The Language of the Birds
This is an old story from Russia.
It's a story about a boy who can speak to birds.
One day, a young boy, Ivan, saves some birds from a fox.
The birds are happy with Ivan.
"You are good to us. How can we help you?" ask the birds.
"Teach me the language of the birds, please," asks Ivan.
The birds teach him their language.
The birds say, "You will be a prince one day. Your father will ask to be your servant."
Ivan tells his rich father about this.
"No one can understand birds. And I'll never be your servant," his father says.
He says to Ivan, "You are a bad son. Get out of this house and never come home."
Ivan leaves the house and goes by boat to the town.
He tells the sailor, "The bird tells me a storm is coming."
The sailor says, "No one can understand birds. You are a fool."
But the storm comes, and the boat is lost.
Ivan and the sailor swim away.
Ivan sees the king in his castle.
The king does not like the birds always sitting on his window.
Ivan says, "I can talk to them. I can speak their language."
Everybody laughs at Ivan.
Ivan talks to the birds, and they fly away.
The king is very happy.
"You can be my son," he says.
Ivan is now a prince.
Two years later, Ivan's father becomes poor.
He comes to the town to find his son.
"Ivan, I'm poor. Please make me your servant," his father asks.
"No. You are my father. You will live with me here in the castle," Ivan says.
Ivan's father is very happy.
The birds know many things!
