There was once a wealthy merchant and his wife. They had one son, named Ivan. The merchant had a bird stuck in a tiny cage and he said: "If only I knew what the bird sung I would give half my fortune to the man who could tell me."
Ivan heard those words. He wanted to learn the language of the birds.
One day, Ivan was walking through a forest when a storm hit. He noticed in the branches four small birds in a nest, and he took off his coat and used it to protect the nest from the storm. Once it had passed, a bird flew to him thanked him for protecting her nest. "You protected my children from the rain and I wish to help you. Tell me what it is you wish," she said.
"Teach me the language of the birds," Ivan asked of her.
The bird told him to stay with her for three days and he did. When he returned home, he knew the language of the birds.
One day after he returned home, the bird his father owned began to sing. It was a sad song, and both his parents were moved. Ivan, who could now understand the song, began to weep.
"Why do you cry?" his parents asked him.
"It's because what the bird sings," Ivan said. "One day, Ivan the merchant's son will become Ivan the king's son and his own father will be his servant."
His parents began to distrust him, so one day they pushed him out to sea when he was asleep. He was rescued by a ship and because of his knowledge of the language of the birds, helped the sailors survive. When the ship docked into a town, Ivan learned of three crows that would not leave their perches near where a king lived. Ivan spoke with the birds and learned what it was they wanted.
He told the king that the birds sought an audience with him and wanted to ask of him whether the son bird should follow his mother or his father. The king told him that a son must always follow his father. After that, the birds left and the king gave half his kingdom and his youngest daughter to Ivan as a wife.
Ivan, now a rich and happy king, met his father. A disheveled old man who had lost everything, including his wife, because he doubted the words of the bird all of those years ago. But Ivan, being his son, still welcomed him back.
audio; thank you, project gutenberg
Ivan heard those words. He wanted to learn the language of the birds.
One day, Ivan was walking through a forest when a storm hit. He noticed in the branches four small birds in a nest, and he took off his coat and used it to protect the nest from the storm. Once it had passed, a bird flew to him thanked him for protecting her nest. "You protected my children from the rain and I wish to help you. Tell me what it is you wish," she said.
"Teach me the language of the birds," Ivan asked of her.
The bird told him to stay with her for three days and he did. When he returned home, he knew the language of the birds.
One day after he returned home, the bird his father owned began to sing. It was a sad song, and both his parents were moved. Ivan, who could now understand the song, began to weep.
"Why do you cry?" his parents asked him.
"It's because what the bird sings," Ivan said. "One day, Ivan the merchant's son will become Ivan the king's son and his own father will be his servant."
His parents began to distrust him, so one day they pushed him out to sea when he was asleep. He was rescued by a ship and because of his knowledge of the language of the birds, helped the sailors survive. When the ship docked into a town, Ivan learned of three crows that would not leave their perches near where a king lived. Ivan spoke with the birds and learned what it was they wanted.
He told the king that the birds sought an audience with him and wanted to ask of him whether the son bird should follow his mother or his father. The king told him that a son must always follow his father. After that, the birds left and the king gave half his kingdom and his youngest daughter to Ivan as a wife.
Ivan, now a rich and happy king, met his father. A disheveled old man who had lost everything, including his wife, because he doubted the words of the bird all of those years ago. But Ivan, being his son, still welcomed him back.