The Three Languages
三种语言
An aged count once lived in Switzerland(Switzerland n.瑞士(欧洲中部国家))，who had an only son，but he was 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 go from hence，I will give you into the care of a celebrated master，who shall see what he can do with you.”The youth was sent into a strange town，and remained a whole year with the master.At the end of this time，he came home again，and his father asked，“Now，my son，what have you learnt.”“Father，I have learnt what the dogs say when they bark.”“Lord have mercy on us，”cried the father，“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.When he came back the father again asked，“My son，what have you 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 have spent the precious(precious adj.宝贵的，贵重的，珍爱的，过于精致的，珍爱的)time and learnt nothing，are you not ashamed to appear before my eyes.I will send you to a third master，but if you learn nothing this time also，I will no longer be your father.”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.”He answered，“Dear father，I have this year learnt what the frogs croak(croak vt.用嘶哑的声音说).”Then the father fell into the most furious anger，sprang up，called his people thither，and said，“This man is no longer my son，I drive him forth，and command you to take him out into the forest，and kill him.”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 the tongue out of a deer that they might carry them to the old man as a token(token n.表示，向征，记号，代币).
从前，在瑞士住着一位老伯爵，他有一个独生儿子。可这小家伙挺蠢，真是什么也学不会。一天，父亲对他说：“听着，我的孩子，我想尽了一切办法，你还是什么也装不进脑袋里去。你必须离开家里，我要把你交给一位名师，让他来管教你。”于是，小伙子被送到一座陌生的城市里，在名师家中呆了整整一年。一年过后，他又回到家里，于是父亲问他：“啊，我的儿子，你学到了什么？”“爸爸，我学会了当狗叫的时候听他们在说什么。”他回答。“上帝怜悯我们吧，”父亲一听嚷起来，“这就是你所学的一切吗？我要送你去另外一座城市，把你交给另一位老师管教！”小伙子于是又去另一座城市，在另一位教师处也呆了一年。他回家来，父亲又问：“我的儿子，你学到了什么？”他回答：“爸爸，我学会了听鸟语。”父亲勃然大怒，说：“呵！你这没出息的东西，花了这么宝贵的时间啥也没学会，还有脸来见我吗？我决定送你去第三位老师那儿子，可你要是这次仍旧什么也学不会，我就不再做你的父亲！”儿子在第三位教师那里同样呆了一年。他回到家，父亲问：“我的儿，你学到了什么？”他回答：“亲爱的爸爸，在这一年里，我学会了听蛙鸣。”父亲一听火冒三丈，跳起来，召集全家，宣布说：“这个人不再是我的儿子，我要把他赶出家门。我命令你们，把他带进森林里并且杀掉。”家里人带他进了森林，可要杀他却狠不下心，只好放他走了。他们挖出一头鹿眼睛和舌头，拿回去给老伯爵作物证。