三个纺纱女
导读
这是一篇狡黠又好笑的故事，和本站的《侏儒怪》是'近亲'（都属于民间故事里'纺纱难题被神秘帮手化解'的类型，ATU 501）——但两者的'交换条件'天差地别：《侏儒怪》里的小矮人索要的是王后的孩子（多么可怕），而这里的三个纺纱女只要求'请我们喝杯喜酒'（多么轻松）。故事还藏着一个绝妙的机关：三个女人的怪模样，全都是纺纱累出来的——踩踏板踩出一只大扁脚，舔纱线舔出一片耷拉的厚嘴唇，捻线捻出一根宽拇指。所以当王子看到这些'表姐'时，吓得当场下令：以后绝不许美丽的新娘再碰纺车！这样一来，那个'又懒又不肯纺纱'的女孩，反倒如愿以偿地永远摆脱了纺纱。别急着说这是在夸'懒惰'——在过去，纺纱是女人日复一日、没完没了、又累又不讨好的苦活；这个故事其实是老百姓的一点俏皮'白日梦'，替所有厌倦了纺车的人出了口气。读的时候可以和孩子聊聊：这个故事到底是在夸'偷懒'，还是在拿'没完没了的苦差事'开玩笑？
《三个纺纱女》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 punishment or attack in which someone is hit hard many times.
毒打；痛打。
At last the mother became angry and out of patience, and gave her a good beating, so that she cried out loudly.
最后母亲终于发了火，失去了耐心，狠狠地打了她一顿，打得她大声哭叫起来。
Feeling embarrassed or guilty about something.
羞愧的；难为情的。
The woman was ashamed to tell of her daughter's laziness.
做母亲的觉得告诉别人女儿懒惰很丢脸。
To supply or provide something.
供给；提供。
She is for ever at it, and I am poor and cannot furnish her with flax enough.
她没完没了地纺个不停，可我很穷，买不起那么多亚麻。
A low, steady, continuous sound.
嗡嗡声；嘤嘤声。
I like nothing better than the sound of the spinning-wheel, and always feel happy when I hear its humming.
我最爱听纺纱声，一听到纺车嗡嗡响我就高兴。
In one's mind or heart, without showing it.
内心地；暗自地。
The girl was inwardly terrified, for she could not have spun the flax, even if she were to live to be a hundred years old.
女孩听了心里怕得要命，因为哪怕她活到一百岁也纺不完这么多亚麻。
The state of being confused and not knowing what to do.
困惑；茫然；不知所措。
In her perplexity she went and gazed out of the window.
她不知道该怎么办，只好忧心忡忡地望着窗外。
In a way that is unusual and worth noticing.
非常地；引人注目地。
The second had a big under-lip that hung down over her chin, and the third had a remarkably broad thumb.
第二个下嘴唇很大，耷拉在下巴上；第三个长着一只特别宽大的拇指。
Made something slightly wet.
弄湿；润湿。
The first one drew out the thread, the second moistened the thread, the third twisted it.
第一个抽丝，第二个润湿纱线，第三个捻线。
Knocked or tapped sharply and quickly.
急敲；轻叩。
She rapped with her finger on the table, and as often as she rapped a heap of yarn fell to the ground.
她用手指敲击桌子，每敲一下，就有一堆纱线落在地上。
Thread made by spinning, used for knitting or weaving.
纱线；纺线。
As often as she rapped a heap of yarn fell to the ground, and it was most beautifully spun.
她每敲一下，就有一堆纱线落在地上，而且纺得精美绝伦。
Hard-working and careful.
勤勉的；勤奋的。
The bridegroom rejoiced that he should have so clever and diligent a wife, and praised her exceedingly.
新郎因为能娶到一位这么心灵手巧又勤劳的妻子而感到高兴，对她赞赏有加。
Extremely; to a very great degree.
极其；非常。
The bridegroom rejoiced that he should have so clever and diligent a wife, and praised her exceedingly.
新郎因为能娶到一位这么勤劳的妻子而感到高兴，对她赞赏有加。
延伸阅读与亲子共读
故事寓意
无论自己多么得意，也别忘了、别嫌弃帮助过你的人——守住对他们的承诺。
教育价值
让孩子体会民间故事的幽默与机智，学会信守承诺、不以貌取人、不忘恩于人，并思考'勤劳'与'偷巧'的分寸。
家长共读提示
和孩子把它跟《侏儒怪》对照读，比一比两个'帮手'要的东西。也可以聊聊：女孩最值得学的一点，是她没有嫌弃、也没忘记帮过她的丑表姐。
和孩子聊一聊
- 这个故事和《侏儒怪》很像，但帮手要的东西完全不同：一个要孩子，一个只要喝喜酒。你觉得哪个'交换'更公平、更善良？
- 三个纺纱女的怪样子，都是纺纱累出来的。故事这样写，是想告诉我们纺纱这活儿怎么样？
- 女孩其实又懒、又靠别人帮忙、还骗了王后。你觉得她算'聪明'，还是算'投机取巧'？
- 这个故事到底是在夸'偷懒'，还是在拿'没完没了的苦差事'开玩笑？你怎么看？
