AnagedcountoncelivedinSwitzerland, whohadanonlyson, buthewasstupid, andcouldlearnnothing. Thensaidthefather: 'Harkyou, myson, tryas I will I cangetnothingintoyourhead. Youmustgofromhence, I willgiveyouintothecareof a celebratedmaster, whoshallseewhathecandowithyou.' Theyouthwassentinto a strangetown, andremained a wholeyearwiththemaster. Attheendofthistime, hecamehomeagain, andhisfatherasked: 'Now, myson, whathaveyoulearnt?' 'Father, I havelearntwhatthedogssaywhentheybark.' 'Lordhavemercyonus!' criedthefather; 'isthatallyouhavelearnt? I willsendyouintoanothertown, toanothermaster.' Theyouthwastakenthither, andstayed a yearwiththismasterlikewise. Whenhecamebackthefatheragainasked: 'Myson, whathaveyoulearnt?' Heanswered: 'Father, I havelearntwhatthebirdssay.' Thenthefatherfellinto a rageandsaid: 'Oh, youlostman, youhavespenttheprecioustimeandlearntnothing; areyounotashamedtoappearbeforemyeyes? I willsendyouto a thirdmaster, butifyoulearnnothingthistimealso, I willnolongerbeyourfather.' Theyouthremained a wholeyearwiththethirdmasteralso, andwhenhecamehomeagain, andhisfatherinquired: 'Myson, whathaveyoulearnt?' heanswered: 'Dearfather, I havethisyearlearntwhatthefrogscroak.' Thenthefatherfellintothemostfuriousanger, sprangup, calledhispeoplethither, andsaid: 'Thismanisnolongermyson, I drivehimforth, andcommandyoutotakehimoutintotheforest, andkillhim.' Theytookhimforth, butwhentheyshouldhavekilledhim, theycouldnotdoitforpity, andlethimgo, andtheycuttheeyesandtongueoutof a deerthattheymightcarrythemtotheoldmanas a token.
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Theyouthwanderedon, andaftersometimecameto a fortresswherehebeggedfor a night's lodging. 'Yes,' saidthelordofthecastle, 'ifyouwillpassthenightdownthereintheoldtower, gothither; but I warnyou, itisattheperilofyourlife, foritisfullofwilddogs, whichbarkandhowlwithoutstopping, andatcertainhours a manhastobegiventothem, whomtheyatoncedevour.' Thewholedistrictwasinsorrowanddismaybecauseofthem, andyetnoonecoulddoanythingtostopthis. Theyouth, however, waswithoutfear, andsaid: 'Justletmegodowntothebarkingdogs, andgivemesomethingthat I canthrowtothem; theywilldonothingtoharmme.' Ashehimselfwouldhaveitso, theygavehimsomefoodforthewildanimals, andledhimdowntothetower. Whenhewentinside, thedogsdidnotbarkathim, butwaggedtheirtailsquiteamicablyaroundhim, atewhathesetbeforethem, anddidnothurtonehairofhishead. Nextmorning, totheastonishmentofeveryone, hecameoutagainsafeandunharmed, andsaidtothelordofthecastle: 'Thedogshaverevealedtome, intheirownlanguage, whytheydwellthere, andbringevilontheland. Theyarebewitched, andareobligedtowatchover a greattreasurewhichisbelowinthetower, andtheycanhavenorestuntilitistakenaway, and I havelikewiselearnt, fromtheirdiscourse, howthatistobedone.' Thenallwhoheardthisrejoiced, andthelordofthecastlesaidhewouldadopthimas a sonifheaccomplisheditsuccessfully. Hewentdownagain, andasheknewwhathehadtodo, hediditthoroughly, andbrought a chestfullofgoldoutwithhim. Thehowlingofthewilddogswashenceforthheardnomore; theyhaddisappeared, andthecountrywasfreedfromthetrouble.