July 02, 2025

Conquering the Clouds: Elmar's Ascent to Courage

14 minutes

Fluent Fiction - Afrikaans: Conquering the Clouds: Elmar's Ascent to Courage
Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:
fluentfiction.com/af/episode/2025-07-02-22-34-02-af

Story Transcript:

Af: Die lug was koud en skerp.
En: The air was cold and sharp.

Af: Elmar staan aan die voet van Tafelberg.
En: Elmar stands at the foot of Tafelberg.

Af: Hy kyk op, sy hart klop vinnig.
En: He looks up, his heart beating fast.

Af: Hoogte vrees hy.
En: He fears heights.

Af: Vandat hy kan onthou, was dit daar.
En: Ever since he can remember, it was there.

Af: Toe het hy as kind van 'n speelraam geval.
En: Then, as a child, he had fallen from a jungle gym.

Af: Nou moet hy oor sy vrees kom.
En: Now he must overcome his fear.

Af: Alma en Pieter, sy getroue vriende, staan langs hom.
En: Alma and Pieter, his faithful friends, stand next to him.

Af: Hulle het belowe om saam met hom te klim.
En: They had promised to climb with him.

Af: Die trio begin klim.
En: The trio begins to climb.

Af: Die aarde onder hul voete is nat en glibberig.
En: The ground beneath their feet is wet and slippery.

Af: Wind waai deur die fynbos.
En: Wind blows through the fynbos.

Af: Die berg is stil, behalwe vir die voëls se geroep.
En: The mountain is silent, except for the birds' calls.

Af: Elmar trek sy handskoene stywer.
En: Elmar tightens his gloves.

Af: Sy hande bewe.
En: His hands are trembling.

Af: Hy moet sterk wees.
En: He must be strong.

Af: Hy wil bewys dat hy kan verander.
En: He wants to prove that he can change.

Af: Soos die pad steiler word, styg Elmar se bekommernis.
En: As the path becomes steeper, Elmar's anxiety rises.

Af: Die mistigheid maak die uitsig onseker.
En: The mist makes the view uncertain.

Af: “Ons kan ’n breek vat,” stel Pieter voor.
En: “We can take a break,” suggests Pieter.

Af: Elmar kyk na die dik mis wat stadig oor die bergtop rol en skud sy kop.
En: Elmar looks at the thick mist slowly rolling over the mountaintop and shakes his head.

Af: “Ek moet aanhou,” sê hy.
En: “I must keep going,” he says.

Af: Sy stem is ferm, al voel hy die vrees in sy maag opwel.
En: His voice is firm, though he feels fear welling up in his stomach.

Af: Aan 'n skerp draai bly Elmar agter.
En: At a sharp turn, Elmar lags behind.

Af: Pieter en Alma vertraag, en hy voel die vrees kroes weer op in sy gedagtes.
En: Pieter and Alma slow down, and he feels the fear creeping back into his thoughts.

Af: Hy is alleen met sy gedagtes.
En: He is alone with his thoughts.

Af: "Jy kan nie," fluister 'n stem binne-in hom.
En: "You can't," whispers a voice inside him.

Af: Maar hy weet, diep binne hom, hy moet voortgaan.
En: But he knows, deep within, he must carry on.

Af: Elke treetjie vorentoe is 'n oorwinning.
En: Each step forward is a victory.

Af: Met laaste kragte druk Elmar homself verder.
En: With the last of his strength, Elmar pushes himself further.

Af: Hy kyk nie af nie, net vorentoe.
En: He doesn’t look down, only forward.

Af: Hy weet die punt is naby.
En: He knows the top is near.

Af: Die wind jaag om sy ore soos 'n ou vriend wat hom aanmoedig.
En: The wind rushes past his ears like an old friend encouraging him.

Af: Die laaste paar tree is die moeilikste, maar ook die beloonste.
En: The last few steps are the hardest, but also the most rewarding.

Af: En skielik staan hy daar.
En: And suddenly, he stands there.

Af: Bo die wolke, bo die vrees.
En: Above the clouds, above the fear.

Af: Die res van die stad lê ver onder.
En: The rest of the city lies far below.

Af: Hy asem diep in.
En: He breathes in deeply.

Af: Die vars lug vul sy longe.
En: The fresh air fills his lungs.

Af: Dit voel soos friede.
En: It feels like peace.

Af: Nie lank daarna nie, kom Pieter en Alma se gesigte deur die mistigheid verskyn.
En: Not long after, Pieter and Alma's faces appear through the mist.

Af: Hulle lag, omhels Elmar.
En: They laugh, embracing Elmar.

Af: Hy het dit gedoen.
En: He has done it.

Af: Hy het sy vrees oorkom.
En: He has overcome his fear.

Af: Elmar glimlag.
En: Elmar smiles.

Af: Sy vrees sal dalk nie weg wees nie, maar hy weet hy kan daarteen veg.
En: His fear may not be gone, but he knows he can fight against it.

Af: Die ondervinding verryk sy moed.
En: The experience enriches his courage.

Af: Nou weet hy, hy is sterker as wat hy ooit besef het.
En: Now he knows, he is stronger than he ever realized.

Af: Tafelberg het hom iets kosbaar gegee: selfvertroue.
En: Tafelberg has given him something precious: self-confidence.

Af: Daar anderkant die wolke, in die helder winterson, het Elmar iets nuuts in homself ontdek.
En: Beyond the clouds, in the bright winter sun, Elmar has discovered something new within himself.

Vocabulary Words: