Fluent Fiction - Serbian: Brandy Mishaps: A Toast to Unity & Laughter
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Story Transcript:

Sr: Jednog vrućeg letnjeg dana, sunce je sijalo kao da hoće da zapali krovove kuća u malom selu na jugu Srbije.
En: On a hot summer day, the sun blazed as if to set fire to the roofs of the houses in a small village in southern Serbia.

Sr: U maloj kafani pod imenom "Zlatni dani", porodica je sela da proslavi rođendan starog Jovana, čoveka koji je celom selu bio kao deda.
En: In a small tavern called "Golden Days," the family gathered to celebrate the birthday of old Jovan, a man who was like a grandfather to the whole village.

Sr: Milena, Jovanova unuka, nosila je pladanj sa čašama rakije, preskačući između stolova, smejala se i pričala priče.
En: Milena, Jovan's granddaughter, carried a tray of brandy glasses, skipping between tables, laughing, and telling stories.

Sr: Nikola, Jovanov sin, sedeo je kraj prozora, razmišljao o svom poslu u gradu i promatrao oblake.
En: Nikola, Jovan's son, sat by the window, thinking about his job in the city and watching the clouds.

Sr: Zvuk veselih tamburaša ispunjavao je vazduh, a smeh se širio kroz kafanu kao topli vetar.
En: The sound of merry tambourine players filled the air, and laughter spread through the tavern like warm wind.

Sr: Milena je krenula ka Nikoli sa pladnjem rakije, nežno balansirajući kao plesačica.
En: Milena headed towards Nikola with the tray of brandy, delicately balancing like a dancer.

Sr: Ali, u trenutku nepažnje, naišla je maca i pretrčala joj put.
En: But in a moment of carelessness, a cat crossed her path.

Sr: "Opa!" uzviknula je Milena, dok se njen pladanj naginjao opasno na jednu stranu.
En: "Oops!" exclaimed Milena as her tray dangerously tilted to one side.

Sr: Rakija je letela kroz vazduh i sletela na belu Nikolinu košulju, pretvarajući je u sliku jesenjeg lišća natopljenog kišom.
En: The brandy flew through the air and landed on Nikola's white shirt, turning it into a picture of autumn leaves soaked in rain.

Sr: Nikola, iznenađen i mokar, skočio je na noge.
En: Surprised and wet, Nikola jumped to his feet.

Sr: "Milena! Pazi malo!" viknuo je, gledajući kako se tamne mrlje šire po tkanini.
En: "Milena! Watch out a little!" he shouted, watching the dark stains spread across the fabric.

Sr: Cela kafana je na trenutak zastala, zabava se pretvorila u tišinu.
En: The entire tavern momentarily paused, and the revelry turned into silence.

Sr: Milena, crvena u licu od stida, jedva je izustila izvinjenje.
En: Blushing with embarrassment, Milena barely managed to apologize.

Sr: "Oprosti, Nikola, nisam htela. Mačka mi je skočila na put," brzo je objasnila, tražeći ubruse da očisti nered.
En: "I'm sorry, Nikola, I didn't mean to. A cat ran across my path," she quickly explained, looking for napkins to clean up the mess.

Sr: Jovan, videći šta se dogodilo, ustao je i počeo smejati.
En: Seeing what had happened, Jovan stood up and started laughing.

Sr: "Ha, Nikola, i rakija te voli, vidiš da se ne možeš od nje sakriti!" Sala se prolamala kafanom, a Nikola nije mogao a da se ne osmehne iako je bio mokar.
En: "Ha, Nikola, even the brandy loves you! You can't hide from it!" Laughter echoed through the tavern, and although he was wet, Nikola couldn't help but smile.

Sr: "Da, da," reče Nikola, "rekli su da rakija čisti sve, pa čak i dušu. Pa, neka čisti moju košulju!"
En: "Yes, yes," said Nikola, "they say brandy cleans everything, even the soul. Well, let it clean my shirt!"

Sr: Milena mu je pažljivo obrisala košulju ubrusima dok je njihov stari deda Jovan dodao: "U našoj kafani, rakija je lek za sve - za tužne i za veselje!"
En: Milena carefully wiped his shirt with the napkins while their old grandfather Jovan added, "In our tavern, brandy is a cure for everything - for sadness and joy!"

Sr: Nikola je zagrlivši Milenu rekao: "Sve je u redu, Milena. Samo pripazi sledeći put!"
En: Nikola hugged Milena and said, "It's okay, Milena. Just be careful next time!"

Sr: Smeh se vratio u kafanu. Tamburaši su nastavili da sviraju, a porodica je pevala i igrala kao da se ništa nije desilo.
En: Laughter returned to the tavern. The tambourine players continued to play, and the family sang and danced as if nothing had happened.

Sr: Rakija je prospena, ali ljubav i razumevanje bili su razliti još više.
En: The brandy was spilled, but love and understanding flowed even more.

Sr: Tako je prošao još jedan rođendan u kafani "Zlatni dani", ispunjen pjesmom, plesom i malo prospene rakije, ali pre svega, ispunjen smehom i zajedništvom.
En: And so, another birthday passed in the tavern "Golden Days," filled with song, dance, and a little spilled brandy, but above all, filled with laughter and unity.

Sr: I Milena i Nikola su naučili da mali incidenti samo začine priču koju će jednom prepričavati unucima.
En: Both Milena and Nikola learned that small mishaps only add flavor to the story they would one day tell to their grandchildren.


Vocabulary Words:

• hot: vruć
• summer: letnji
• sun: sunce
• blazed: sijalo
• set fire: zapali
• roofs: krovove
• houses: kuća
• small: mali
• village: selo
• tavern: kafana
• Golden Days: Zlatni dani
• family: porodica
• celebrate: proslaviti
• birthday: rođendan
• old: stari
• grandfather: deda
• carried: nosila
• tray: pladanj
• brandy: rakija
• glasses: čaše
• skipping: preskačući
• tables: stolove
• laughing: smejala se
• telling: pričala
• stories: priče
• sat: sedeo
• window: prozor
• thinking: razmišljao
• job: posao
• city: grad