An aged count once lived in Switzerland, who had an only son, but he was stupid, and could learn nothing. —
曾经有一个年迈的伯爵住在瑞士。他有一个痴呆的独子，什么也学不会。父亲对他说：”听着，我的儿子，我已经尽力了，但是无论如何都无法让你学到任何东西。你必须离开这里， —

Then said the father: —
我会把你交给一个知名的老师，看他能教你些什么。” —

‘Hark you, my son, try as I will I can get nothing into your head. —
年轻人被送到一个陌生的城镇，在那里与那位老师呆了一整年。 —

You must go from hence, I will give you into the care of a celebrated master, who shall see what he can do with you. —
在这段时间结束后，他回到了家，父亲问道：”现在，儿子，你学到了什么？” —

’ The youth was sent into a strange town, and remained a whole year with the master. —
“父亲，我学会了狗叫时所说的话。” 父亲大惊失色地说：”天哪，这就是你学到的全部吗？我会把你送到另一个城镇，找另一位老师。” 年轻人被带到了另一个城镇，和另一位老师呆了一年。 —

At the end of this time, he came home again, and his father asked: ‘Now, my son, what have you learnt? —
当他回来后，父亲再次问道：”儿子，你学到了什么？” 他回答：”父亲，我学会了鸟儿的语言。 —

’ ‘Father, I have learnt what the dogs say when they bark. —
“父亲再次大为震惊，说：” —

’ ‘Lord have mercy on us! —
这就是你学到的全部吗？ —

’ cried the father; —
我无话可说了。” —

‘is that all you have learnt? —
—

I will send you into another town, to another master.’ The youth was taken thither, and stayed a year with this master likewise. —
“Father, I have learnt what the birds say.” （父亲，我学会了鸟儿的语言。） —

When he came back the father again asked: —
“Father, I have learnt what the dogs say when they bark.” —

‘My son, what have you learnt?’ He answered: —
（父亲， —

‘Father, I have learnt what the birds say. —
我学会了狗叫时所说的话。） —

’ Then the father fell into a rage and said: —
随后父亲勃然大怒地说：“哦， —

‘Oh, you lost man, you have spent the precious time and learnt nothing; —
你这个失败者，你浪费了宝贵的时间却什么都没学到； —

are you not ashamed to appear before my eyes? —
你不觉得丢脸吗？ —

I will send you to a third master, but if you learn nothing this time also, I will no longer be your father. —
我要送你去找第三个师傅，但如果这次你还是一无所获，我将不再是你的父亲。 —

’ The youth remained a whole year with the third master also, and when he came home again, and his father inquired: ‘My son, what have you learnt? —
年轻人又跟第三个师傅呆了一整年，当他再次回家，父亲问道：“孩子，你学到了什么？ —

’ he answered: ‘Dear father, I have this year learnt what the frogs croak. —
他回答道：“亲爱的父亲，今年我学到了青蛙的叫声。 —

’ Then the father fell into the most furious anger, sprang up, called his people thither, and said: —
父亲勃然大怒，起身喊来自己的人，说： —

‘This man is no longer my son, I drive him forth, and command you to take him out into the forest, and kill him. —
‘这个人不再是我的儿子，我驱逐他出去，命令你们把他带到森林里杀了他。 —

’ They took him forth, but when they should have killed him, they could not do it for pity, and let him go, and they cut the eyes and tongue out of a deer that they might carry them to the old man as a token.
他们把他带到了森林，但当他们应该杀他时，出于怜悯而无法下手，于是放他走了，并割下了一只鹿的眼睛和舌头作为证明，带回给老人。

The youth wandered on, and after some time came to a fortress where he begged for a night’s lodging. —
年轻人漫游了一段时间后来到一座堡垒，他恳求能在那里过夜。 —

‘Yes,’ said the lord of the castle, ‘if you will pass the night down there in the old tower, go thither; —
‘是的，’堡垒的主人说道，‘如果你愿意在那里的旧塔楼过夜，那就去吧； —

but I warn you, it is at the peril of your life, for it is full of wild dogs, which bark and howl without stopping, and at certain hours a man has to be given to them, whom they at once devour. —
但是我提醒你，这是冒生命危险的，因为塔内住满了野狗，它们不停地叫唤，而且每隔一段时间就需要给它们一名男子，它们会立刻将他吞噬。 —

’ The whole district was in sorrow and dismay because of them, and yet no one could do anything to stop this. —
’全区的人们都愁眉苦脸、心怀恐惧，因为无法阻止这一切。 —

The youth, however, was without fear, and said: —
然而，这位年轻人毫无畏惧，并说道： —

‘Just let me go down to the barking dogs, and give me something that I can throw to them; —
‘让我下去面对这些叫唤的狗吧，并给我些东西可以扔给它们； —

they will do nothing to harm me. —
它们不会伤害我。 —

’ As he himself would have it so, they gave him some food for the wild animals, and led him down to the tower. —
’正如他自己所愿，他们给他一些野兽的食物，然后把他带到了塔中。 —

When he went inside, the dogs did not bark at him, but wagged their tails quite amicably around him, ate what he set before them, and did not hurt one hair of his head. —
当他进入塔内时，狗并没有对他叫唤，而是友好地摇动着尾巴围绕在他身边，吃下他给它们的食物，连他的一根头发也没有伤到。 —

Next morning, to the astonishment of everyone, he came out again safe and unharmed, and said to the lord of the castle: —
第二天早上，令所有人惊讶的是，他再次平安无恙地出现了，并对城堡的主人说道： —

‘The dogs have revealed to me, in their own language, why they dwell there, and bring evil on the land. —
“狗用它们自己的语言向我透露了它们为何居住在那里，并给这片土地带来邪恶。 —

They are bewitched, and are obliged to watch over a great treasure which is below in the tower, and they can have no rest until it is taken away, and I have likewise learnt, from their discourse, how that is to be done. —
它们被施了魔法，被迫守护着塔下的一大笔财宝，只有当这财宝被取走后，它们才能得到安息。我也从它们的对话中了解到了如何做到这一点。 —

’ Then all who heard this rejoiced, and the lord of the castle said he would adopt him as a son if he accomplished it successfully. —
” 听到此言，所有人都欢欣鼓舞，城堡的主人表示，如果他成功完成这个任务，他将收他为养子。 —

He went down again, and as he knew what he had to do, he did it thoroughly, and brought a chest full of gold out with him. —
他再次下了去，因为他知道该怎么做，他把一箱满满的黄金带了出来。 —

The howling of the wild dogs was henceforth heard no more; —
从此以后再也听不到野狗的嗥叫声了； —

they had disappeared, and the country was freed from the trouble.
它们消失了，这片土地也摆脱了困扰。

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 were sitting croaking. —
过了一段时间，他突然想要去罗马旅行。在路上，他经过了一个沼泽地，里面坐着一些青蛙在呱呱叫。 —

He listened to them, and when he became aware of what they were saying, he grew very thoughtful and sad. —
他听着它们的声音，当他听清楚它们在说什么时，他变得非常思考和伤感。 —

At last he arrived in Rome, where the Pope had just died, and there was great doubt among the cardinals as to whom they should appoint as his successor. —
最后，他到达了罗马，那时教皇刚刚去世，红衣主教们对于接下来该任命谁作为他的继任者产生了很大的疑虑。 —

They at length agreed that the person should be chosen as pope who should be distinguished by some divine and miraculous token. —
他们最终决定，应该选择那位因某些神迹和奇迹而脱颖而出的人作为教皇。 —

And just as that was decided on, the young count entered into the church, and suddenly two snow-white doves flew on his shoulders and remained sitting there. —
就在他们决定这个问题的时候，这位年轻的伯爵走进了教堂，突然两只雪白的鸽子飞到了他的肩膀上，并停在那里。 —

The ecclesiastics recognized therein the token from above, and asked him on the spot if he would be pope. —
教士们从中认出了上天给予的信号，并当场询问他是否愿意成为教皇。 —

He was undecided, and knew not if he were worthy of this, but the doves counselled him to do it, and at length he said yes. —
他犹豫不决，不知道自己是否配得上，但是这两只鸽子劝告他做这件事，最终他说了是。 —

Then was he anointed and consecrated, and thus was fulfilled what he had heard from the frogs on his way, which had so affected him, that he was to be his Holiness the Pope. Then he had to sing a mass, and did not know one word of it, but the two doves sat continually on his shoulders, and said it all in his ear.
然后他被膏抹和祝圣，这样就实现了他在路上听到的青蛙的预言，他将成为他的圣洁教皇。然后他必须唱一场弥撒，但他不懂一句话，但两只鸽子一直坐在他的肩膀上，耳边说着所有的词句。