The Three Little Birds
Introduction
Of all the tales in the Brothers Grimm collection, "The Three Little Birds" is not the most famous — yet its skeleton is one of the oldest stories in the world, known to folklorists as ATU 707. Envious sisters throw a queen's babies into the water; a kind fisherman raises the children; years later a singing bird reveals the truth. The same bones appear in the Arabian Nights, in Pushkin's long poem about Tsar Saltan, and even in the opera that gave us "Flight of the Bumblebee." We have retold the tale here as a Chinese-style fable, and a fable is not a new set of words but a new way of telling: short scenes, clear good and evil, and a plain lesson waiting at the end. The sisters' jealousy and the queen's long imprisonment find their echo in old Chinese sayings — evil reaps what it sows, and a kind word can open the heaviest gate. The detail most worth watching with your child is this: all three children walk the same road, yet only the youngest daughter succeeds, and not through strength. She simply offers the old woman a sincere blessing, and that one kind sentence earns her the wand and the truth. As you read, ask your child to wonder: what did the old woman really give the girl — a magic wand, or a heart that knows how to be kind to others?
Vocabulary from "The Three Little Birds"
12 key words from this story with definitions and original context sentences for language learners.
Running after something in order to catch it.
追赶；追逐。
One day he rode out of his castle with his men, chasing deer through the forest.
这一日，他带着猎手骑马出城，追着野鹿进了山林。
Beautiful to look at.
美丽的；标致的。
All three girls were fair to look at, but the queen was the fairest, with hair as pale as flax.
三姐妹个个标致，王后更是出众，一头秀发淡如亚麻。
The unhappy feeling of wanting what someone else has.
嫉妒；眼红。
The two sisters had no children of their own, and jealousy took root in their hearts.
两个妹妹心里却不痛快——她们自己没有孩子，见姐姐做了王后，嫉妒的种子悄悄发了芽。
Shook a little, usually because of fear.
（因害怕而）发抖、战栗。
The sisters heard the song, trembled with fear, and ran away.
两姐妹听得心惊胆战，慌忙逃开。
Breathed out slowly and loudly to show sadness or relief.
叹气；叹息。
The king sighed and said, "Whatever heaven sends is well done."
国王叹道：“上天安排的，总是好的。”
A baby who was left alone and is found and raised by other people.
弃婴；被捡来养大的孩子。
"Go away, foundling!" they shouted.
“一边去，没人要的野孩子！”
A thin stick used for doing magic.
魔杖。
She carried the girl across the water and gave her a wand.
她把女儿背过水去，递给她一根魔杖，细细嘱咐道：
To hit someone or something hard.
打；击打。
When you reach the black dog, strike it across the face, and do not miss.
到了黑狗跟前，照它脸上打去，万不可打空。
Unable to stay still or quiet, wanting to move or do something.
坐不住的；闲不住的。
But the second son was a restless young man.
可老二是个闲不住的人。
A weapon made of a bow fixed on a wooden stock, which shoots short arrows.
弩；弩弓。
After a few days at home, he took his crossbow and went hunting in the hills.
他在家里待了没几天，就背上弩弓进山打猎。
To open up and produce flowers.
开花；绽放。
But the little bird kept singing its song, waiting for the day when the truth would bloom like a white lily.
那只小鸟却日日唱着那支歌，等着真相像白百合一样，从水底开出花来。
Went down on one or both knees, as a sign of respect or of asking for something.
跪下；跪着请求。
At last she knelt before the fisherman and begged him to let her go and look for them.
最后跪在渔夫面前，求他放自己去找两个哥哥。
Reading Together & Learning More
The Moral
One kind word can open a gate that no strength can move; and a truth hidden in the deep water will rise to the light, so long as someone is brave enough to go looking for it.
Educational Value
Children learn that courtesy and kindness are never small things — one sincere blessing can change a whole life. The tale also teaches that evil brings its own punishment and that the truth will finally come out, building empathy and a sense of right and wrong.
Tips for Parents
After reading, compare the three children with your child: the brothers say discouraging words to the old woman, but the sister sincerely wishes her a full basket of fish — and only the sister receives the wand. Ask your child what jealousy drove the two aunts to do, and why the king believed their lies again and again. The villains are burnt at the end; you may pass over that lightly and focus on kindness and truth.
Talk About It
- The brothers say discouraging words to the old woman, but the sister sincerely wishes her a full basket of fish. Do you think that one kind sentence is really what made the old woman help her?
- The old woman tells her to pass the black dog without laughing or looking at it. If you were both curious and scared, could you walk by in silence?
- Because they had no children of their own, the two aunts grew jealous and threw the newborn babies into the water, one after another. Why can jealousy make people do such terrible things?
- The queen is wrongly locked up for years and has no chance to speak for herself, until the little bird sings out the truth. Why do you think it is sometimes so hard to make the truth heard?
- Every time the king is told that the queen "gave birth to an animal," he only says, "Whatever heaven sends is well done," and never checks for himself. If you were the king, what would you do?
