Prevod

Once upon a time, an old count lived in Switzerland. He had only one son, but the boy was foolish and could learn nothing. At last the father said, "Listen, my son, I cannot get anything into your head, no matter how I try. You must leave this place. I shall put you in the care of a famous master, and let him try his hand with you." The boy was sent to a distant town and stayed with the master for a whole year. When that time was over, he came home again, and his father asked, "Well, my son, what have you learned?" "Father, I have learned what dogs are saying when they bark," he replied. "God have mercy!" cried his father. "Is that all you have learned? I shall send you to another town and another master."

The boy was taken there and stayed with this master for a year as well. When he returned, his father asked him again, "My son, what have you learned?" He answered, "Father, I have learned what the little birds are saying." Then his father flew into a rage and said, "Oh, you good-for-nothing! You have wasted all that precious time and learned nothing, and yet you are not ashamed to show your face before me? I shall send you to a third master, but if you learn nothing this time either, I will no longer be your father." The son stayed with the third master for another whole year, and when he came home again and his father asked, "My son, what have you learned?" he replied, "Dear Father, this year I have learned what frogs are saying when they croak." Then his father flew into a terrible rage, sprang up, called his servants, and said, "This fellow is no longer my son. I cast him out, and I command you to take him into the forest and put him to death." They led him away, but when the time came to kill him, pity would not let them, and they let him go. They cut the eyes and tongue out of a deer so that they could bring the old count proof.

The young man wandered on, and after a while he came to a castle, where he asked for a night's lodging. "Yes," said the lord of the castle, "if you are willing to spend the night down there in the old tower, you may go. But I warn you, your life will be in danger, for it is full of savage dogs that bark and howl without ceasing. At certain hours they must have a human being handed over to them, whom they devour at once." The whole countryside was plunged into grief and sorrow over this, yet no one could help. But the young man was unafraid and said, "Just let me go down to the barking dogs, and give me something to throw to them. They will do me no harm." Since he would have it no other way, they gave him some food for the savage beasts and took him down to the tower. When he went inside, the dogs did not bark at him, but gathered around him, wagging their tails in the friendliest way. They ate what he set before them and did not harm a hair on his head. The next morning, to everyone's astonishment, he emerged safe and sound and said to the lord of the castle, "The dogs have told me in their own language why they dwell there and bring misery upon the land. They are under a curse and must guard a great treasure that lies at the bottom of the tower. They can find no rest until it has been brought to light, and I have also learned from them how this must be done." Everyone who heard this rejoiced, and the lord of the castle said he would adopt him as his son if he succeeded. The young man went down again, and since he knew what he had to do, he accomplished it and brought up a chest filled with gold. From that time on, the howling of the savage dogs was heard no more. They had vanished, and the land was freed from the scourge.

After a while, he took it into his head to travel to Rome. On the way he passed a marsh where frogs were sitting and croaking. He stopped to listen, and when he heard what they were saying, he grew very thoughtful and sad. At last he reached Rome, where the Pope had just died, and the cardinals were greatly divided over whom they should choose as his successor. Finally they agreed that whoever was marked by a miraculous sign from God should be elected Pope. At the very moment this was decided, the young count entered the church, and suddenly two snow-white doves flew down onto his shoulders and remained perched there. The clergy recognized this as a sign from God and asked him on the spot whether he would become Pope. He hesitated, not knowing whether he was worthy, but the doves urged him to accept, and at last he said, "Yes." Then he was anointed and consecrated, and so what he had heard from the frogs along the way, and what had so dismayed him, came to pass: he was to become the Holy Father. Afterward he had to sing a Mass, though he did not know a word of it, but the two doves stayed on his shoulders and whispered everything into his ears.