年轻的巨人
导读
这个故事在民俗学里属于'大力汉斯'类型（国际分类 ATU 650A），是欧洲广为流传的'大力士'故事。它最妙的地方，是把两个截然相反的主人公拼进了同一个人身上：开头是格林童话里常见的'拇指儿'——一个拇指大、多年不长个的小不点；可一旦被巨人抱走、喂养六年，他就长成了力大无穷的巨人。从'最小'到'最大'的这一反转，是格林兄弟有意的安排，也让孩子看到：外表的大小，并不决定一个人能成为什么。故事的后半段则是一则痛快的'穷人翻身'幻想：年轻的巨人不要工钱，只要'几脚'或'几拳'当报酬，专门用来对付那些贪婪刻薄的雇主——吝啬的铁匠、贪财的管家，一个个被他捉弄、踢上了天。在那个雇工常被地主盘剥的年代，这样的故事让听的人格外解气。读的时候，不妨和孩子聊一聊：力气大是一种本事，但真正让人佩服的，是他把这份力气用在了哪里？
《年轻的巨人》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 long narrow cut in the ground made by a plough for planting seeds.
犁沟；垄沟（犁地时翻出的长条形沟）。
When he was outside in the field, he took him out again, and set him in a freshly-cut furrow.
到了田里，父亲把他拿出来放在刚犁好的垄沟里。
Fed a baby or young one with milk; nursed.
哺乳；给（幼儿或幼崽）喂奶。
The giant, however, carried him home, suckled him, and Thumbling grew and became tall and strong after the manner of giants.
巨人把他带回家喂养，拇指儿像巨人一样长大，变得高大强壮。
Something of very little importance or difficulty; a small matter.
小事一桩；微不足道的事。
The boy tore up the strongest oak-tree from the earth, so that it split, and that was a mere trifle to him.
男孩把地里最粗壮的橡树拔了出来，树都裂开了，对他来说却只是小事一桩。
Fastened an animal (or oneself) to a cart or piece of equipment with straps in order to pull it.
给（牲畜等）套上挽具；把……套上以便拉动。
Then he harnessed himself to the harrow, and harrowed the whole of the land, using two harrows at once.
然后把自己套在耙上，一次拉着两个耙耙完了整块地。
To make a feeling such as hunger or anger less strong; to satisfy.
平息；缓解；使（饥饿、怒气等）得到满足。
He ate all there was, but it was still not sufficient to appease his hunger.
他吃光了所有的食物，却仍不足以填饱他的肚子。
A young person who works for a skilled worker in order to learn a trade.
学徒；徒弟（跟着师傅学手艺的年轻人）。
So he went away, and gave out that he was a smith's apprentice.
于是他离开了，自称是个铁匠学徒。
A heavy iron block on which metal is hammered and shaped by a smith.
铁砧（铁匠打铁时垫在下面的铁块）。
The iron flew asunder, and the anvil sank so deep into the earth, that there was no bringing it out again.
铁块飞散，铁砧深深陷进地里，怎么也弄不出来了。
A person who loves money and hates to spend any of it.
守财奴；吝啬鬼。
The miser was heartily satisfied, and thought he would thus save much money.
吝啬鬼心满意足，以为能省下一大笔钱。
A deep, narrow valley with steep sides.
峡谷；深沟（两壁陡峭的狭长山谷）。
Not far from the wood was a ravine through which he had to pass.
离森林不远有个峡谷，他必须从那里经过。
A barrier built quickly to block a road or passage.
路障；街垒（临时搭起挡路的障碍物）。
He took trees and brushwood, and made a great barricade, so that no horse could get through.
他用树木和灌木筑了一道大路障，让马过不去。
Believed to be visited by ghosts.
闹鬼的；有鬼魂出没的。
They advised him to send the head-servant to the haunted mill to grind corn by night.
他们建议派工头去闹鬼的磨坊，在夜里磨谷。
Stayed in one place in the air, without moving away.
（在空中）盘旋；悬停。
And they hovered about there in the air, and could not get to each other.
他们在空中盘旋，无法靠近彼此。
延伸阅读与亲子共读
故事寓意
真正的强大不在于力气有多大，而在于把力量用在了什么地方；欺压别人的贪婪，终会自食其果。
教育价值
借夸张幽默的情节，帮助孩子思考'力量与责任'的关系，看清贪婪刻薄的后果；'从最小到最大'的反转也启发孩子重新看待成长与自我。
家长共读提示
巨人力大无穷，却只用力气去对付贪心的雇主。可以问孩子：如果你力气很大，会用它来做什么？帮孩子把'有能力'和'该不该用、怎么用'区分开。
和孩子聊一聊
- 小不点被巨人喂养后变成了大力士。你觉得一个人的'厉害'，是天生就有的，还是可以慢慢练出来的？
- 年轻的巨人不要钱，只要'几脚'当工钱，而且专挑贪心的雇主下手。你觉得他为什么这么做？
- 铁匠和管家都想少给钱、多使唤他，最后却被他捉弄。他们的下场，是自找的吗？
- 力气这么大，他本可以为所欲为。你觉得是什么让他没有变成一个欺负人的坏巨人？
- 如果你也有用不完的力气，你最想用它来做什么？
