魔    鬼    和    他    的    祖    母   

 从    前    爆    发    了    一    场    大    战   ， 国    王    招    募    了    许    多    士    兵   ， 而    发    给    士    兵    的    军    饷    少    得    可    怜   ， 士    兵    简    直    无    以    聊    生   。 于    是   ， 三    个    士    兵    相    约    逃    跑   。 只    听    一    个    士    兵    对    另    两    个    说   ：" 如    果    我    们    被    抓    住   ， 就    会    被    绞    死   ， 怎    样    才    能    顺    利    地    逃    走    呢   ？" 另    一    个    说   ：" 瞧    那    边    不    是    块    玉    米    地    吗   ？ 如    果    我    们    藏    到    里    面   ， 谁    能    找    到    我    们   ？ 再    说   ， 部    队    又    不    许    进    入    玉    米    地   ， 何    况    明    天    他    们    就    要    出    发    了   ！" 他    们    偷    偷    溜    进    了    玉    米    地   。 不    过    部    队    并    没    有    像    他    们    想    象    的    那    样    出    发   ， 而    是    继    续    驻    扎    在    玉    米    地    的    周    围   。 他    们    三    人    在    里    面    藏    了    两    天    两    夜   ， 简    直    快    饿    死    了   。 如    果    他    们    现    在    就    出    来    那    是    必    死    无    疑    了   。 他    们    想   ：" 如    果    在    这    里    悄    悄    死    去   ， 那    逃    跑    又    有    什    么    意    义    呢   ？" 正    在    这    时   ， 空    中    有    一    条    火    龙   ， 向    他    们    飞    下    来   ， 问    他    们    为    什    么    藏    在    那    儿   。 他    们    告    诉    它    说   ：" 我    们    三    个    都    是    当    兵    的   ， 由    于    军    饷    太    少   ， 就    当    了    逃    兵   。 可    现    在   ， 呆    在    这    里    我    们    只    会    饿    死   ， 就    是    出    去    也    会    被    绞    死   。"" 假    如    你    们    甘    愿    为    我    当    七    年    的    奴    仆   ，" 龙    说   ，" 我    保    证    能    把    你    们    带    出    去   ， 根    本    不    会    被    抓    住   。"" 既    然    如    此   ， 我    们    还    有    什    么    法    子    呢   ？" 他    们    回    答    说   。 于    是    龙    用    爪    子    钳    住    他    们    三    个   ， 飞    过    军    营    的    上    空   ， 最    后    将    他    们    放    到    了    远    处    的    地    上   。 原    来    这    条    龙    不    是    别    人   ， 而    是    一    个    魔    鬼   ， 他    给    了    三    人    一    条    小    鞭   ， 说   ：" 只    要    将    鞭    子    啪    啪    地    抽    响   ， 你    们    四    周    就    会    涌    现    许    多    金    子   ， 要    多    少    就    有    多    少   。 这    样    你    们    就    可    以    过    上    富    翁    的    生    活   ， 有    马    骑   ， 有    车    坐   。 可    七    年    一    过   ， 你    们    就    归    我    啦   ！" 他    拿    着    一    本    簿    子    逼    着    他    们    一    一    签    字   。" 不    过    到    时    后    我    会    给    你    们    一    个    谜    语    猜   ，" 他    接    着    说   ，" 如    果    猜    对    了   ， 你    们    就    自    由    了   ， 不    再    属    我    的    管    束    了   。" 说    完   ， 龙    便    飞    走    了   。

 他    们    就    带    着    鞭    子    开    始    旅    行    了   ， 果    然    他    们    有    了    许    多    金    子   。 他    们    换    上    了    华    丽    的    衣    服   ， 招    摇    过    市   ； 他    们    住    的    是    富    丽    堂    皇    的    宫    殿   ， 出    进    都    是    马    车    来    马    车    去   ， 吃    的    尽    是    山    珍    海    味   。 不    过    他    们    也    没    干    什    么    坏    事   。 时    光    飞    逝   ， 眨    眼    功    夫   ， 七    年    期    限    就    到    了   。 他    们    中    的    两    个    就    焦    虑    不    安    起    来   ， 而    另    一    个    却    不    急    不    慢   ， 只    听    他    说   ：" 兄    弟    们   ， 别    害    怕   ， 我    的    头    脑    够    好    使    的   ， 我    准    能    猜    出    谜    语    的   。" 他    们    来    到    外    面    的    开    阔    地    坐    下   ， 那    两    人    仍    是    神    色    紧    张   。 这    时   ， 一    位    老    太    婆    向    他    们    走    来   ， 问    他    们    为    何    如    此    悲    伤   。" 你    老    要    知    道    干    什    么    呢   ？ 就    是    知    道    了    您    也    帮    不    上    忙   。" 他    们    没    好    气    地    说   。" 只    管    把    你    的    心    事    告    诉    给    我    听   ， 没    准    我    能    帮    得    上    忙   ！" 老    太    婆    说    道   。 于    是    三    人    告    诉    她   ， 他    们    是    魔    鬼    的    仆    人   ， 差    不    多    有    整    整    七    年    了   ， 魔    鬼    给    他    们    弄    来    了    许    多    金    子   ， 多    得    不    计    其    数   ； 不    过    他    们    都    和    魔    鬼    写    了    卖    身    契   ， 如    果    七    年    后    他    们    猜    不    出    谜    语   ， 就    等    于    把    自    己    出    卖    给    魔    鬼    了   。 老    太    婆    听    完    说   ：" 你    们    要    想    得    救   ， 你    们    中    一    人    得    走    进    森    林    里    去   ， 到    一    座    像    小    屋    模    样    的    悬    岩    前   ， 他    得    跨    进    去   ， 以    后    就    能    找    到    救    星   。" 那    两    个    闷    闷    不    乐    的    士    兵    想    道   ：" 这    哪    能    救    我    们   ？" 因    而    坐    着    不    动   。 而    那    个    开    心    的    士    兵    却    站    起    来   ， 径    直    往    森    林    中    走    去   。

 他    找    到    了    石    头    房    并    走    了    进    去   。 屋    里    坐    着    位    老    太    龙    钟    的    老    婆    子   ， 她    就    是    魔    鬼    的    祖    母   。 她    问    士    兵    从    哪    来   ， 到    这    来    要    干    什    么   。 士    兵    把    发    生    的    一    切    都    告    诉    了    她   ， 老    婆    子    很    喜    欢    这    士    兵   ， 动    了    恻    隐    之    心   ， 便    答    应    帮    他   。 他    揭    开    了    地    窖    上    的    一    块    大    石    板   ， 对    士    兵    说   ：" 你    藏    进    去   ， 这    里    你    可    听    到    外    面    的    一    切   ， 千    万    坐    好   ， 不    要    动   。 等    龙    来    了   ， 我    会    问    它    那    个    谜    语   ， 他    会    把    什    么    都    告    诉    我    的   ， 你    仔    细    听    好    啦   。"

 夜    晚    十    二    点   ， 龙    飞    来    要    饭    吃   。 老    祖    母    摆    好    了    桌    子   ， 端    上    酒    菜   。 魔    鬼    很    高    兴   ， 他    一    边    吃    喝   ， 一    边    拉    家    常   。 祖    母    问    它    那    天    过    得    怎    样   ， 得    到    了    多    少    灵    魂   。" 今    天    运    气    可    真    不    好   ，" 它    说   ，" 不    过    我    抓    了    三    个    士    兵   ， 这    可    是    十    拿    九    稳    的   。"" 真    的    吗   ？ 三    个    士    兵   ！ 他    们    可    有    两    下    子   ， 他    们    能    逃    脱    的   。" 魔    鬼    轻    蔑    地    一    笑   ， 说   ：" 他    们    肯    定    归    我   ！ 我    还    有    个    谜    语    给    他    们    猜   ， 不    过    他    们    肯    定    猜    不    出   。" 老    祖    母    问   ：" 是    个    什    么    样    的    谜    语   ？"" 这    我    可    以    告    诉    你   ， 在    辽    阔    的    北    海    有    只    死    长    尾    猿   ， 那    是    他    们    的    烤    肉   ； 一    头    鲸    的    肋    骨    是    他    们    的    银    勺    子   ； 一    条    空    心    的    老    马    腿    是    他    们    的    酒    杯   。" 等    魔    鬼    睡    着    后   ， 老    祖    母    揭    开    石    板   ， 让    士    兵    上    来   ， 说   ：" 这    些    都    记    牢    了    没    有   ？"" 记    住    了   ， 都    记    住    了   ， 这    下    我    得    救    了   。" 随    后    他    从    另    一    条    路    走   ， 悄    悄    地    从    窗    户    爬    了    出    去   ， 以    最    快    的    速    度    跑    到    了    同    伴    身    边   。 他    向    他    们    讲    了    鬼    是    如    何    中    了    它    祖    母    的    计   ， 他    又    怎    样    得    知    了    谜    底   。 这    下    三    个    人    可    高    兴    啦   ， 他    们    拿    起    了    鞭    子   ， 抽    出    了    许    多    金    币   ， 让    它    们    满    地    乱    滚   。

 整    整    的    七    年    过    去    了   ， 魔    鬼    带    着    那    本    簿    子    来    了   ， 他    让    他    们    看    自    己    签    过    的    字   ， 说   ：" 我    将    带    你    们    去    地    狱   ， 让    你    们    在    那    里    吃    顿    饭   ； 你    们    要    是    能    猜    出    会    吃    什    么    样    的    烤    肉   ， 你    们    就    自    由    了   ， 我    们    的    协    议    不    再    生    效   ， 并    且    我    可    以    让    你    们    留    着    这    鞭    子   。" 只    听    第    一    个    士    兵    说    道   ：" 在    辽    阔    的    北    海    有    只    死    长    尾    猿   ， 那    肯    定    是    烤    肉   。" 魔    鬼    又    惊    又    气   ， 又    问    第    二    个   ，" 那    你    们    用    的    是    什    么    勺    子   ？"" 鲸    的    肋    骨    将    是    我    们    的    勺    子   。" 魔    鬼    这    下    气    歪    了    脸   ， 他    咆    哮    着    问    了    第    三    个    问    题   ，" 哼   ！ 你    们    可    知    道    酒    杯    会    是    什    么    吗   ？"" 一    条    老    马    的    腿    将    是    我    们    的    酒    杯   。" 魔    鬼    怒    吼    着    飞    走    了   ， 它    的    魔    力    再    也    管    不    了    他    们    了   。 从    此    他    们    三    人    留    下    了    那    条    鞭    子   ， 需    要    钱    时    就    抽    几    下   ， 一    起    愉    快    地    生    活    着   ， 一    直    到    死   。

Concept and Helping Material