Fairy Tales 童话
特快英语每周一话题，今天我们将要一起讨论的话题就是你最喜欢的童话故事是哪个？
大部分的人都很喜欢童话故事，这里提到的有三个比较经典的童话：杰克与魔豆、豌豆公主与三只公山羊。
有些人喜欢幸福的结局。但是有人觉得他们很傲慢，有很多俗套的地方。
现在让我们一起来听听其他英国人的看法吧。
What's your favourite fairy tale? 你最喜欢的童话故事是哪个？
This is how some people in London answered this and other questions:
Presenter: How do you feel about fairy tales? 你对神话故事是怎么看的？
Woman 1: They’re magical, we love them.
Man 1: I think that sometimes it is a bit patronising towards children to tell them about, you know, stories about how they should behave. And it’s very much... there are so many stereotypes.
Woman 2: I like them. I think they’re cool. I think it is nice to believe in and read fairy tales.
Presenter: Did you have any favourite fairy tales or folk tales when you were younger? 你小的时候有没有最喜欢的童话和民间故事?
Woman 2: Probably Jack and the Beanstalk.
Woman 1: I like the Princess and the Pea. I don’t know why. I just used to like that one quite a lot.
Man 2: I used to like Billy Goats Gruff.
Did you know…?你知道吗…?
Fact
Fairy tales were told or enacted and handed down from generation to generation. The oldest known written fairy tales appeared in ancient Egypt, around 1300 BC.
Language tip
It is traditional to start fairy tales with the words 'Once upon a time'. 'Upon' also means 'on' but it is rarely used because it can sound too formal. E.g. I rely upon/on my servants to move my heavy luggage.
Cultural tip
In some tales from Bangladesh the wicked stepmother of European fairy tales is replaced by a jealous wife.