An Advice from the Birds

The Rich Landlord and His Daughter

In a certain town, there lived a wealthy landlord who had a beautiful daughter, his only child and heir to his vast estates. She believed her beauty and status deserved a prince in marriage. Her father, too, shared this expectation, as did everyone who knew them.

The Ambitious Page

However, a page, whom the landlord had purchased from the slave market a year or two prior, harbored different ambitions. He secretly desired the master’s daughter. Although he kept this ambition hidden, he devised a clever plan. Over the course of a year, he stealthily stole a bottle of wine and a gold ring from neighboring households—gifts that could hardly win him her affection!

A Summer Evening’s Stroll

On a summer evening, as the sun set and a gentle breeze began to cool the air, the landlord, his wife, and their daughter enjoyed a stroll in their garden. The page followed them, as was customary, ready to run errands if needed. While the landlord and his wife chatted about various topics and their daughter clapped her hands at the squirrels, the page lingered behind, muttering to himself as he observed the birds.

The Page’s Secret

Curious about the page’s behavior, the landlord eventually asked what he was doing. The page pretended to blush, as if a secret had been uncovered. Intrigued, the landlord pressed the boy to reveal what he was muttering. The page confidently declared, “My master, it is true that I can understand the language of the birds!”

The Discovery of Treasure

Amused, the landlord challenged him, asking what the nearby crow had to say. “It says that a bottle of wine remains buried under this tree,” the page replied. In disbelief, the landlord picked up a shovel and began to dig. To his astonishment, he actually unearthed a bottle of wine! His wife and daughter stared at the page in awe.

More Hidden Treasures

As a bird chirped overhead, the page nodded knowingly. When asked what the bird had said, he claimed, “It said there is a gold ring in the nest built on that tree yonder.” Without hesitation, the landlord climbed the tree and retrieved the gold ring from the nest.

A Special Proposal

Overwhelmed with admiration, the landlord embraced the page, exclaiming, “I doubt there’s another lad as gifted as you in the entire land!” His wife agreed. Just then, a couple of birds whistled from a nearby bush. When the landlord inquired what they said, the page feigned embarrassment, claiming he could not reveal it.

The Birds’ Warning

Despite the landlord’s assurances that no harm would come to him, the page insisted he would rather die than disclose the message, claiming it would bring misfortune upon him. After much persuasion, he reluctantly revealed, “The birds say that a great misfortune is about to befall your family. The only way out is to marry your daughter to me!”

The Unexpected Conclusion

A heavy silence followed. Finally, the landlord said, “You may not be of noble birth, but you are not unworthy of my daughter’s hand. Once you marry her, you will be recognized as my son-in-law and heir—no one will care where you came from.” His wife supported this decision, asserting that if the birds foretold goodness, they should not delay the matter.

And thus, the unexpected event unfolded.