The Silver Pine Cones

adapted from a German folk tale · 德国民间故事 · 善心换银果

Long ago, there lived a man with his wife and children. Misfortune came to the family when the man fell ill and could not work. Soon, there was hunger in the house. To make matters worse, they had no wood for fire to warm their house.

One day, the wife announced that she was going to the forest to search for pine cones. She dreamed of gathering enough to sell at the market and buy food for her family.

With a basket in hand, she began to gather cones. Thinking about her misery, she began to cry. Suddenly, a small man with white hair and a beard appeared. "Who are you?" he asked with anger. "And why are you stealing my pine cones?"

The wife fell to her knees and apologized to the strange little man. "I am so sorry," she exclaimed. "I should not be stealing your cones." She explained the cause of her sadness. The man listened and gently said, "You must leave my cones here, but go further to the next grove of trees. The pine cones there are much better."

The woman did as she was told. When she got there, she was tired and sat to rest a moment. Suddenly, pine cones fell from the trees, filling her basket to the brim. The frightened woman ran all the way home, the basket growing heavy as she ran.

Upon arriving home, she discovered why. The pine cones had turned to silver!

The woman went to the market and sold some of the precious silver cones. She purchased food and everything the family needed. The children ate well, but her sick husband could not eat.

The woman returned to the forest, found the little man, and thanked him with all her heart. "It is my pleasure," replied the man. Then, he gave her a leaf from a forest plant. "Cook this and give it to your sick husband," he instructed. The woman did as she was told, and her husband soon became healthy.

The family had all they needed for the rest of their lives. In honour of the strange little man’s kindness, they kept one of the silver cones. And every day, they thanked him for his kindness.

The Silver Pine Cones — adapted from a German folk tale

Long ago, there lived a man with his wife and children. Misfortune came to the family when the man f(1)__________ ill and could not work. Soon, there was hunger in the house. To make matters worse, they had no wood for fire to w(2)__________ their house.

One day, the wife announced that she was going to the forest to s(3)__________ for pine cones. She d(4)__________ of gathering enough to sell at the market and buy food for her family.

With a basket in hand, she began to gather cones. Thinking about her misery, she began to cry. Suddenly, a small man with white hair and a beard a(5)__________. "Who are you?" he asked with anger. "And why are you stealing my pine cones?"

The wife fell to her knees and a(6)__________ to the strange little man. "I am so sorry," she exclaimed. "I should not be stealing your cones." She e(7)__________ the cause of her sadness. The man listened and gently said, "You must leave my cones here, but go further to the next g(8)__________ of trees. The pine cones there are much better."

The woman did as she was told. When she got there, she was tired and sat to rest a moment. Suddenly, pine cones fell from the trees, f(9)__________ her basket to the brim. The frightened woman ran all the way home, the basket growing heavy as she ran.

Upon arriving home, she d(10)__________ why. The pine cones had turned to silver!

The woman went to the market and sold some of the precious silver cones. She purchased food and everything the family needed. The children ate well, but her sick husband could not eat.

The woman returned to the forest, found the little man, and thanked him with all her heart. "It is my pleasure," replied the man. Then, he gave her a leaf from a forest plant. "Cook this and give it to your sick husband," he instructed. The woman did as she was told, and her husband soon became healthy.

The family had all they needed for the rest of their lives. In honour of the strange little man’s kindness, they kept one of the silver cones. And every day, they thanked him for his kindness.

📌 重点单词 · Key Vocabulary

🔗 重点词组 · Key Phrases

💡 语法小贴士 · Grammar Tips

🌲 文化拓展 · 森林里的小矮人与感恩的心

本文改编自德国民间故事（German folk tale）。在德国及北欧的民间传说中，森林里常住着神秘的小矮人（如格林童话中的矮人与地精），他们考验路人：心怀善意、知错就改的人会得到意想不到的回报，而贪婪无礼的人会受到惩罚。妻子偷摘松果后立刻下跪道歉、如实说明难处，正是她获得银松果的关键——诚实与谦卑本身就是"通行证"。

故事中的"银松果"呼应了格林童话《 silver pine cones 》式的经典母题：善良的人不劳而获的是"点石成金"的恩赐，但故事的高明之处在于——小矮人不仅给了她银子，还给了她一片治病的树叶。财富解燃眉之急，健康才是长久之福，两样恩赐缺一不可。

结尾 "In honour of the strange little man’s kindness, they kept one of the silver cones." 令人回味：一家人没有把最后一颗银松果卖掉换钱，而是留作纪念、天天感恩。真正让家庭走出困境的，不只是银子，更是"记住别人的好"这颗心。知恩、感恩、报恩，正是这则民间故事想传递给孩子的品德课。