The Gold-Children
Introduction
This is really two old stories joined into one. The first half — a wish-granting golden fish, and a wife who can never rein in her curiosity but must know where the riches came from, only to ask the luck away — is a version of the 'greed and curiosity' motif from this site's 'The Fisherman and His Wife' (catalogued by folklorists as ATU 555). The second half switches to an entirely different type, ATU 303, 'The Twins': the fish is cut into six pieces, and up spring two golden lilies, two golden horses, and two golden children; the brothers ride out into the world and keep track of each other's fate through the lilies left at home — fresh means safe, withered means ill, fallen means dead. This 'life-token' (an object that reveals a distant person's fortunes) is one of the oldest motifs in world literature: it already appears in the ancient Egyptian 'Tale of Two Brothers' from roughly 3,200 years ago. As you read, notice with your child how one and the same 'grateful golden fish' opening grows, step by step, into a whole adventure about brotherly love.
Vocabulary from "The Gold-Children"
12 key words from this story with definitions and original context sentences for language learners.
A small simple house in the country.
小屋；农舍。
There were once a poor man and a poor woman who owned nothing but a little cottage.
从前有一个穷汉和一个穷妇人，除了一间小茅屋什么也没有。
Great surprise.
惊愕。
He was staring at it in astonishment when it began to speak.
他正惊愕地盯着它看，那鱼开口说话了。
A small, poor and dirty house.
破屋；陋室。
Where his hovel had stood there was now a great castle.
原先破屋的地方，如今立着一座大城堡。
Kept asking or complaining until someone gives in.
唠叨不休；缠着盘问。
She gave herself no rest by day or night, and she nagged at her husband until at last he lost patience and let out that it was all owing to a wonderful golden fish he had caught and set free again.
她日夜不得安生，缠着丈夫盘问，最后他失了耐性，脱口说出这一切都是因为他捞着过一条神奇的金鱼，又把它放生了。
Young horses.
马驹。
The horse gave birth to two golden foals.
马生下两匹金马驹。
To dry up and shrink, as a plant does.
枯萎；蔫掉。
If they wither, we are ill.
它们蔫了，我们就病了。
To shout rude, mocking remarks at someone.
讥讽；嘲笑。
When these people caught sight of the gold-children, they began to laugh and jeer.
这些人一看见两个金娃娃，就笑起来，出言讥讽。
Without being afraid.
毫无惧色地。
So he took bear-skins and covered himself and his horse with them, so that none of the gold could be seen, and rode fearlessly into the forest.
于是他弄来几张熊皮，把自己和马都裹了起来，金色一点也露不出来，随后毫无惧色地骑进了林子。
A person with no home who wanders from place to place.
流浪汉。
At that the father cried furiously, "No vagabond shall ever have my daughter!" and he was about to kill him.
父亲勃然大怒："我的女儿绝不能给一个流浪汉！"说着就要动手杀他。
Thrown aside as no longer wanted.
丢弃的；脱下不用的。
But when he put his head round the door, a magnificent golden man was lying in the bed, and the discarded bear-skins lay on the floor.
可他一探头，只见床上躺着一个金光灿灿的人，脱下来的熊皮扔在地上。
A fully grown male deer.
雄鹿。
The gold-child, meanwhile, had been dreaming of riding out after a splendid stag.
可这金娃娃做了个梦，梦见自己骑马去猎一头漂亮的公鹿。
Bent or hung downwards from weakness.
低垂；耷拉下去。
At home, meanwhile, the other brother was standing by the golden lilies when one of them suddenly drooped.
这工夫在家里，另一个兄弟正站在金百合旁边，忽然有一株垂了下去。
Reading Together & Learning More
The Moral
Some promises bring good fortune only if they are kept — again and again the fisherman blurts out his secret to satisfy his wife's restless curiosity, and again and again loses the luck already in his hands. The second half reminds us, too, that true brotherhood means sensing a brother's danger even a thousand miles away, and rushing to the rescue without a second thought.
Educational Value
The first half is good for discussing keeping a promise and reining in curiosity; the second shows deep loyalty between brothers. The device of the golden lily that wilts to send word is a fine way to help children understand what it means to care about someone far away.
Tips for Parents
Talk with your child: why can the fisherman's wife never resist asking the secret? Is 'knowing' really more important than the good luck itself? In the second half the two brothers keep track of each other's life through the golden lilies — if you had such a flower, whom would you want to watch over? (Note: the witch being turned to stone and forced to undo it can be passed over lightly.)
Talk About It
- The fisherman promised the fish to keep the secret, yet his wife's questions pull it out of him every time. Do you think he lacks willpower, or is she too persistent in prying?
- The wife says, 'I would rather not have riches if I am not to know from whom they come.' Can you understand how she feels? Is 'knowing the truth' important to you?
- The two brothers sense each other's safety through the golden lilies. Do you have someone you keep thinking about even when they are far away?
- The moment the brother at home sees a lily wilt, he sets off to rescue the other despite the danger. What would you have done in his place?
- The first half of this story is about a golden fish and greed; the second about golden children and brotherhood. How do you think the two halves connect?
