童話以象征和隱喻的方式把人類生活中某些寶貴的價值以及可能出現的欺騙、踐踏、侵犯行為告訴給兒童，并教給兒童對付類似的邪惡行為的辦法。兒童在聽或讀童話時，會在無意識層面上獲得這些教益，這些教益將深深地埋在兒童的心靈深處。當遭遇到類似的情景時，這些教益將會在無意識層面上自動地促使兒童如何反應，因而它們將會使兒童大受其益。下面是有關《鰈魚》的格林童話，我們一起閱讀與學習下面的中英文版本吧。

　　魚類王國一直就沒有秩序可言，魚兒們對此早就很不滿意了。 它們誰都不為別人讓路，左游右游，想怎樣就怎樣，它們或是在那些聚在一起的魚中間橫沖直闖，或是任意擋他人的道。 大的總是用它們的尾巴摔打弱小的魚，把它們趕得遠遠的，或者不由分說地吃掉它們。 它們說："要是我們中間有個國王，他既能實施法律，又能主持正義，那該多好啊!"于是大伙兒商議，誰能在浪潮中游得最快，又能幫助弱小者，就選它為王。

　　它們在海邊列隊排好。 狗魚用它的尾巴發出信號，于是大伙兒一塊兒往前趕。 狗魚像箭一樣地向前沖出了很遠，緊跟其后的有青魚、白楊魚、鱸魚、鯉魚，還有其它所有的魚。

　　甚至連鰈魚也加入了它們的行列，并希望取勝。 這時突然傳來一聲喊聲，"青魚最先!青魚最先!""誰最先?"那個愛猜忌的鰈魚，已遠遠地落在了后面，口里卻憤怒地叫道，"誰最先?""青魚!青魚!"有魚答道。 這家伙更是妒火中燒，口里直嚷嚷，"那個身子光溜溜的青魚?那個身子光溜溜的青魚?"從此以后，鰈魚受了罰，嘴歪長了。

　　鰈魚英文版：

　　The sole

　　The fishes had for a long time been discontented because no order prevailed in their kingdom. None of them turned aside for the others, but all swam to the right or the left as they fancied, or darted between those who wanted to stay together, or got into their way; and a strong one gave a weak one a blow with its tail, which drove it away, or else swallowed it up without more ado. "How delightful it would be," said they, "if we had a king who enforced law and justice among us!" and they met together to choose for their ruler, the one who could cleave through the water most quickly, and give help to the weak ones.

　　They placed themselves in rank and file by the shore, and the pike gave the signal with his tail, on which they all started. Like an arrow, the pike darted away, and with him the herring, the gudgeon, the perch, the carp, and all the rest of them. Even the sole swam with them, and hoped to reach the winning-place. All at once, the cry was heard, "The herring is first!" - "Who is first?" screamed angrily the flat envious sole, who had been left far behind, "who is first?" - "The herring! The herring," was the answer. "The naked herring?" cried the jealous creature, "the naked herring?" Since that time the sole's mouth has been at one side for a punishment.