The Fox and the Geese
Introduction
This is one of the shortest and most unusual tales the Brothers Grimm collected. It belongs to an old folk genre called the 'endless tale' or circular story, in which the ending is designed never to arrive: the geese pray one after another without ever stopping, so the fox must wait forever and the story can never truly finish. Grown-ups once used tales like this to tease children who kept begging for 'just one more story.' Beneath the clever structure lies a classic fairy-tale lesson, too — the weak geese cannot fight the fox with strength, so they buy time with their wits, asking for one last prayer. When you reach the end, try pausing and asking your child: were the geese ever eaten at all?
Vocabulary from "The Fox and the Geese"
12 key words from this story with definitions and original context sentences for language learners.
Running with short, quick steps.
小跑；快步走。
One day a fox came trotting into a meadow, and there he found a whole flock of geese.
有一天，一只狐狸小跑着来到一片草地上，在那里撞见了一整群鹅。
A field covered with grass and wild flowers.
草地；草场。
One day a fox came trotting into a meadow, and there he found a whole flock of geese.
有一天，一只狐狸小跑着来到一片草地上，在那里撞见了一整群鹅。
A group of birds or sheep that stay together.
（鸟或羊的）一群。
One day a fox came trotting into a meadow, and there he found a whole flock of geese.
有一天，一只狐狸小跑着来到一片草地上，在那里撞见了一整群鹅。
Pleasantly round and fat.
丰满的；肥胖的。
They were plump and white, and they sat close together on the grass without a care.
它们又肥又白，紧挨着蹲在草地上，一点心事也没有。
The loud, broken noise a goose or hen makes.
（鹅或母鸡的）嘎嘎叫声。
The geese burst into a storm of frightened cackling and sprang up from the grass.
鹅群顿时炸开了锅，惊慌地叫成一片，纷纷从草地上跳起来。
Jumped up suddenly and quickly.
跳起；猛地跃起。
The geese burst into a storm of frightened cackling and sprang up from the grass.
鹅群顿时炸开了锅，惊慌地叫成一片，纷纷从草地上跳起来。
To choose not to hurt or kill someone.
饶恕；放过。
They flapped their wings and begged the fox to spare their lives.
它们扑打着翅膀，求狐狸饶自己一命。
Kindness shown to someone you could punish.
慈悲；宽恕。
"There is no mercy to be had here," he said.
“这里没有什么慈悲可讲，”他说。
The strength to do something frightening.
勇气。
At last one goose found her courage and stepped forward from the rest.
最后有一只鹅鼓起勇气，从同伴中间走了出来。
A kind act that you do for someone who asks.
恩惠；帮忙。
"If we must give up our young lives," she said, "grant us one small favour first."
“如果我们非得交出这条年轻的命，”她说，“那就先答应我们一个小小的请求吧。”
Showing deep respect for religion.
虔诚的。
"That is a reasonable request, and a pious one too," he said.
“这个请求合情合理，而且很虔诚，”他说。
Many voices making a sound at the same time.
合唱；齐声。
Then the third began, and the fourth after her, until the whole flock was cackling together in one great feathered chorus.
接着第三只开了口，第四只跟在后面，到最后整群鹅一齐叫了起来，成了一支羽毛做的大合唱。
Reading Together & Learning More
The Moral
When facing a stronger opponent, cleverness often protects us better than force.
Educational Value
Encourages children to solve problems with wit, introduces the playful language of circular tales, and nurtures humour and creative thinking.
Tips for Parents
Pause at the ending and ask your child whether the geese were ever eaten; enjoy the open ending together, and try making up what happens next.
Talk About It
- The geese were not strong enough to beat the fox, yet they found a way to save their lives. What was their trick?
- The story ends by saying the geese are still praying. Do you think the fox ever got to eat them?
- If you were the first goose to speak up, could you think of another way to keep the fox waiting?
- When you face someone stronger than you, which is more useful — being clever or being strong?
