导读：
流传于世的民间故事
人类文明不朽的声音
地道英文与经典故事的完美结合
英汉对照带来的阅读乐趣
Introduction
Folk tales are traditional stories ‘of the people’ that are handed down from one generation to another by word of mouth. Their purpose is to define cultural beliefs and values, as well as to entertain. Folk tales are usually short narratives which undergo varying degrees of modification as they get passed along from one storyteller to another. The themes and plots of folk tales tend to be universal in nature. That is to say, nearly all folk tales seek to explain some aspect of nature, human or animal behavior.
Folk tales are commonly grouped together with similar narrative forms, such as fables, fairy tales, myths and legends. The range of differences between these story forms tends to vary from slight to significant. The basic elements of plot development are observed in folk tales. For example, plots are typically divided into three parts, i.e. the beginning or introduction, the middle or plot development and the ending or conclusion. Plot development typically revolves around a problem or obstacle which confronts the main character or characters. In the concluding part of the tale, the problem is usually resolved, in one way or another. A unique feature of folk tales is the lesson or moral value that the story seeks to convey to the listener or reader.
The fourteen stories presented in this book are retellings of popular folk tales told around the world. True of folk tales in general, individual ownership or absolute authorship of none of the included stories is claimed. On the contrary, the folk tales selected for this book have been passed down, in one form or another, from one generation to another, and they belong to everyone.
The intent of this book is to introduce the reader to the cultural diversity of the world in which we live. In so doing, it is anticipated that an appreciation for the many similarities that exist between the peoples and cultures of the world will be cultivated and further explored.
引 言
民间故事是用口耳相传的方式一代代流传下来的“老百姓的”传统故事。它们的目的不仅仅是娱乐大众，而且还在于阐释文化信仰与价值观。民间故事通常是短篇的叙事性故事，在从故事的一个讲述者传到另一个讲述者的过程中，其内容会有不同程度的润饰修改。民间故事的主题和情节本质上具有普遍性，也就是说，几乎所有的民间故事都试图对自然界、人类或动物行为的某些方面做出解释。
人们通常把民间故事和寓言、童话、神话、传说归为一类，因为它们在叙述形式上具有相似性。这些故事形式之间的差异程度一般会从微不足道到十分显著，程度不一。我们可以从民间故事中发现情节发展方面的一些基本元素。比如说，情节通常被分为三部分，即开头或引子，中间部分或情节发展部分，以及结局或结尾部分。情节发展部分通常围绕主要人物或多个人物所面临的某个问题或阻碍展开，而在故事的结尾部分，问题总能以这样或那样的方式得到解决。民间故事的一个独特之处就是：它们对听众或读者进行教导，向他们灌输道德观念。
本书呈献给读者的十四个故事重新讲述了一些在世界范围内广泛流传的民间故事。就像民间故事领域里的一般情形一样，没有人声称对本书中的任何一个故事拥有个人所有权或者绝对的著作权。相反，本书所选的这些民间故事都是由一代人以各种形式传递给下一代人的，它们属于每一个人。
本书旨在向读者介绍我们生活于其中的这个世界在文化上的多样性，并希望借此增进人们对世界各民族与文化间诸多共同之处的了解，以及促进对这些共性做进一步的探索。
Acknowledgements
Words of special appreciation are extended to the following colleagues who drafted or suggested folk tales for this book: Kerry M. Lida (‘Winter Is Defeated’, ‘A Hole in the Sky’, ‘Rainstorm’, ‘The Lady of Silk’ and ‘A Meeting in the Forest’); Zhou Jing (‘The Reward’); Anne Kavanagh (‘Beddgelert’); Zhang Li (‘The Jackal and the Brahmin’); Wu Wenquan (‘The Lonely Moon Goddess’).
Zhang Liwei of the Amity Foundation (Nanjing office) requested, supported, encouraged and has patiently waited for the completion of this book. Without his vision, this book would not have been initiated or completed.
There are an innumerable number of Chinese colleagues, students and Amity teachers who read and evaluated the stories prepared for this book. Sincere appreciation is extended to all of them. Thank you Charlotte Presler for your comments and suggestions.
Sincere appreciation is extended to the following administrators of Nantong Teacher’s College, Department of Foreign Languages: Xu Xixiang (former Dean), Dong Jianqiao (Assistant Dean and Director, Computer Lab), Ge Jianhua (Director, Audiovisual Department), Liu Gendong (former Director, Foreign Affairs’ Office), and LüXuefeng (former Foreign Affairs’ Officer).
The wonderful illustrations for this book were done by Professor Wu Yaohua, Art Department, Nantong Teacher’s College, to whom we also owe many thanks.
鸣 谢
我们特别要感谢以下为本书撰写初稿或推荐民间故事的同事们。他们是：克里·M. 利达（《打败冬天》、《天上的洞》、《暴风雨》、《丝绸姑娘》和《森林会议》）、周静（《报答》）、安妮·卡瓦纳（《贝德格勒特》）、张丽（《胡狼和婆罗门》）、吴文权（《孤独的月亮女神》）。
爱德基金会南京办公室的张利伟提出了撰写本书的要求。他给予我们支持与鼓励，并耐心地等待本书杀青。如果没有他的远见卓识，就不会有本书的肇始以及它今天的完成。
举不胜举的中国同事、同学以及爱德基金会的教师们阅读并评估了为本书撰写的故事。在此谨向他们表示诚挚的谢意。尤其要感谢夏洛特·普雷斯勒所提出的意见和建议。
我们还要衷心感谢南通师范学院外语系的以下领导：徐锡祥（前任院长）、董剑桥（院长助理兼计算机室主任）、葛建华（电化教学实验室主任）、刘根东（前任外事办公室主任）和吕雪峰（前任外事办公室官员）。
南通师范学院美术系的吴耀华教授为本书绘制了精美的插图，在此一并感谢。
About the Authors
This book was written over a period of three years. A number of people collaborated and contributed to its realization. Amity teachers, Melvena Green and Kerry Lida created a pilot manuscript of this book in 1998. They selected, revised, edited and also welcomed the contribution and recommendation of stories by other Amity teachers and Chinese colleagues.
The second team of teachers to work on the manuscript included Melvena Green and Zhou Jing, both teachers at Nantong Teacher’s College. In 1999, they undertook the writing of a revised and greatly expanded version of the first manuscript. Four additional stories were added to the original ten.
The final editor and author of the manuscript is Melvena Green. Through her extensive efforts a third and final draft of the book has been refined and made ready for publication.
For all of the contributors and supporters, this book represents a true ‘labor of love’. Without the diligent and persistent effort and dedication of many, many people it would not have been initiated or completed.
Melvena L. Green, Ed. D. (U.S.A.)
Nantong Teacher’s College, 1996—999
and co-editors:
Zhou Jing, B. A. (P. R. of China)
Nantong Teacher’s College
Kerry M. Lida, B. A. (U.S.A.)
Jiangsu Institute of Education, 1997—998
关于本书的作者
本书历时三年写成，是多人通力合作的结晶。1998年，爱德基金会教师梅尔维纳·格林和克里·利达尝试性地创作了本书的初稿。他们筛选故事，对故事进行修改和编辑，并欢迎爱德基金会的其他老师和中国同事们供稿与推荐故事。
对初稿进行加工的第二组老师包括梅尔维纳·格林和周静，他们都任教于南通师范学院。1999年，他们着手对初稿进行修改和大量扩充，在原有十个故事的基础上又增加了四个故事。
书稿最后的编辑与统稿人是梅尔维纳·格林。在她的多方努力下，本书的第三稿也是最后一稿得以修改完成，并准备付梓。
对所有为本书供稿或给予支持的人来说，本书确实是一种“爱的结晶”。正因为有了许许多多人的勤勉工作和不懈努力，才有了本书最初的发起与今天的完成。
梅尔维纳·L.格林
（教育学博士[美]，1996—1999年期间任教于南通师范学院）
合作编著者：
周静（学士[中]，南通师范学院教师）
克里·M.利达（学士[美]，1997—1998年间任教于江苏教育学院） | 
