格林童话选 英文版 Grimms' Fairy Tales
格林兄弟 Brüder Grimm
THE THREE LANGUAGES
An aged count once lived in Switzerland, who had an only son, but hewas stupid, and could learn nothing. Then said the father: 'Hark you,my son, try as I will I can get nothing into your head. You must gofrom hence, I will give you into the care of a celebrated master, whoshall see what he can do with you.' The youth was sent into a strangetown, and remained a whole year with the master. At the end of thistime, he came home again, and his father asked: 'Now, my son, whathave you learnt?' 'Father, I have learnt what the dogs say when theybark.' 'Lord have mercy on us!' cried the father; 'is that all youhave learnt? 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 haveyou learnt?' He answered: 'Father, I have learnt what the birds say.'Then the father fell into a rage and said: 'Oh, you lost man, you havespent the precious time and learnt nothing; are you not ashamed toappear before my eyes? I will send you to a third master, but if youlearn nothing this time also, I will no longer be your father.' Theyouth remained a whole year with the third master also, and when hecame home again, and his father inquired: 'My son, what have youlearnt?' he answered: 'Dear father, I have this year learnt what thefrogs croak.' Then the father fell into the most furious anger, sprangup, called his people thither, and said: 'This man is no longer myson, I drive him forth, and command you to take him out into theforest, and kill him.' They took him forth, but when they should havekilled him, they could not do it for pity, and let him go, and theycut the eyes and tongue out of a deer that they might carry them tothe old man as a token.
The youth wandered on, and after some time came to a fortress where hebegged for a night's lodging. 'Yes,' said the lord of the castle, 'ifyou will pass the night down there in the old tower, go thither; but Iwarn you, it is at the peril of your life, for it is full of wilddogs, which bark and howl without stopping, and at certain hours a manhas to be given to them, whom they at once devour.' The whole districtwas in sorrow and dismay because of them, and yet no one could doanything to stop this. The youth, however, was without fear, and said:'Just let me go down to the barking dogs, and give me something that Ican throw to them; they will do nothing to harm me.' As he himselfwould have it so, they gave him some food for the wild animals, andled him down to the tower. When he went inside, the dogs did not barkat him, but wagged their tails quite amicably around him, ate what heset before them, and did not hurt one hair of his head. Next morning,to the astonishment of everyone, he came out again safe and unharmed,and said to the lord of the castle: 'The dogs have revealed to me, intheir own language, why they dwell there, and bring evil on the land.They are bewitched, and are obliged to watch over a great treasurewhich is below in the tower, and they can have no rest until it istaken away, and I have likewise learnt, from their discourse, how thatis to be done.' Then all who heard this rejoiced, and the lord of thecastle said he would adopt him as a son if he accomplished itsuccessfully. He went down again, and as he knew what he had to do, hedid it thoroughly, and brought a chest full of gold out with him. Thehowling of the wild dogs was henceforth heard no more; they haddisappeared, and the country was freed from the trouble.
After some time he took it in his head that he would travel to Rome.On the way he passed by a marsh, in which a number of frogs weresitting croaking. He listened to them, and when he became aware ofwhat they were saying, he grew very thoughtful and sad. At last hearrived in Rome, where the Pope had just died, and there was greatdoubt among the cardinals as to whom they should appoint as hissuccessor. They at length agreed that the person should be chosen aspope who should be distinguished by some divine and miraculous token.And just as that was decided on, the young count entered into thechurch, and suddenly two snow-white doves flew on his shoulders andremained sitting there. The ecclesiastics recognized therein the tokenfrom above, and asked him on the spot if he would be pope. He wasundecided, and knew not if he were worthy of this, but the dovescounselled him to do it, and at length he said yes. Then was heanointed and consecrated, and thus was fulfilled what he had heardfrom the frogs on his way, which had so affected him, that he was tobe his Holiness the Pope. Then he had to sing a mass, and did not knowone word of it, but the two doves sat continually on his shoulders,and said it all in his ear.