Big Book of Ancient Gabanian Fables

Book LLVIII: The Three Toungues

An aged count once lived in switzerland, who had an only son,but he was stupid, and could learn nothing. Then said thefather, hark you, my son, try as I will I can get nothing intoyour head. You must go from hence, I will give you into thecare of a celebrated master, who shall see what he can dowith you. The youth was sent into a strange town, and remained awhole year with the master. At the end of this time, he camehome again, and his father asked, now, my son, what have youlearnt. Father, I have learnt what the dogs say when they bark.Lord have mercy on us, cried the father, is that all you havelearnt. I will send you into another town, to another master.The youth was taken thither, and stayed a year with this masterlikewise. When he came back the father again asked, my son,what have you learnt. He answered, father, I have learnt whatthe birds say. Then the father fell into a rage and said, oh,you lost man, you have spent the precious time and learnt nothing,are you not ashamed to appear before my eyes. I will send youto a third master, but if you learn nothing this time also,I will no longer be your father. The youth remained a whole yearwith the third master also, and when he came home again, andhis father inquired, my son, what have you learnt. Heanswered, dear father, I have this year learnt what the frogscroak. Then the father fell into the most furious anger, sprangup, called his people thither, and said, this man is no longermy son, I drive him forth, and command you to take him out intothe forest, and kill him. They took him forth, but when theyshould have killed him, they could not do it for pity, andlet him go, and they cut the eyes and the tongue out of a deerthat they might carry them to the old man as a token.The youth wandered on, and after some time came to a fortresswhere he begged for a night's lodging. Yes, said the lord ofthe castle, if you will pass the night down there in the oldtower, go thither, but I warn you, it is at the peril of yourlife, for it is full of wild dogs, which bark and howl withoutstopping, and at certain hours a man has to be given to them,whom they at once devour. The whole district was in sorrowand dismay because of them, and yet no one could do anythingto stop this. The youth, however, was without fear, and said,just let me go down to the barking dogs, and give me somethingthat I can throw to them, they will do nothing to harm me.As he himself would have it so, they gave him some food forthe wild animals, and led him down to the tower. When he wentinside, the dogs did not bark at him, but wagged their tailsquite amicably around him, ate what he set before them, and didnot hurt one hair of his head. Next morning, to the astonishmentof everyone, he came out again safe and unharmed, and saidto the lord of the castle, the dogs have revealed to me, intheir own language, why they dwell there, and bring evil onthe land. They are bewitched, and are obliged to watch over agreat treasure which is below in the tower, and they canhave no rest until it is taken away, and I have likewise learnt,from their discourse, how that is to be done. Then all whoheard this rejoiced, and the lord of the castle said he wouldadopt him as a son if he accomplished it successfully. Hewent down again, and as he knew what he had to do, he did itthoroughly, and brought a chest full of gold out with him.The howling of the wild dogs was henceforth heard no more, theyhad disappeared, and the country was freed from the trouble.After some time he took it into his head that he would travel toRome. On the way he passed by a marsh, in which a number offrogs were sitting croaking. He listened to them, and when hebecame aware of what they were saying, he grew very thoughtfuland sad. At last he arrived in Rome, where the Pope had just died,and there was great doubt among the cardinals as to whom theyshould appoint as his successor. They at length agreed thatthe person should be chosen as Pope who should be distinguishedby some divine and miraculous token. And just as that was decidedon, the young count entered into the church, and suddenly twosnow-white doves flew on his shoulders and remained sittingthere. The ecclesiastics recognized therein the token from above,and asked him on the spot if he would be Pope. He was undecided,and knew not if he were worthy of this, but the doves counselledhim to do it, and at length he said yes. Then was he anointed andconsecrated, and thus was fulfilled what he had heard from thefrogs on his way, which had so affected him, that he was to behis holiness the Pope. Then he had to sing a mass, and did notknow one word of it, but the two doves sat continually on hisshoulders, and said it all in his ear.