The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage
Introduction
'The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage' is less a fairy tale than an old beast fable (folklorists number it ATU 85), closer in spirit to Aesop: short, peopled by small talking creatures, and ending by driving a lesson home without mercy. It appears in the Brothers Grimm's very first edition of 1812. Three well-matched partners keep house together—the bird fetches wood, the mouse carries water and makes the fire, and the sausage slides through the pot to grease and salt the food (a comic, faintly grotesque image typical of old German household tales). Life is snug and plentiful until the bird, stung by an outsider's remark, decides he is being taken advantage of and insists that all three swap jobs. The moment each creature leaves the place it is suited to, disaster follows. Unlike the many tales that close with 'happily ever after,' this one ends with all three dead—fables often use such a stark ending to make their point unmistakable: keep to the place that fits you, and do not let idle talk breed envy. Before reading it aloud, you might ask your child: if you were the bird and someone told you that you worked the hardest, what would you think?
Vocabulary from "The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage"
12 key words from this story with definitions and original context sentences for language learners.
An arrangement in which people work or live together and share things.
合伙关系；合作关系。
Once upon a time a mouse, a bird, and a sausage formed a partnership.
很久以前，一只老鼠、一只小鸟和一根香肠成了合伙人。
The state of being successful and having plenty of money or things.
繁荣；富足；兴旺。
For a long time they lived in peace and prosperity, acquiring many possessions.
在很长一段时间里，他们过着和平且富足的生活，积累了许多财产。
Talked with too much pride about oneself or what one has.
吹嘘；自夸；炫耀。
Thus one day the bird chanced to meet another bird, who boasted to him of his own situation.
有一天，小鸟偶然遇到另一只鸟，那只鸟向他吹嘘自己的处境。
Said what one thinks is wrong or bad about someone or something.
批评；指责；挑剔。
This bird criticized him for working so hard while the other two enjoyed themselves at home.
那只鸟批评他干活太辛苦，而另外两个伙伴却在家里享福。
An old-fashioned word for a sitting room where a family relaxes.
客厅；起居室（旧式说法）。
She could sit in the parlor and rest until it was time for her to set the table.
就可以坐在客厅休息，直到摆餐具的时间。
Said firmly that something must be done, refusing to change one's mind.
坚持；坚决要求。
But the bird was the master, and he insisted that they give it a try.
但小鸟是主事人，他坚持要他们试一试。
Walked slowly and with heavy steps, as if tired.
步履蹒跚地走；吃力地走。
The sausage trudged off toward the forest.
香肠步履蹒跚地走向森林。
Bold and without shame; not caring what others think.
厚颜无耻的；明目张胆的。
The bird complained bitterly to the dog about this brazen abduction.
小鸟向狗控诉这种厚颜无耻的绑架行为。
To lose something, or give it up, as a punishment.
（作为惩罚而）丧失；被没收；付出（代价）。
He claimed that he had discovered forged letters on the sausage, and that she would thus have to forfeit her life to him.
但狗声称他在香肠身上发现了伪造的信件，因此她必须付出生命的代价。
Burned with very hot liquid or steam.
（被沸水或蒸汽）烫伤。
Before she reached the middle, her hair and skin were scalded off, and she perished.
但还没到锅中间，她的毛发和皮肉就被烫掉了，命丧黄泉。
A feeling of deep sadness.
悲伤；忧伤；悲痛。
Filled with sorrow, the bird carried the wood home himself and told the mouse what he had seen and heard.
小鸟满心忧伤，自己扛着木头回家，把所见所闻告诉了老鼠。
The state of not giving enough attention or care to what you are doing.
粗心；疏忽；大意。
Because of his carelessness, the scattered wood caught fire, and the entire house was soon aflame.
由于他的疏忽，散乱的木头着了火，整个房子很快就陷入了火海。
Reading Together & Learning More
The Moral
Everyone has a place where they do best; blindly comparing ourselves to others, or letting gossip stir up envy, can wreck a good thing.
Educational Value
Helps children value cooperation and the division of labor and see the harm of envy and believing gossip; it is also a fine example of the fable genre and its pointed moral lessons.
Tips for Parents
Use the story to talk with your child: why does a team do better when each member does what they are best at? And when a feeling of 'unfairness' arises, how might they talk it over with friends instead of sulking?
Talk About It
- The three partners had a good arrangement and a happy life. What suddenly made the bird feel he was getting a raw deal?
- The outsider bird did nothing but say a few words. Why do you think 'just hearing a few words' could cause such big trouble?
- Each partner had something it did best. Why did everything fall apart the moment they swapped jobs?
- This story ends with all three dead, very unlike 'happily ever after.' Why do you think the author wrote it that way?
- If you were working with a friend and felt you were doing more than your share, what would you do?
