
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Two princesses were born.
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One spoke with grace.
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A bit of a yapper, really.
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Her voice, a beacon of pride and power, filled every corridor.
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The other didn't say a thing.
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No one knew how the younger princess came to be so silent.
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The Queen in all but crown Yes, her voice carries more weight than a sword Ah, Hannah, don't look so serious Nobody's watching you Well, except the falconer, but he watches everyone And besides, I tripped over my own dress and still survived Anyway, do you think I should wear lilac or lavender?
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They sound the same, but trust me, they're not.
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She meant well.
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Hannah's family was so concerned about her condition that they didn't expect her to take the center stage at any occasion.
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Oh, Prince Malric, isn't it?
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I heard you arrived with a delegation from the east.
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How was your journey?
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Mountains can be so moody.
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And yap, yap, yap, yap, yap, yap, yap, yap.
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There was something about Hannah that nobody knew.
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Hannah could not speak, but she could hear what nobody else could.
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We are enough for the growth of this trunk.
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The nature.
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Not only could the silent princess feel the vibrations, but she could also decode the language of nature.
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Ooh, look at those fishies go!
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The trees, the rivers, never noticed a silent passerby.
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In fact, a wanderer like Hannah was more natural for them.
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And Hannah found her peace in listening to things she could never explain.
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But in the recent past, Hannah was listening to an uncomfortable sigh for help.
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Ahhhhhhh Ahhhhhhh Ahhhhhhh Voices from the woods?
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Oh darling, you are simply bored!
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Ah.
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Poor little thing.
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She doesn't have any friends so she is making her own.
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Princess Hannah finally decided to deal with this voice on her own.
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After walking for a while, she heard something.
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They burn.
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They twist.
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They whisper lies.
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Hannah was scared.
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She always thought of the forests as her home.
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But she could sense the unrest as she went deeper into the part of the forest her feet never had touched.
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And there it was.
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The root keeper.
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Can it really be?
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Hannah thought to herself.
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But Rootkeeper is only a myth.
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I read about this in the Royal Library.
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The protector of the kingdom.
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The witness of times and eras.
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Wow!
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Hannah touched the bark of the enormous tree and was amazed.
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It lit up.
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Pride, greed, and fear.
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Flames hidden in the palace shadows.
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As Hannah removed her hand, a faint shape of a lantern appeared on her palm with a flickering light.
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The flames, they must be stilled.
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Flames, thought Hannah.
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Is this magic?
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And oh, magic it was.
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Back at the palace, Hannah frantically tried to warn them all.
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But they couldn't see the lantern.
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Is it only visible to me?
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Oh no, is this about the soup again?
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I told them no mushrooms.
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You're right, this is a disaster.
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Yep, at the worst moment.
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No one should have to scream without sound to be heard.
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I'm opening school for voices like hers.
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Oh, my child.
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They did not listen.
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They never did.
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Defeated, Hannah returned to the tree.
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Confusion in her heart.
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It's like the tree understood her.
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It shivered and dropped three leaves.
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As Hannah touched each of them, to pick them up, they changed color.
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Red, blue, and yellow.
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Flames that hide must be seen.
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Sins that cling must be freed.
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Just a reflection of the false shall burn the leaf.
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Pride, greed, fear.
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The silent sins hide within the palace.
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Hannah held the leaves, gently yet with quiet determination.
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The next day, looking for the first sin, pride, Hannah entered the heart of deceit, the royal council chambers.
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She heard the most pompous claims there, but the lantern on her palm didn't flicker.
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Then she heard Sir Lancelot.
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We attack Tranverse, and we do it to set an example for those who oppose us.
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Sir Lancelot, they have come with a peace offering.
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How can we attack?
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Hannah's palm ached.
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It was the lantern.
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She took out the three leaves, and the red one almost inched towards Sir Lancelot.
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It turned bright and showed his reflection just then.
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Something strange happened.
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Sir Lancelot began to speak the truth.
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Peace is for losers.
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This is one chance to show my supremacy.
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You think I will let this go because you want peace?
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Your supremacy?
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Is that why you pushed for so many battles before?
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So much was lost.
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Just to prove your supremacy?
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We are not taking this kingdom into another battle to please your pride.
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Sir Lancelot, your shoulders are not strong enough to support this responsibility anymore.
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We unanimously vote you down.
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What?
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No, I mean...
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I don't know why I said that.
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But Hannah knew.
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She smiled as one of the lantern's flickering lights faded into calm, and the red leaf burned.
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Pride will not be ruling the battlegrounds anymore.
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My people are already starving, and here I had a rogue leader leading us right into battlegrounds for nothing.
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Starving?
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Hannah's palm began to burn at that word.
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Could another sin be nearby?
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Wait, where's that aroma coming from?
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Hannah followed the smell.
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Hannah reached an old amphitheater.
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It was a closed structure almost falling down.
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How could this place smell like a feast, she thought.
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Another tray?
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That and the table!
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Come on!
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Ha ha ha ha!
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Well, the royal chefs need to be more royal with their food now.
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Hannah was shocked beyond belief.
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It was a feast.
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The royal chefs were stealing from the rations meant for the masses and feeding the nobles.
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The green leaf brightened up in her palm.
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She held the leaf, and then it happened.
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Wait, who rang that gong?
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This amphitheater is closed for years now.
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Suddenly the walls collapsed and the amphitheater was teleported out on the streets along with the nobles.
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What?
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A feast?
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We are starving here.
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This is sorcery.
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Oh, I would rather accept sorcery than nobles and leaders like you and Sir Lancelot here.
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Call the Chief of the Councils.
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And the domino effect didn't stop there.
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for the chief of the councils was none other than the queen herself.
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Mother, you don't know what all has happened in your absence.
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These people were rotting the palace, and in one single night, this is all exposed.
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Oh, my crown.
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Sir Lancelot, a council right under my nose.
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I am appalled.
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Did you know about this?
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I mean, we did not really...
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Well, speak up.
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And there it was.
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The last sin.
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Fear did not hide in shadows.
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It lived in the royal council chamber, where truth suffocated beneath silence.
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Your Majesty, you do not take criticism lightly.
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Sir Lancelot knew this, and he quickly became your favorite by pleasing you.
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The last advisor who spoke up against you lost his rank.
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What have you done?
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I don't know why I said that.
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Your Majesty, I didn't...
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That was brave of you, Counsel.
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My love, I am afraid they are correct.
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Perhaps my ego was preventing me from taking advice.
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Hannah then understood.
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Surely the Queen's temper was difficult.
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But the councils were committing an even bigger sin by refraining from doing their jobs only from the fear of losing their rank.
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For it is the one who refuses to do their duty, who is a bigger sinner than the oppressor.
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And as soon as the dominoes fell, one after the other, so did the sins.
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Pride, greed, and fear, the three sins that were not only hollowing the pillars of the palace little by little, but also held the kingdom back from progressing.
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As they all gathered around the root keeper, no one knew what to expect, but then...
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Speak the truth, protect the root.
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What is silenced must still be heard.
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Wait, did I hear the wind?
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The silent princess shall now speak through us, for even in silence she has proved her worth.
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For once, Teresa said nothing at all.
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And in that silence, she finally heard her sister.
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And that's how it was.
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The palace had found their true leader through their one princess who couldn't speak.
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Princess Teresa, the king, and the queen all happily bowed down to their new spiritual leader.
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But Princess Hannah never took to the crown.
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She encouraged Princess Teresa to rule and was prepared to guide her.
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I'll lead with your voice in my heart.
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It wasn't just silence that saved the kingdom, or words that ruled it, but the harmony between them.
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Together, they proved power lies in both voice and quiet.

About This Lesson

In this lesson, learners will immerse themselves in the enchanting story of "The Silent Princess and The Talkative Princess." As you watch and listen, you'll practice essential English speaking skills. The narrative contrasts the expressive skills of a talkative princess with the silent observance of her sister, highlighting the importance of listening and understanding. By engaging with this story, students can enhance their vocabulary, improve their pronunciation, and grasp nuanced tones in conversational English. This lesson is ideal for those looking to learn English with YouTube through captivating storytelling.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Beacon - A source of guidance or inspiration.
  • Vibrations - The sensations that come from sounds or movements.
  • Whisper - To speak very softly.
  • Unrest - A state of disturbance or agitation.
  • Myth - A traditional story, often involving supernatural beings or events.
  • Protector - Someone or something that keeps safe from harm.
  • Decode - To interpret or make sense of something.
  • Corridor - A long passageway in a building.

Practice Tips

To maximize your learning from this video, utilize the shadowing technique. Watch the video attentively and listen for the rhythm and tone of the speakers. Pause after short phrases or sentences and repeat them aloud, imitating the original speaker’s pace and intonation. Given the whimsical and flowing nature of the story, allow yourself to embrace the expressive elements while practicing your English speaking practice. This style of storytelling can help you improve English pronunciation and enhance your ability to communicate with emotion. Consider using a shadowing app that lets you replay sections to refine your technique further. As you practice, remember that the more you listen and repeat, the more nuanced your understanding becomes.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

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