三片蛇叶
导读
《三片蛇叶》是格林童话里一则古老而奇特的故事（民俗学分类 ATU 612），它把两个极其久远的母题织在了一起。第一个是'蛇与起死回生的草叶'：主人公亲眼看见一条蛇用三片绿叶救活了被砍断的同伴，于是学着用它救活了亡妻。这个母题的年代深不可测——早在古希腊神话里，先知波吕伊多斯就是看见一条蛇用草救活同伴，才用同样的草救活了米诺斯国王之子格劳科斯；更古老的《吉尔伽美什史诗》里，那株能让人返老还童的'不死草'，也正是被一条蛇偷走的。为什么偏偏是蛇？也许因为蛇会蜕皮重生，古人便把它看作掌握着死与生秘密的动物。第二个母题更耐人寻味：妻子被丈夫用近乎生命的深情从死亡中救回，复活之后却变了心，反过来谋害恩人。故事借此抛出一个尖锐的问题——一个人的本性，真的能被恩情改变吗？（那位两次救主的忠仆，则让人想起《忠实的约翰》里同样的赤诚。）需要提醒的是，故事开头'配偶死了要陪葬'的设定，以及后面的背叛与惩罚都比较沉重，更适合大一点的孩子，家长最好陪着读、边读边聊。读的时候，不妨问问孩子：救了别人一命，就一定能换来对方的感激吗？
《三片蛇叶》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。
Defeated an enemy or took control by force.
征服；战胜；攻克。
Then the others followed him, and he pressed on and conquered the enemy.
其他人听了都跟随他，他冲锋陷阵，最终战胜了敌人。
A serious promise.
誓言；郑重的承诺。
She had made a vow to take no one as her lord and husband who did not promise to let himself be buried alive with her if she died first.
她发过誓，如果谁想成为她的丈夫，必须承诺如果她先死，他就要被活埋在她身边。
Performed (a wedding or other ceremony) formally.
隆重举行（婚礼等仪式）。
Then the King consented, and the wedding was solemnized with great splendour.
于是国王同意了，婚礼在这个巨大的荣耀中隆重举行。
An underground room, often used for burying the dead.
地下墓室；墓穴；地窖。
He was taken down into the royal vault with it and then the door was shut and bolted.
他随尸体一同被带进皇家墓穴，随后大门被关上并锁死。
A box in which a dead body is buried.
棺材；灵柩。
Near the coffin stood a table on which were four candles, four loaves of bread, and four bottles of wine.
棺材旁放着一张桌子，上面有四根蜡烛、四个面包和四瓶酒。
A dead body.
尸体；死尸。
When the day came when the corpse was to be buried, he was taken down into the royal vault with it.
安葬尸体的日子到了，他随尸体一同被带进皇家墓穴。
Cut off or cut apart.
被切断的；断开的。
Immediately the severed parts joined themselves together, the snake moved, and became alive again.
立刻，断开的部分连接在了一起，那条蛇动了起来，复活了。
The tubes in the body through which blood flows back to the heart.
静脉；血管。
And hardly had he done this than the blood stirred in her veins, rose into her pale face, and coloured it again.
他刚做完这些，血液就在她的血管里流动起来，涌上苍白的脸庞，使它再次变得红润。
Faithfulness and loyalty to a person or promise.
忠诚；忠实；忠贞。
She forgot the great love and fidelity which he had shown her, and which had been the means of rescuing her from death.
她忘记了他对她表现出的伟大的爱和忠诚——正是这爱将她从死亡中拯救出来。
People who betray someone who trusts them.
背叛者；叛徒。
He unfastened a little boat from the ship, got into it, sailed after his master, and let the traitors go on their way.
他解开船上的一只小船，坐上去划向主人，任由那两个叛徒继续前行。
A person who helps another commit a crime.
同谋；帮凶。
Then she was placed with her accomplice in a ship which had been pierced with holes, and sent out to sea.
于是，她和她的同谋被装上一艘凿了洞的船，推向大海。
So shocked or surprised that you cannot speak or move.
惊呆的；如遭雷击的；目瞪口呆的。
When the woman saw her husband, she was thunderstruck, and fell on her knees and begged for mercy.
当那女人看到自己的丈夫时，如同被雷击中一般，跪倒在地祈求宽恕。
延伸阅读与亲子共读
故事寓意
深情与忠诚固然可贵，但并非人人都懂得感恩；识人要看长久的品性，而真正的忠诚（如那位仆人）终会派上用场、得到回报。
教育价值
引导孩子思考'付出与感恩''本性能否被改变'等较深的问题，看清忠诚与背叛的对比；也接触'起死回生的蛇草'这一贯穿古希腊神话与《吉尔伽美什》的世界性古老母题。
家长共读提示
故事较为沉重（陪葬、背叛、惩罚），建议家长陪读，把重点放在'感恩'与'识人'的讨论上；可与《忠实的约翰》里的忠仆对照着聊。
和孩子聊一聊
- 公主要求丈夫发誓'如果她先死就陪葬'，还说'如果他真爱我，之后活着还有什么意义'。你觉得这是真正的爱，还是太自私了？
- 年轻人是看着一条蛇怎么救活同伴，才学会用蛇叶救人的。从别人（或别的生物）身上学到本领，你有过类似的经历吗？
- 妻子被丈夫用深情救活，复活后却谋害他。你觉得是什么让她变了心？恩情真的改变不了一个人的本性吗？
- 忠诚的仆人一直随身带着蛇叶，两次救了主人。如果他当初嫌麻烦没带，会怎么样？
- 国王没有立刻惩罚女儿，而是先让真相'自己说话'。你觉得这样处理好在哪里？
