玻璃瓶中的妖怪
导读
《玻璃瓶中的妖怪》（民俗学分类 ATU 331）里有一个几乎人人都会喜欢的经典桥段：一个被放出来的强大精灵反要杀掉救命恩人，机智的年轻人却用一句'我才不信你能再钻回那个小瓶子'把它诱骗回瓶中。这个'激将法收妖'的妙计，和《一千零一夜》里著名的《渔夫与魔鬼》如出一辙——那位阿拉伯渔夫也是这样把巨大的魔鬼骗回铜瓶的。同一个聪明办法，跨越了欧洲与阿拉伯两大传统，可见好故事是会旅行的。这个故事还藏着一层不寻常的背景：瓶中妖怪自称'墨丘利'（Mercurius）。在古代炼金术里，墨丘利正是'水银之灵'的名字；而妖怪送的那块能把铁变成银子的神布，也正是炼金术'点铁成金'幻想的写照——格林童话里带有这么明显炼金术色彩的故事并不多见。此外，故事对'读书'也有一份温柔的肯定：父亲一度嘲笑儿子'满脑子学生的把戏，却不会砍柴'，可正是这份读书人的机敏，加上一点冒险的胆量，最终让他成了全世界最有名的医生。读的时候，不妨和孩子聊一聊：面对那个要杀他的妖怪，年轻人靠的是力气，还是脑子？
《玻璃瓶中的妖怪》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。
Happy and in good spirits.
高兴的；愉快的；兴致好的。
The son helped his father and was quite cheerful and full of energy.
儿子帮着父亲，心情愉快，充满活力。
A very small amount of money.
微薄的钱；一点点收入或积蓄。
The little pittance that the father had saved was all spent, and the boy had to return home to him.
父亲攒下的微薄积蓄全都花光了，儿子不得不回家回到父亲身边。
To reach or stretch all the way across something.
横跨；（用手臂）合抱；跨越。
He came to an enormous oak that was certainly many hundred years old, and that five men would not have been able to span.
他来到一棵巨大的橡树前，这树肯定有几百岁了，五个人也合抱不过来。
(Of a sound) not clear, as if coming from behind something.
（声音）低沉的；沉闷模糊的；被捂住般的。
He became aware of someone calling out with a muffled voice, "Let me out. Let me out."
他察觉到有人用闷闷的声音喊道：'放我出去。放我出去。'
A stopper for closing a bottle, often made from soft bark.
瓶塞；软木塞。
The student, thinking no evil, pulled the cork from the bottle.
学生没想什么坏事，拔掉了瓶塞。
In a brave way, without being afraid.
无所畏惧地；勇敢地。
"No," replied the student fearlessly. "How should I know that?"
'不知道，'学生无畏地回答，'我怎么会知道那个？'
In a proud way, as if you think you are better than others.
傲慢地；自大地。
The spirit said arrogantly, "that is an easy trick," pulling himself in and making himself as thin and short as he had been before.
妖怪傲慢地说，'这是个简单的把戏，'于是把身子缩回去，变得像以前一样细小。
Tricked someone into believing something that is not true.
欺骗；蒙骗。
He was scarcely inside when the student pushed the cork back into the bottle, and threw it back where it had been among the oak roots. And thus the spirit was deceived.
它刚进去，学生就把瓶塞塞回瓶子，把它扔回原来的橡树根下。就这样妖怪被骗了。
To risk doing something, even though it may be dangerous.
冒险尝试；大胆去做。
The student thought, "I will venture it. Perhaps he will keep his word, and in any event he will not get the better of me."
学生想：'我还是冒险试试吧。也许它会守信用，反正它也占不了我的便宜。'
A strip of cloth used to cover and protect a wound.
绷带；裹伤布。
"Now you shall have your reward," he said, handing the student a little rag that looked just like a small bandage.
'现在你会得到你的奖赏，'它说着递给学生一块小破布，看起来就像一小块绷带。
Became less strong or calmed down.
（情绪、风浪等）平息；减弱；消退。
His anger had now subsided, so the father at last let himself be talked into going home with him.
父亲的怒气消了，最后被说服和他一起回家了。
A person who makes things out of gold and other precious metals.
金匠；金饰工匠。
The son picked up the ax and took it into town to a goldsmith, who tested it, weighed it.
儿子拿起斧子进城去找金匠，金匠测试并称重后……
延伸阅读与亲子共读
故事寓意
面对比自己强大的对手，智慧和沉着往往比蛮力更管用；而知识与善良，终会把人引向更好的命运。
教育价值
鼓励孩子遇事动脑、临危不乱，体会知识的价值与感恩之心；也借'瓶中精灵'这一跨文化母题，打开孩子看世界故事的眼界。
家长共读提示
可以和孩子一起把这个'骗妖怪回瓶'的计策，与《一千零一夜》里的渔夫故事对照着讲；再聊一聊：年轻人赚到钱后，最先想到的是谁？
和孩子聊一聊
- 年轻人被妖怪威胁要扭断脖子，他没有硬拼，而是想了个办法把妖怪骗回瓶子。你觉得他最聪明的地方在哪里？
- 第一次放出妖怪差点送命，年轻人却又决定第二次放它出来。这样做是勇敢，还是太冒险？如果是你会不会放？
- 父亲一开始嘲笑儿子'只会读书、不会干活'。到故事结尾，读书到底有没有用？
- 年轻人有了花不完的钱，第一件事是加倍赔偿邻居、让父亲安享晚年。这说明他是个怎样的人？
- 如果你有那块神布，一端能治伤、一端能把铁变成银子，你会先用它来做什么？
