Frederick and Catherine
Introduction
This tale comes from the Brothers Grimm, who gathered not only princesses and dragons but also a whole family of "numskull stories" meant to make us laugh — the Germans call them Schwänke. We have retold it here in the plain, short style of a fable, because a fable knows how to tell one absurd thing well and then point quietly at the truth behind it. In Chinese folk wisdom, we have the man who waited by a tree stump for a rabbit, and the buyer who kept the pretty box and threw away the jewel — both tales laugh at people who follow the surface and miss the meaning. Catherine belongs to the same family: she is kind, hard-working, and full of good will, yet she never stops to think, so every kind act turns into a small disaster. Half the fun is laughing at her; the other half is looking in the mirror — have we ever heard the words but missed the point? Because the fable is told in short sentences and a chain of quick jokes, it is also wonderful for reading aloud, guessing what comes next, and acting out at home. Parents may enjoy asking, after the laughter, what Catherine's little saying really teaches us.
Vocabulary from "Frederick and Catherine"
12 key words from this story with definitions and original context sentences for language learners.
A room under a house where people keep food and drink.
地窖；地下室，用来存放食物和酒水的地方。
While the sausage sizzled, she thought, "I may as well fetch some beer from the cellar."
香肠在锅里滋滋作响，她想：何不下地窖去打一罐啤酒来。
Spoke angrily to someone because they did something wrong.
责骂；数落。
When Frederick came home and scolded her, Catherine only said, "Dear me, Frederick, I did not know that. You should have told me before you left."
弗雷德里克回来，气得直骂。凯瑟琳却说：“哎呀，弗雷德里克，这我哪知道呀。你早该告诉我的。”
Threw or spread things over an area.
撒开；撒落。
She carried it down and scattered the flour over the spilt beer.
她又想起阁楼上有一袋面粉，便搬下来撒在满地的啤酒上。
Put something under the ground.
埋藏；埋在地下。
He buried the gold under the cow's manger and said, "Catherine, these are only counters for a game. Do not touch them."
过了些日子，弗雷德里克把银币换成了金子，埋在牛槽底下。他叮嘱凯瑟琳：“这些不过是玩游戏的筹码，千万动不得。”
Goods that people sell on the road or at a market.
货物；货郎担上卖的物品。
Catherine looked at their wares and offered the yellow counters in exchange.
凯瑟琳看了看那些瓶瓶罐罐，心里喜欢，便说要用那些黄澄澄的筹码来换。
Pretty things used to decorate a place.
装饰品；摆设。
So she knocked the bottom out of every pot and hung them along the fence as ornaments.
于是她把每只罐子的底都敲掉，一串串挂在篱笆上当摆设。
Rubbed a soft substance over a surface.
涂抹；抹上。
So she smeared butter along both sides of every rut, to make the road soft for the wheels.
便沿着每条车辙抹上黄油，好让车轮走得轻些。
Long deep tracks left in soft ground by wheels.
车辙；车轮压出的深沟。
On the road, Catherine saw deep cart ruts in the mud.
半路上，凯瑟琳见泥地里压着深深的车辙。
Metal joints that let a door swing open and shut.
合页；铰链。
Catherine bolted the upper door — then lifted the lower door off its hinges and carried it away on her back.
凯瑟琳回到家，把上半扇门闩好——又把下半扇门从合页上卸下来，背在背上就走。
A sour liquid used in cooking.
醋；酸味的调味汁。
Then she poured down her vinegar.
她又倒下醋。
Things stolen by thieves or taken in a fight.
赃物；抢来的财物。
And who should come and sit beneath that very tree but the rogues themselves, ready to divide their booty.
偏偏那伙货郎贼也来到树下，坐下就要分赃。
Round white vegetables that grow in the ground.
萝卜；芜菁。
They sent her into the pastor's field to pull up turnips.
他们打发她去牧师的地里拔萝卜。
Reading Together & Learning More
The Moral
Do not follow the words of a task only. Think about why it was given — one careful question can save a mountain of trouble.
Educational Value
Through a chain of funny mistakes, children learn that a kind heart is not enough — you must also listen carefully, think before you act, and ask when you are not sure.
Tips for Parents
Read it for the laughter first, and save the lesson for after. Then ask your child which of Catherine's mistakes came from a kind heart, and which one a single question could have prevented. Try a game: give a confusing instruction and let your child guess what you really mean.
Talk About It
- Every time Catherine makes a mess, she says, "You should have told me." Is she partly right? Could Frederick have explained things more clearly?
- Told to keep the house safe, she takes the door off and carries it away. Can you find other places where she hears the words but misses the meaning?
- She throws the cheeses down the hill one by one, saying she is sending them to call the others back. Why is that way of thinking funny? What would you do instead?
- Catherine is kind but she keeps making mistakes. Is she a bad person? How would you help someone like her to do things well?
- If you were Frederick, how would you explain a job to Catherine before you left, so that nothing goes wrong? Try saying one instruction in a very clear way.
