Ferdinand the Faithful
Introduction
This tale, 'Ferdinand the Faithful,' is an old Grimm story at heart, but its spine is a lesson every culture knows: good deeds come back to those who do them. In Chinese we say, 'Do not refuse to do good simply because it is small.' Ferdinand picks up a pen no one wants and saves a fish nobody asked him to save — small, easy kindnesses that later turn out to be matters of life and death. The same motif runs through Chinese tales like 'The White Snake' and the story of the snail girl: help a creature, and the creature will help you. That is why this story suits the fable form so well. A fable is short, plain, and pointed: characters are good or bad in one sentence, and the two Ferdinands — Faithful and Unfaithful — stand side by side so children can see the difference at a glance. When you read together, let your child notice the two names and ask what one word changes; then look for small kindnesses in daily life that might later pay off in unexpected ways. One gentle warning: this tale keeps some rough edges from its days of being told aloud — a king with no nose, a queen who chops off heads and puts them back. Old stories do not always make tidy sense, and that is part of their charm. Do not rush to explain it all; let the tale work its quiet magic.
Vocabulary from "Ferdinand the Faithful"
12 key words from this story with definitions and original context sentences for language learners.
A man who promises to help raise and guide a child.
教父（为孩子取名并在成长中给予照应的人）。
They looked for a godfather for the boy, but no one would take the job, because the family had nothing to give.
他们想给孩子找个教父，可人人都嫌他家穷，谁也不肯答应。
A wide open area of rough land covered with low wild plants.
荒原；长满低矮灌木的开阔荒地。
When the boy turns fourteen, let him go to the heath.
等孩子满十四岁，让他到荒原上去。
Spoke proudly about something you have or did.
夸耀；吹嘘。
Each one boasted about the gifts his godfather had given him.
个个夸自己教父送的礼物多。
Extremely happy.
欣喜若狂；高兴极了。
Ferdinand was overjoyed.
斐迪南喜出望外。
Breathing with difficulty, often because of a need for air.
喘气；大口呼吸（因缺水或缺氧）。
A fish lay on the bank, gasping for breath.
岸上躺着一条鱼，正张着嘴喘气。
A servant who rides beside or ahead of a coach or horse.
前导骑士；随行骑手。
'The king of this land wants a servant or an outrider,' she said.
「这个国家的国王正要找个侍从或前导骑士。」
Feeling angry or unhappy because someone else has something you want.
嫉妒的；眼红的。
When the Unfaithful heard this, he grew jealous.
不忠的斐迪南得知此事，妒火中烧。
Said that someone is good or suitable for a job.
推荐；举荐。
So the girl recommended him too, and the king took both men into service.
姑娘无奈，只好把他也荐了上去。国王一一收下，两人一同在宫中当差。
Cried, usually with tears.
流泪；哭泣。
Ferdinand went to the stable and wept before his white horse.
斐迪南走进马厩，对着白马垂泪。
To bite or strike quickly with a beak.
啄（用鸟喙快速啄击）。
If you bring them no bread, they will peck out your eyes.
你若不带面包去，它们会啄瞎你的眼睛。
Strongly encouraging someone to do something.
怂恿；催促。
At the Unfaithful's urging, Ferdinand stepped forward.
不忠的斐迪南又在背后撺掇，斐迪南便挺身而出。
The quality of staying true and faithful to someone.
忠诚；忠心。
'Your loyalty has broken it.'
「是你的忠诚解开了它。」
Reading Together & Learning More
The Moral
Kindness comes back to the kind, and loyalty comes back to the loyal — every good deed you do will find its way home to you.
Educational Value
Children learn two lessons: no kindness is too small, since a picked-up pen and a saved fish later save Ferdinand's life; and loyalty has its own reward, since the faithful and the unfaithful share the same name yet end in very different places.
Tips for Parents
After reading, ask your child: how do the fish and the pen each save Ferdinand later? Why does the white horse keep helping him? And what would have happened if Ferdinand had been too lazy to pick up the pen or save the fish? This is the perfect doorway into the idea that no kindness is too small.
Talk About It
- Ferdinand wants to leave the pen on the road, but an unseen voice tells him to pick it up. Later that pen saves his life. Have you ever followed a hunch you could not explain? What happened?
- He stops to put a stranded fish back into the water, and the fish gives him a flute. Have you ever done a small kindness that later came back to reward you in an unexpected way?
- The story has two Ferdinands — one Faithful, one Unfaithful. Can you tell who is good and who is bad just from the names? Is it that easy to judge people in real life?
- The white horse gives Ferdinand advice all along and finally turns into a prince. Why do you think it keeps helping him? Would it still have helped him if he had not saved the fish?
- The queen cuts off the king's head and does not put it back. Old tales are full of such strange, unpolished moments. Do you think the teller forgot the details, or were old stories simply like that?
