The Seven Ravens
Introduction
Long ago, storytellers in China liked to wrap a lesson inside a story: a short tale, told in plain words, that ends with one simple truth. This retelling borrows that voice for a German fairy tale. The Seven Ravens belongs to a family of folk tales — scholars call it type ATU 451 — in which a sister sets out to rescue her brothers who have been turned into birds. The Brothers Grimm collected it two hundred years ago, and it has been filmed and retold many times, yet the heart of the tale never changes. Nothing here has been moved to China: the forest, the Glass Mountain and the little dwarf all stay in their old fairy-tale world. Only the telling changes — short scenes, one turning point at a time, and a gentle lesson at the end. The father's angry wish echoes an old saying: words, once spoken, are like water poured out, and you cannot gather them back. And the sister's long walk, even after she cuts off her own finger to open the mountain, matches the belief that wholehearted love can move even stone. As you read, ask your child why the boys were afraid to go home, and whether angry words can ever truly be unsaid. Notice, too, that the sister never blames anyone; she simply sets out. That quiet courage is worth pointing out.
Vocabulary from "The Seven Ravens"
12 key words from this story with definitions and original context sentences for language learners.
To name a baby in a special ceremony with water.
受洗；为孩子举行洗礼。
The baby was small and weak, so her parents wanted to baptise her right away.
孩子落地，又小又弱，父母急着要给她受洗。
A container with a handle, used for carrying water or milk.
罐子；带把的水壶。
The other six ran after him, and every boy wanted to fill the jug first.
六个弟弟也要跟去，都想头一个灌满罐子。
A short trip to do a small task for someone, like fetching water.
差事；跑腿办的小事。
"They are only playing and have forgotten their errand!" he shouted.
「准是贪玩把正事忘了，这群不成器的！」他喊道。
Magic words spoken in anger that bring bad luck.
诅咒；咒语。
The parents could not take the curse back.
父母收不回这句咒语，心里日夜懊悔。
Very bad luck; something sad and harmful that happens.
不幸；灾祸。
"The girl is pretty," they said, "but her seven brothers met with misfortune because of her."
「姑娘生得俊，可她七个哥哥遭的难，说到底是为她惹下的。」
Felt a dull, steady pain; here, ached with sadness.
（心）痛；（身体）隐隐作痛。
Their hearts ached for their sons, but the little daughter grew strong and lovely.
父母心里日夜懊悔，可好歹还有这个闺女宽心，她一天天长大，出落得又结实又好看。
Very strong and wild; dangerous.
凶猛的；猛烈的。
First she met the sun, but the sun was burning hot and fierce and ate little children, so she ran away.
先遇见太阳，太阳又烫又凶，专吃小孩，她拔腿就跑。
Wanting to hurt others; unkind on purpose.
残忍的；冷酷的。
Then she met the moon, and the moon was cold and cruel.
又遇见月亮，月亮又冷又狠。
Covered something all around with cloth or paper.
包裹；包起来。
The girl wrapped the bone in a cloth and hurried on to the Glass Mountain.
妹妹把骨头小心包进布里，一路赶到玻璃山下。
A very small magical person in fairy tales.
小矮人。
Inside, a little dwarf came to meet her.
进了山，一个小矮人迎上来问：「孩子，你找什么？」
A very small drink taken at one time.
一小口；小口地喝。
The sister ate a bite from every plate and drank a sip from every glass, and into the last glass she dropped her ring.
妹妹每盘吃一小口，每杯抿一小口，把那枚戒指丢进了最后一只杯里。
The soft part of a body, under the skin.
肉；肉体。
"I smell human flesh!" it cried, so she ran on.
「我闻到了人肉味！」她吓得继续赶路。
Reading Together & Learning More
The Moral
Words spoken in anger cannot be taken back, but the love of family can never be lost; keep love in your heart and never stop walking, and even parted family will be reunited.
Educational Value
Children learn to think before they speak and to pause when angry, to be patient and brave for family, and to never blame the innocent for another's mistake.
Tips for Parents
Pause when the father speaks his angry wish and ask your child why such words are dangerous; then talk about what we can do instead of shouting when we are angry, and count together the few things the sister carried, to feel how ready she was for a long journey.
Talk About It
- The father's angry wish came from worry as well as anger. If you were the father, what would you have done?
- When the sister lost the star's gift, she cut off her own finger to open the mountain. Why was she willing to pay such a price?
- Some people said the sister was to blame for her brothers' bad luck. Is that fair? What should a wrongly blamed person think and do?
- The sister carried only a ring, a loaf of bread, a jug of water and a little chair. If you were going to rescue your family, what would you take?
- The brothers knew their sister by the ring. What other things could help family members recognize each other after years apart?
