大拇指儿
导读
把格林童话《大拇指儿》改写成寓言体，是想让今天的孩子像古人听寓言那样，一边听故事，一边琢磨道理：这一回，大拇指儿又靠什么脱了险？在中国民间，有句老话说“尺有所短，寸有所长”——个头再小，也有别人比不上的长处。这则寓言的道理正是如此：身量小不等于本事小，机灵和胆量才是真正的看家本领。格林原版里，汤姆被牛吞下、又被饿狼吃掉的曲折情节，后世许多绘本嫌画面太“重”而删去了；其实正是这些险境，最能让孩子体会“临危不乱”四个字的分量。共读时，不妨每遇一险就停下来问一问：这一次，大拇指儿靠的是力气，还是脑子？愿这则灯下小故事，在孩子心里种下一颗“再难也有办法”的种子。
《大拇指儿》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。
The long straps you pull to guide a horse.
缰绳；牵马的带子。
You are smaller than the reins.
你还没有缰绳长。
A very large amount of money.
一大笔钱；财富。
If we show this little fellow in town, we will make a fortune.
把这小人儿带到城里展览，定能赚大钱。
Confused; not sure what is happening.
疑惑不解的；摸不着头脑的。
They were puzzled, so they followed the cart into the forest.
他们满心疑惑，便悄悄跟在车后，想看个究竟。
Moved suddenly and very quickly.
猛地冲过去；飞快地跑开。
The man set him down in a field — and Tom Thumb darted into a mouse hole in a flash.
那人便把他放到田里——小家伙一溜烟钻进了一个老鼠洞。
Walked slowly and heavily, because tired.
步履沉重地走；拖沓地走。
At last they trudged home with empty purses and heavy hearts.
末了只得拖着空钱袋，垂头丧气地回家。
Suddenly surprised or frightened.
受惊的；吓一跳的。
The thieves were startled, but they found him at last and lifted him up.
两个小偷吓了一跳，循着声音找了好一阵，才把他捧起来。
Jumped suddenly.
猛地跳起。
She leapt out of bed and flung open the door, crying, "Thieves! Thieves!"
她一骨碌跳下床，推开门大喊抓贼。
Small and crowded, without enough space.
狭小拥挤的；局促的。
He woke in the dark, cramped place and knew at once where he was.
他迷迷糊糊醒来，只觉四周又黑又挤，登时明白自己到了什么地方。
One big mouthful, swallowed at once.
一大口；一口吞下。
Tom struggled to work his way out, and he had just poked his head free when a hungry wolf ran up and swallowed the whole stomach in one gulp.
小家伙正费劲地往外钻，刚探出脑袋，一头饿狼蹿过来，一口把整个胃吞了下去。
Ate a large amount of good food.
大吃一顿；饱餐。
That very night he squeezed through the drain and feasted in the store room.
当晚就从水沟钻进储藏室，放开肚皮大吃。
Bending low, with the body close to the ground.
蹲伏着；蜷着身子。
Through the crack they saw a wolf crouching in the room.
从门缝里瞧见屋里蹲着一只狼。
A loud, continuous, unpleasant noise.
喧嚣声；嘈杂的响声。
Inside the wolf, he yelled and kicked and raised a terrible din.
他在狼肚子里又喊又叫，翻来滚去，闹出好大的动静。
延伸阅读与亲子共读
故事寓意
身量小不等于本领小；遇事不慌、善用智慧，再小的身板也能闯过天大的难关。
教育价值
让孩子懂得：人的价值不在个头或力气，而在头脑与胆识；同时学习在慌乱中先冷静下来，再动脑筋想办法。
家长共读提示
读完后，和孩子一起数数大拇指儿遇上过几回险、每回靠什么脱身；再问问孩子：家里有没有什么难题，“小办法”也能派上大用场？用“如果你是……”的提问，把寓言的道理带回日常生活。
和孩子聊一聊
- 大拇指儿小得连缰绳都握不住，却能赶车。你觉得他靠的到底是什么？
- 两个商人想买下大拇指儿去城里展览赚钱，父亲一开始说什么也不肯卖。如果你是父亲，你会怎么决定？
- 被牛吞、被狼吃，换了别人早就吓坏了，大拇指儿却还能想主意。遇事不慌，为什么这么管用？
- 故事结尾，大拇指儿说“想来想去，还是家里最好”。他在外面经历了那么多，为什么最后最想念的仍是家？
- 如果你也变成拇指那么大，你能做到哪些大人做不到的事？
