魔鬼的三根金头发
导读
《魔鬼的三根金头发》在民俗学里属于'魔鬼胡子上的三根头发'故事类型（国际分类 ATU 461），它巧妙地把两个古老母题织在了一起。第一个是'越想阻止、越会成真'的预言：国王听说穷孩子命中注定要娶自己的女儿，便千方百计要害死他——把他装进箱子扔进河里、用书信下达死令——可每一次谋害，反而把预言一步步推向实现。这和古希腊俄狄浦斯的故事如出一辙：命运越是被人躲避，越是迎面而来。第二个母题更耐人寻味：国王让少年亲手送去一封'见信即杀此人'的信。这种'送信人带着要自己性命的信'的桥段，最早可追溯到《圣经》中大卫王写给乌利亚的信，也出现在希腊神话的英雄柏勒洛丰身上——几千年来，讲故事的人一直用它来揭示'算计他人者终害自己'。故事里那个'带着胎膜出生'的幸运儿，和《幸运的汉斯》一样，源自欧洲'出生带胎膜＝一生有福'的古老民间信仰。读这个故事，不妨和孩子聊一聊：国王一次次使坏，为什么到头来害的却是他自己？
《魔鬼的三根金头发》词汇精讲
本故事精选 12 个重点词汇，附中英释义与原文例句，帮助孩子扩展英语词汇量。
A thin piece of the birth membrane that is sometimes found covering a newborn baby's head; long believed to bring good luck.
胎膜（婴儿出生时偶尔覆在头上的一层薄膜，旧时认为是好运的象征）。
As he came into the world with a caul on, it was predicted that in his fourteenth year he would have the King's daughter for his wife.
因为这孩子出生时头顶着胎膜，所以预言家预言他在十四岁时将娶国王的女儿为妻。
A statement that says what will happen in the future.
预言；预示（对未来将要发生之事的宣告）。
The King, who had a bad heart, and was angry about the prophecy, went to the parents.
国王心肠狠毒，对这个预言非常生气，便找到了那对父母。
A man who wants to marry a particular woman.
求婚者；追求者（想娶某位女子为妻的男子）。
Then he threw the box into it and thought, 'I have freed my daughter from her unlooked-for suitor.'
他把箱子扔进水里，心想：'我终于让女儿摆脱了这个不速之客般的求婚者。'
A baby or young child that has been abandoned and is found and cared for by others.
弃儿；被遗弃后由他人拾得抚养的孩子。
They took great care of the foundling, and he grew up in all goodness.
他们悉心抚养这个弃儿，他也在善良中渐渐长大。
Not guilty of doing anything wrong; harmless.
无辜的；清白的；没有恶意的。
It is an innocent child who has lost himself in the forest, and out of pity I have let him come in.
这是个在森林里迷了路的无辜孩子，我出于怜悯才让他进来。
A hidden place where wild animals live, or where criminals gather.
（野兽的）巢穴；（坏人聚集的）窝点、老巢。
You poor boy, you have come into a den of thieves, and when they come home they will kill you.
可怜的孩子，你闯进了一个强盗窝，他们回来会杀了你的。
Gave someone the responsibility of taking care of something.
委托；托付（把某事交给某人负责）。
He asked the youth what had become of the letter entrusted to him, and why he had brought another instead of it.
国王问少年，交给他的那封信怎么了，为什么带回了另一封。
To go to another place to get something and bring it back.
去取来；把（某物）拿回来。
Whosoever marries my daughter must fetch me from hell three golden hairs from the head of the devil.
谁想娶我的女儿，就必须去地狱把魔鬼头上的三根金头发给我取回来。
Biting something again and again with the teeth.
啃；咬（反复用牙齿咬）。
A mouse is gnawing at the root; if they killed this they would have golden apples again.
有只老鼠在啃咬树根；只要把它杀掉，就又能结金苹果了。
Making a loud, rough noise while breathing during sleep.
打鼾；打呼噜。
Before long he was fast asleep, snoring and breathing heavily.
不一会儿他就沉沉睡去，鼾声大作，呼吸沉重。
Wanting much more of something (such as money) than you need.
贪婪的；贪心的。
The greedy King set out in all haste, and when he came to the river he beckoned to the ferry-man to put him across.
贪婪的国王急忙出发，来到河边，招手让摆渡人送他过河。
Spoke angrily to someone because they had done something wrong.
责备；训斥；数落。
His grandmother scolded him.
他的奶奶责备了他。
延伸阅读与亲子共读
故事寓意
处心积虑地加害别人，往往最终害的是自己；而善良、勇敢与守信，会为人带来真正的好运。
教育价值
帮助孩子理解'善有善报、恶有恶报'的朴素正义观，体会守信与同情的力量；三道谜题与解答的结构，也锻炼孩子的记忆和因果推理。
家长共读提示
国王写了封害人的信，最后却自食其果。可以和孩子讨论：如果事先就知道做坏事会反过来伤到自己，你还会做吗？为什么？
和孩子聊一聊
- 国王一次又一次想害死这个孩子，可每次反而帮了孩子。你觉得这是为什么？
- 强盗本是坏人，却因为一时不忍，改写了那封要人性命的信。你怎么看强盗这一次的选择？
- 幸运儿一路上答应帮泉水、金苹果树和摆渡人解决难题，回来时真的记着答案告诉了他们。这说明他是个怎样的人？
- 故事说他'一生带着好运'。你觉得他的好结局，只是因为运气好，还是也和他的性格有关？
- 贪心的国王最后自己被困在船上不停摆渡。如果你是他，在河边听到'岸上遍地是金子'，会不会也忍不住去？
