格林童话为何如此阴森

童书可以在多大程度上让人不适？格林兄弟的时代给出了极致的答案。

双语精读

Children's literature: Grimm's stuff

儿童文学：阴森的格林童话

How unpleasant should children's books be? In the Grimms' day, the answer was very. Though, as Ms Schmiesing points out, their stories were not really intended for children.

童书可以在多大程度上让人不适？格林兄弟的时代给出了极致的答案。不过，正如施米辛指出的，格林兄弟故事的最初受众其实不是儿童。

The Grimms were linguists, not novelists; their aim was preservation, not entertainment. Industrialisation had started to creep through the ancient forests of Germany, destroying habitats, species and stories as it went.

格林兄弟是语言学家而非小说家，他们的目的是保存故事，而非娱乐。彼时工业化已经开始侵蚀德国的古老森林，破坏了栖息地、物种和口述传统。

Narrative naturalists, they wanted to pluck Germany's native species of story from its fields and press them between the pages of their anthology before such tales went extinct.

作为叙事自然主义者，格林兄弟想从德国的田野中采撷本土故事品种，在这些故事消亡之前，将它们压制成文字标本收录于书中。

The aim might have been scholarly, but the result was an unexpected children's bestseller. Not everyone approved: early readers complained about the darkness. Even the very structure of these stories was gloomy: the famous "happily ever after" ending alternated with the glummer "And if they haven't died, they're still alive."

他们的初衷可能是学术性的，但却意外成就了一本畅销童书。不是每个人都赞成这种文风：早期读者就曾抱怨这些故事太过黑暗。甚至连这些故事的结构都很阴郁：经典童话的“幸福结局”常被“如果没死，就还活着”的冷峻叙述替代。

The Grimms responded briskly: take the nasty bits away from children's books and you may as well "blindfold" youngsters so they cannot see at all.

格林兄弟对此进行了犀利反驳：删减童书中的黑暗内容无异于蒙住孩子的双眼，这只会让他们变得盲目。

A look at the bestseller chart shows that books that sell sweetness do well. One ever-popular title is "Guess How Much I Love You" (1994), in which Little Nutbrown Hare spends his days trying to tell Big Nutbrown Hare how much he loves him and does not, alas, experience an agonising death.

反观现代畅销书排行榜就会发现，贩卖甜蜜的书籍表现出色。有一本名为《猜猜我有多爱你》的童书自1994年首次出版以来至今仍经久不衰，在这个故事里，小兔子终日对大兔子进行真情告白，未曾体验生命消逝的痛苦。

The bestselling book in America in a recent ten-year period was not Shakespeare or even Dan Brown but Dr Seuss's "Oh, the Places You'll Go!". Silly, scatological tomes, such as "The Fart that Changed the World", are also in vogue.

最近十年里，美国最畅销的书不是莎士比亚的作品，甚至也不是丹·布朗的作品，而是苏斯博士的《你要去的地方》。诸如《改变世界的屁》这类以屎尿屁为卖点的无厘头读物，同样也风靡一时。

Children's literature has never been just for children: adults happily read "Harry Potter" and Philip Pullman. All good children's writers know that they are "writing for a double audience", says Cressida Cowell, a former children's laureate in Britain and the author of the "How to Train Your Dragon" series.

儿童文学从来就不仅仅是给儿童读的：成年人也很乐意读《哈利·波特》和菲利普·普尔曼的作品。英国前桂冠儿童作家、《驯龙高手》系列的作者克蕾西达·考威尔表示，所有优秀的儿童作家都知道自己应该“为双重受众而写作”。

There is the child being read to and the adult doing the reading: "The very best children's books…work on both levels." Fashions in children's literature tend to have great "swerves" says Mr Leith, followed by "massive over-compensation".

有正在听大人读书的孩子，也有正在读书的大人：“最优秀的儿童读物……需要兼顾双重读者。”出版人利思指出，童书潮流总在极端间摇摆，随之而来的就是“大量的过度补偿”。

After a recent testy period, tensions have calmed a little: attempts to censor books fell in America from January through August 2023. Penguin, after noisy complaints, reinstated the fizzwiggling parts of Dahl.

在经历了最近的一段动荡时期后，紧张局势有所缓和：从2023年1月到8月，美国审查书籍的行为有所减少。企鹅出版社也在舆论压力下恢复了达尔作品中被删减的“毒舌”段落。

Children's books are certainly not as dark as they were in the Grimms' time, nor do they need to be. But perhaps more parents will crave books for their children that better balance dark and light, happily ever afters with big bad wolves.

如今童书早已不像在格林时代时那样残酷，也无需再度复刻。但或许更多家长会渴望为孩子们找到一些能够更好地平衡黑暗与光明的读本，让孩子们既能体味幸福结局，也不再惧怕森森狼影。

词汇预习

species [高考]
美[ˈspiːʃiːz] | 英[ˈspiːʃiːz]
n. 种类；（单复同）物种
Shakespeare [高考]
美[ˈʃeɪkspir] | 英[ˈʃeɪkspɪər]
n. 莎士比亚（英国诗人、剧作家）
haven [高考]
美[ˈheɪvn] | 英[ˈheɪvn]
n. 港口；避难所
v. 安置 ... 于港中；庇护
stuff [高考]
美[stʌf] | 英[stʌf]
n. 东西；原料；材料
n. 素质；本质；废物；无用的想法；废话，蠢话
vt. 塞满；填满
preservation [高考]
美[ˌprezərˈveɪʃn] | 英[ˌprezəˈveɪʃn]
n. 保存；维护；防腐
massive [高考]
美[ˈmæsɪv] | 英[ˈmæsɪv]
adj. 巨大的；大量的；大规模的；大范围的；严重的
extinct [高考]
美[ɪkˈstɪŋkt] | 英[ɪkˈstɪŋkt]
adj. 灭绝的；熄灭的；消亡的
compensation [高考]
美[ˌkɑːmpenˈseɪʃn] | 英[ˌkɒmpenˈseɪʃn]
n. 补偿；赔偿；赔偿金
former [高考]
美[ˈfɔːrmər] | 英[ˈfɔːmə(r)]
adj. 前者的；前任的；以前的
n. 创造者；[英]学校某一年级的学生
creep [高考]
美[kriːp] | 英[kriːp]
vi. 蹑手蹑脚地走；爬；渐渐出现；蔓延；毛骨悚然
n. 卑鄙小人；爬；徐行；蠕动
nasty [高考]
美[ˈnæsti] | 英[ˈnɑːsti]
adj. 下流的；严重的；令人不快的；难懂的；危害的
gloomy [四级]
美[ˈɡluːmi] | 英[ˈɡluːmi]
adj. 阴暗的；忧闷的；前景黯淡的
pluck [四级]
美[plʌk] | 英[plʌk]
v. 摘；猛拉；拔；拨弹（乐器）
n. 猛拉；勇气；动物内脏
happily [四级]
美[ˈhæpɪli] | 英[ˈhæpɪli]
adv. 幸福地；快乐地；幸好；恰当地
look at [四级]
美[lʊk æt] | 英[lʊk æt]
（仔细地）看；着眼，考虑
may as well [四级]
美[meɪ æz wel] | 英[meɪ æz wel]
conj. 最好 ...；还是 ... 的好
scholarly [六级]
美[ˈskɑːlərli] | 英[ˈskɒləli]
adj. 学术性的；学究气的；学者派头的
censor [六级]
美[ˈsensər] | 英[ˈsensə(r)]
n. 检查员；监察官
vt. 检查
sweetness [六级]
美[ˈswiːtnəs] | 英[ˈswiːtnəs]
n. 美味；芳香；甜美
not as [六级]
美 | 英
不如...那样
crave [六级]
美[kreɪv] | 英[kreɪv]
v. 渴望；热望；迫切需要；恳求
fell [专四]
美[fel] | 英[fel]
vt. 砍伐；击倒
n. 丘原；沼泽地
adj. 凶残的；毁灭性的
anthology [专八]
美[ænˈθɑlədʒi] | 英[ænˈθɒlədʒi]
n. 选集；文选
laureate [专八]
美[ˈlɔriət] | 英[ˈlɒriət]
n. 荣誉获得者，获奖者；桂冠诗人
adj.戴桂冠的；有戴桂冠资格的；(桂冠)用月桂树造的
v. 使戴桂冠；任命为桂冠诗人
vogue [专八]
美[voʊɡ] | 英[vəʊɡ]
n. 时尚；流行
trying [专八]
美[ˈtraɪɪŋ] | 英[ˈtraɪɪŋ]
adj. 难受的；令人厌烦的

重点讲解

Children’s literature: Grimm’s stuff

儿童文学：阴森的格林童话

be intended for 设计为...所有/所用，为...所准备

（英文释义：be meant or designed for ‘a particular person or group’ to have or use）

【例】This benefit is intended for people incapable of work.

这一津贴是为无劳动能力的人而设定的。

【拓展】intend v. 想要；打算；计划

（英文释义：have ‘a course of action’ as one’s purpose or intention; plan）

【例】The company intends to cut about 4,500 jobs.

公司打算裁员4500人左右。

How unpleasant should children's books be? In the Grimms' day, the answer was very. Though, as Ms Schmiesing points out, their stories were not really intended for children.

童书可以在多大程度上让人不适？格林兄弟的时代给出了极致的答案。不过，正如施米辛指出的，格林兄弟故事的最初受众其实不是儿童。

be intended for 设计为...所有/所用，为...所准备

（英文释义：be meant or designed for ‘a particular person or group’ to have or use）

【例】This benefit is intended for people incapable of work.

这一津贴是为无劳动能力的人而设定的。

【拓展】intend v. 想要；打算；计划

（英文释义：have ‘a course of action’ as one’s purpose or intention; plan）

【例】The company intends to cut about 4,500 jobs.

公司打算裁员4500人左右。

The Grimms were linguists, not novelists; their aim was preservation, not entertainment. Industrialisation had started to creep through the ancient forests of Germany, destroying habitats, species and stories as it went.

格林兄弟是语言学家而非小说家，他们的目的是保存故事，而非娱乐。彼时工业化已经开始侵蚀德国的古老森林，破坏了栖息地、物种和口述传统。

preservation n. 保护；保养；维护

（英文释义：the action of preserving something）

【例】food preservation 食物保存

【拓展】preserve v. & n.

1. 作动词，保护，维护

（英文释义：maintain ‘something’ in its original or existing）

【例】He was anxious to preserve his reputation.

他急于维护自己的名声。

2. 作名词，（某人或群体活动、工作等的）专门领域

（英文释义：an activity, a job, an interest, etc. that is thought to be suitable for one particular person or group of people）

【例】Football is no longer the preserve of men.

足球再也不是男人的专利了。

creep v. & n.

1. 作动词

（1）蹑手蹑脚地行走；悄悄地行进

（英文释义：When people or animals creep somewhere, they move quietly and slowly.）

【例】I crept up the stairs, trying not to wake my parents.

为了尽量不吵醒父母，我蹑手蹑脚地上了楼。

（2）渐渐蔓延

（英文释义：If something creeps somewhere, it moves very slowly.）

【例】Mist had crept in again from the sea.

大雾再次从海上渐渐蔓延过来。

2. 作名词，讨厌鬼，可恶的人

（英文释义：a person that you dislike very much and find very unpleasant）

【例】He’s a nasty little creep!

他真让人讨厌！

【拓展】give someone the creeps 使某人感到毛骨悚然

make one’s flesh creep 感到厌恶；使起鸡皮疙瘩

Narrative naturalists, they wanted to pluck Germany's native species of story from its fields and press them between the pages of their anthology before such tales went extinct.

作为叙事自然主义者，格林兄弟想从德国的田野中采撷本土故事品种，在这些故事消亡之前，将它们压制成文字标本收录于书中。

preservation n. 保护；保养；维护

（英文释义：the action of preserving something）

【例】food preservation 食物保存

【拓展】preserve v. & n.

1. 作动词，保护，维护

（英文释义：maintain ‘something’ in its original or existing）

【例】He was anxious to preserve his reputation.

他急于维护自己的名声。

2. 作名词，（某人或群体活动、工作等的）专门领域

（英文释义：an activity, a job, an interest, etc. that is thought to be suitable for one particular person or group of people）

【例】Football is no longer the preserve of men.

足球再也不是男人的专利了。

creep v. & n.

1. 作动词

（1）蹑手蹑脚地行走；悄悄地行进

（英文释义：When people or animals creep somewhere, they move quietly and slowly.）

【例】I crept up the stairs, trying not to wake my parents.

为了尽量不吵醒父母，我蹑手蹑脚地上了楼。

（2）渐渐蔓延

（英文释义：If something creeps somewhere, it moves very slowly.）

【例】Mist had crept in again from the sea.

大雾再次从海上渐渐蔓延过来。

2. 作名词，讨厌鬼，可恶的人

（英文释义：a person that you dislike very much and find very unpleasant）

【例】He’s a nasty little creep!

他真让人讨厌！

【拓展】give someone the creeps 使某人感到毛骨悚然

make one’s flesh creep 感到厌恶；使起鸡皮疙瘩

他们的初衷可能是学术性的，但却意外成就了一本畅销童书。不是每个人都赞成这种文风：早期读者就曾抱怨这些故事太过黑暗。甚至连这些故事的结构都很阴郁：经典童话的“幸福结局”常被“如果没死，就还活着”的冷峻叙述替代。

briskly adv. 迅速地；活泼地；尖刻地

【例】He entered the room briskly and stood near the door.

他轻快地进入房间，靠近门站着。

【拓展】brisk adj.

1. 快的，敏捷的

（英文释义：quick; busy）

【例】a brisk walk 轻盈的步履

2. 干脆利索的

（英文释义：someone who is brisk behaves in a busy, confident way which shows that they want to get things done quickly.）

【例】His tone became brisk and businesslike.

他的语气变得自信干练而务实。

The Grimms responded briskly: take the nasty bits away from children's books and you may as well "blindfold" youngsters so they cannot see at all.

格林兄弟对此进行了犀利反驳：删减童书中的黑暗内容无异于蒙住孩子的双眼，这只会让他们变得盲目。

briskly adv. 迅速地；活泼地；尖刻地

【例】He entered the room briskly and stood near the door.

他轻快地进入房间，靠近门站着。

【拓展】brisk adj.

1. 快的，敏捷的

（英文释义：quick; busy）

【例】a brisk walk 轻盈的步履

2. 干脆利索的

（英文释义：someone who is brisk behaves in a busy, confident way which shows that they want to get things done quickly.）

【例】His tone became brisk and businesslike.

他的语气变得自信干练而务实。

反观现代畅销书排行榜就会发现，贩卖甜蜜的书籍表现出色。有一本名为《猜猜我有多爱你》的童书自1994年首次出版以来至今仍经久不衰，在这个故事里，小兔子终日对大兔子进行真情告白，未曾体验生命消逝的痛苦。

agonising adj. 使人十分痛苦的；令人焦虑不安的；带来巨大困难的

（同agonizing, causing great pain, anxiety or difficulty）

【例】It was the most agonizing decision of her life.

这是她一生中最痛苦的决定。

【拓展】agonize v. 苦苦思索，焦虑不已

（英文释义：to spend a long time thinking and worrying about a difficult situation or problem）

【搭配】agonize over/ about sth 为某事而痛苦焦虑

【例】I didn’t agonize over the problem.

我没有因为这个问题感到苦恼。

最近十年里，美国最畅销的书不是莎士比亚的作品，甚至也不是丹·布朗的作品，而是苏斯博士的《你要去的地方》。诸如《改变世界的屁》这类以屎尿屁为卖点的无厘头读物，同样也风靡一时。

in vogue 正在流行；变得流行

（英文释义：If something is in vogue, it is very popular and fashionable. If it comes into vogue, it becomes very popular and fashionable.）

【例】Crochet garments are in vogue this season.

这一季节流行钩针编织服装。

儿童文学从来就不仅仅是给儿童读的：成年人也很乐意读《哈利·波特》和菲利普·普尔曼的作品。英国前桂冠儿童作家、《驯龙高手》系列的作者克蕾西达·考威尔表示，所有优秀的儿童作家都知道自己应该“为双重受众而写作”。

swerve v. & n.

1. 作动词，使突然转向

（英文释义：change or cause to change direction abruptly）

【例】She swerved sharply to avoid a cyclist.

她猛地急转弯，以躲开一个骑自行车的人。

2. 作名词，突然转弯

【例】He swung the car to the left and that swerve saved Malone's life.

他把车猛转向左边，那一转救了马隆的命。

There is the child being read to and the adult doing the reading: "The very best children's books…work on both levels." Fashions in children's literature tend to have great "swerves" says Mr Leith, followed by "massive over-compensation".

有正在听大人读书的孩子，也有正在读书的大人：“最优秀的儿童读物……需要兼顾双重读者。”出版人利思指出，童书潮流总在极端间摇摆，随之而来的就是“大量的过度补偿”。

swerve v. & n.

1. 作动词，使突然转向

（英文释义：change or cause to change direction abruptly）

【例】She swerved sharply to avoid a cyclist.

她猛地急转弯，以躲开一个骑自行车的人。

2. 作名词，突然转弯

【例】He swung the car to the left and that swerve saved Malone's life.

他把车猛转向左边，那一转救了马隆的命。

在经历了最近的一段动荡时期后，紧张局势有所缓和：从2023年1月到8月，美国审查书籍的行为有所减少。企鹅出版社也在舆论压力下恢复了达尔作品中被删减的“毒舌”段落。

crave v. 渴望

（英文释义：to have a very strong desire for sth）

【例】She has always craved excitement.

她总渴望刺激。

【拓展】long for 渴望

【搭配】crave for 渴求

【例】Will craved for family life.

威尔渴望着过家庭生活。

Children's books are certainly not as dark as they were in the Grimms' time, nor do they need to be. But perhaps more parents will crave books for their children that better balance dark and light, happily ever afters with big bad wolves.

如今童书早已不像在格林时代时那样残酷，也无需再度复刻。但或许更多家长会渴望为孩子们找到一些能够更好地平衡黑暗与光明的读本，让孩子们既能体味幸福结局，也不再惧怕森森狼影。

crave v. 渴望

（英文释义：to have a very strong desire for sth）

【例】She has always craved excitement.

她总渴望刺激。

【拓展】long for 渴望

【搭配】crave for 渴求

【例】Will craved for family life.

威尔渴望着过家庭生活。

课后练习

What was the initial aim of the Grimms' stories?
A. To provide entertainment for children.
B. To create fictional novels for a wide audience.
C. To describe the process of industrialization in Germany.
D. To preserve Germany's native stories before they disappeared.
What kind of children's books are popular today?
A. Books with dark themes and fascinatingly scary characters.
B. Books that are scholarly and educational to young children.
C. Books that are written or recommended by celebrities.
D. Books that are sweet and positive or silly and fun.
The readers of children's books are ____.
A. children at a young age
B. both children and teenagers
C. both children and their parents
D. mainly adults who buy the books
What kind of books do parents desire for their children?
A. Books that are completely free of any dark elements.
B. Books that are dark yet revealing, like the Grimms' fairy tales .
C. Books that achieve a balance between positive and negative elements.
D. Books that are highly censored, with the controversial parts removed.