The Three Languages
Grimm's Fairy Tales
In a big, old castle, a Count paced back and forth. He had a son, but oh dear, the Count thought his son wasn't very clever at all. "He learns nothing!" the Count grumbled. "I'll send him to a wise teacher."
So, off the boy went. A year later, he returned. "What have you learned, son?" asked the Count.
"Father," said the boy, "I learned what the dogs bark about!"
The Count sighed. "Is that all? What a waste! Off to another teacher you go."
After another year with a new teacher, the boy came home. "And now, what have you learned?" the Count asked, hoping for something better.
"Father," the boy replied, "I learned what the birds chirp about!"
The Count threw his hands up. "Birds? First dogs, now birds! One last chance. Go to a third teacher."
A year later, the boy stood before his father again. "Tell me, please tell me you've learned something useful!" begged the Count.
"Father," said the boy proudly, "I learned what the frogs croak about!"
The Count was so cross, he told his son to leave and never come back.
The boy wandered far and wide until he came to a spooky tower. Dogs were barking wildly! But the boy understood them. "They're guarding treasure!" he realized. He spoke to the dogs in their own language, and they wagged their tails and let him pass to find gold and jewels.
He traveled on and reached a great city called Rome. Just then, the Pope, the most important person in the church, had passed away. Everyone wondered who would be next. Suddenly, two white doves flew down and landed on the boy’s shoulders! "It's a sign!" the people cried. "He will be our new Pope!"
The boy was a bit worried. He didn't know all the important songs and prayers. But that night, as he sat by a pond, he heard the frogs croaking. And guess what? They were croaking the very words he needed to know! He listened carefully, and the next day, he was a wonderful Pope, all thanks to the languages he had learned.
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