The Three Snake-Leaves
Introduction
This tale from the Brothers Grimm turns on three green leaves that can bring the dead back to life. We have retold it as a fable, in the plain, patient voice of a storyteller sharing a lesson by lamplight. The form suits the story well, because at heart this is a tale about gratitude and the lack of it. Chinese readers will hear an old echo. In the fable of the Farmer and the Snake, a man warms a frozen snake, and the snake repays him with a bite. Here the leaves work the other way: they save a human life, yet the ungrateful one is a human being, not a snake. The magic is simple, but it exists to test the heart. The Grimms' ending is harsh, and we keep its direction: treachery is answered with justice, and the betrayers go down in a sinking ship. That severity is part of the old moral arithmetic—every kindness carries a debt, and every betrayal carries a price. As you read together, ask your child who the truly loyal person in the story is, and why a grateful heart matters more than any magic. The leaves may revive the body, but only gratitude keeps a bond alive.
Vocabulary from "The Three Snake-Leaves"
12 key words from this story with definitions and original context sentences for language learners.
Very strong and powerful.
强大的；威力无比的。
At that time, a mighty king was at war.
那时，一个大国的国王正在打仗。
Very strong and violent.
激烈的；凶猛的。
The fight was fierce.
两军相遇，一场恶战。
A serious promise that you make to yourself or to someone else.
誓言；誓约。
When she lay dead, the young man remembered his vow, and the thought of being buried alive chilled his heart.
年轻人想起自己许下的誓言，一想到要活着躺进坟墓，心里阵阵发寒。
A stone room where a dead person is buried.
坟墓；墓室。
On the day of the burial, he was led into the royal tomb with the coffin, and the stone door was shut behind him.
下葬那天，他与棺材一同被送进王家墓室，石门在身后关上，落了闩。
To die or suffer from not having enough food.
挨饿；饿死。
When the food ran out, he would starve.
这些东西吃尽，他就要活活饿死。
A deep feeling of sadness.
悲伤；哀愁。
So he sat in pain and sorrow, eating a little bread and drinking a little wine each day, watching death creep closer.
他满心悲伤地坐着，每天只吃一小口面包，只喝一小口酒，眼睁睁看着死亡一天天逼近。
Moved a little; began to move after being still.
（stir 的过去式）动了动；微微移动。
The snake stirred and came back to life.
蛇动了动，竟活了过来。
To open a door or gate by sliding back the bar that locks it.
拔开门闩；打开（门）。
They knocked and shouted, the guards heard them, and the old king came down to unbolt the door.
他们敲门大喊，守卫听见，报与国王。国王亲自下来开了门。
Great love and loyalty towards someone.
深情；忠贞。
On the voyage, she forgot his kindness and his life-saving devotion, and she took a wicked fancy to the ship's captain.
在船上，她把丈夫的深情厚义、救命之恩全抛在脑后，反倒对船长动了歪心思。
Very bad or evil.
邪恶的；恶毒的。
"I cannot believe she is so wicked, but the truth will come out."
“我不信她会这般歹毒，不过真相自会大白。”
Kindness shown to someone who has done wrong.
宽恕；仁慈。
She fell to her knees and begged for mercy.
她扑通跪下，苦苦哀求饶命。
The state of not being thankful for kindness you have received.
忘恩负义。
And to this day, the tale reminds us that ingratitude is repaid with sorrow, while loyalty wins its reward.
从此以后，人们说起这故事，都要叹一句：忘恩负义，终食其果；忠义之人，自有善报。
Reading Together & Learning More
The Moral
A kindness should be remembered and repaid; those who repay kindness with cruelty will reap what they have sown. Loyalty may go unseen for a while, but in the end it earns its reward.
Educational Value
Helps children feel the weight of gratitude—a drop of kindness deserves a spring in return—and learn to tell true loyalty from false words, as the story shows good and evil each meeting their own reward.
Tips for Parents
The tale has heavy scenes—burial with the dead, betrayal, and a harsh punishment—so read it together and steer the talk toward gratitude and judging character. Ask your child how one should repay a life-saving kindness, and why the faithful servant never put the leaves down.
Talk About It
- The princess's vow says that if he truly loves her, he should be buried with her. Is that true love, or is it an unfair test?
- A snake brings its friend back to life, yet a human being repays kindness with harm. Which one surprised you more, and why?
- The faithful servant saves his master twice and never puts the leaves down. If someone were that loyal to you, how would you show that you value them?
- The old king does not judge at once; he lets the truth come out by itself. Have you ever almost blamed the wrong person? How was it cleared up?
- At the end, the betrayers are sent out in a sinking ship. Is that punishment too harsh? What would you have done instead?
