Chapter 24 23. The language of animals

There was a wealthy businessman who had a son named Bobo who was born smart and eager to learn.His father entrusted him to a rather learned master so that he could learn the languages ​​of various countries. After studying, Bobo returned home.One evening he was walking in the garden with his father.On a tree in the garden, a group of sparrows kept chirping, which made people very disturbed. "I'm deaf from the noise of these sparrows every night," said the merchant, covering his ears with his hands. Bobo said, "Would you like me to translate what they said to you?" His father looked at him in surprise and said, "How do you know what the sparrow said? Are you a fortune teller?"

"No, but my teacher taught me all the animal languages." "My God, what a good use of my money!" said the father. "Why is that teacher so confused? I want him to teach you all the languages ​​​​that humans use, not the languages ​​​​of animals!" "But animal languages ​​are more complex, so Master wants to start by teaching those languages." The family dog ​​barks and runs towards me.Bobo said, "Do you want to know what it says?" "No! Don't bother me with your animal language! My money is for nothing!" They walked along the stream in the garden, and the frogs were singing, and the father complained, "Even the frogs are coming to annoy me."

Bobo then asked: "Father, you want me to explain to you..." "Go to hell with you and the man who taught you like this!" The father, annoyed at seeing the money for his son's education being wasted, thought again that knowing the languages ​​of animals was a wicked art, called two servants, and told them what to do tomorrow. The next morning, as soon as Bobo got up, a servant let him into the carriage and sat down beside him, while another servant sat on the driver's seat, yanked the horses, and the carriage drove away.Bobo didn't know where they were going, but when he saw the sad eyes of the servant sitting beside him, he asked, "Where are we going? Why are you so sad?" But the servant didn't say a word.

At this time, the horses neighed, and Bobo understood their words: "We are on a miserable errand this time, we are going to drag the little master to death." Another horse said: "It's cruel, it was arranged by his father." Bobo said to the servants: "Did you get my father's order to pull me to kill me?" The two servants jumped up and asked, "How do you know?" Bobo said: "These horses told me, if this is the case, kill me now. Why do you want me to wait to die in pain?" "We have no intention of killing you, we are trying to save you!" said the two servants.

At this moment, the dog barked and caught up, and it kept running behind the car.Bobo understood what it meant: "In order to save my little master, I am willing to sacrifice my life!" Bobo said: "Although my father is cruel, I still have trustworthy people, like you, my dear servant, and this dog, who said he would give his life for me at any time." The two servants said: "Then let us kill the dog and bring its heart to the master. And you, little master, run away by yourself." Bobo hugged the servants and his faithful dog tightly, and fled.In the evening he came to a farmhouse and asked the farmer's family to stay with him overnight.Everyone was sitting together having dinner, when a dog barking came from the yard, Bobo listened carefully at the window, and said, "Hurry up, put the women and children on the bed and hide them, and the rest are armed and guarded carefully. A gang of bandits will attack you in the middle of the night."

The farmer's family thought he was talking crazy and asked, "How did you know? Who told you?" "I heard it from the dog, who barked to inform you. Poor dog, it would have been useless if I hadn't been here. If you would listen to me, you would all be saved." So the farmers with their guns lay in ambush behind the fence, and the women and children were left at home.In the middle of the night, one whistle was heard, then another, and after the third whistle a group of people appeared.At this moment, a volley of bullets was fired from the fence, and the robbers were driven away, and two of them fell flat on the ground with their daggers in their hands.

The farmer's family had a good celebration with Bobo. They all hoped that Bobo could stay and live with them, but Bobo said goodbye to everyone and started on the road again. Go, go, in the evening he came to another farmer's house.He was hesitating whether to knock or not to knock, when he heard frogs croaking in the ditch; listening carefully, the two frogs said, "Quick! Throw me that wafer! Give me, give me." If you don’t throw the cake over, I won’t play with you anymore! You won’t get it, it will break by itself! But we have kept it intact for several years!” Bobo approached Look, two frogs are kicking a wafer like a ball.Bobo made a sign of the cross on his chest.

"It's been in this ditch for six years," said a frog. Another said: "Last time, the farmer's daughter was bewitched by the devil, and she didn't take communion, but hid it in her pocket, and took it out of the church and threw it into this ditch." Bobo knocked on the door of the farmer's house.The farmer's family invited him to dinner.During the conversation with the farmer, Bobo learned that he had a daughter who had been ill for six years, and no doctor had diagnosed her disease, and now she was dying. Bobo said: "I'm sure God is punishing her. Six years ago she threw a wafer into the gutter. Just get the wafer back and let her have a holy communion religiously. Her illness will heal without treatment."

The farmer was surprised and asked, "Who did you know these things from?" Bobo said, "From the frog's mouth." The farmer was still dubious, so he searched in the ditch, and found the holy wafer. He brought it back and gave his daughter a Holy Communion, and the daughter was cured immediately.The farmer's family didn't know how to thank Bobo, but he didn't want anything, so he said goodbye to the farmer's family and started on the road again. The weather was hot, and Bobo met two passers-by lying under a chestnut tree to enjoy the shade.He sat down beside them and asked if he could go with them.So the three of them chatted.Bobo asked:

"Where are you two going?" "Go to Rome, haven't you heard that the Pope has passed away, are you preparing to elect a new Pope?" At this time, a flock of sparrows came and settled on the branches of the chestnut tree.Popo said: "This group of sparrows is also going to Rome." "How do you know?" the two men asked. "I understand their language," Bobo said, listening, and then said, "Do you know what they're saying?" "what?" "They said that one of the three of us would be elected pope." At that time, in order to elect the Pope, a pigeon was released in the crowded Piazza San Pietro.Whoever the dove lands on will be elected Pope.The three of them came to the crowded square and squeezed into the crowd.The pigeon flew, flew, and finally landed on Bobo's head.

Amidst the sound of praise and cheers, Popo wore a gorgeous gown and stepped onto the Pope's throne.He stood up and blessed everyone, and the square was quiet.At this time, a loud cry was heard, and an old man fell to the ground and passed out.The new pope hurried over to have a look and recognized his father.The father, remorseful for having ordered his son's death, lay in his arms and begged his son to forgive him before he died. Popo forgave his father, and he went on to become one of the best popes in the Holy See. (Mantua area)