During Empath's first visit to the Smurf Village, he was looking through the various books of the Smurf house of archives when he came across one that was marked the Smurf Register Of Names. Upon reading the first page, however, Empath noticed that everything in it was written in another language that he wasn't familiar with. It had names...but everything in the book started with Schtroumpf and not Smurf. This made Empath curious about the book.
He took the book to Brainy. "Fellow Brainy, this smurf has encountered the book called the Smurf Register Of Names and found all sorts of names written in it, but they are written in another language," Empath said. "This smurf is uncertain about why all Smurf names would be recorded in this language, nor can this smurf figure out what all these names are. Like this one: Schtroumpf a Lunettes."
Brainy took a look at the page Empath was reading. "Schtroumpf a Lunettes...'the Smurf with glasses'. That would be yours truly, Empath!"
"Your name is Schtroumpf a Lunettes?" Empath asked, disbelieving. "How do you know that?"
"Because I am an expert of smurfing one of the lost languages of the Smurfs," Brainy answered. "The language that all the names of the Smurfs are recorded in is called Schtroumpf, which is one of the clans of the ancient Smurfs. Every Smurf clan had their own name and language, like Schlumpf, Pitufo, Puffo, and Smurfen. It was only when the universal Smurf symbol was created that Smurf would become the dominant language in all of Smurfdom. Very few Smurfs know how to smurf in any of those languages, except perhaps for Painter and Papa Smurf."
"But this one doesn't understand why the names are all written in this language," Empath said. "Wouldn't it make more sense to record them in standard Smurf?"
"It is my smurfonal belief that Schtroumpf was the dominant original language of the Smurfs, and Painter would consmurfly insist that it is the true language of the Smurfs," Brainy replied. "Over time, the need for a clear universal language so that every Smurf could undersmurf each other was what made the Smurf forefathers smurf up with the language that we all smurf now. However, to smurf all our records of all the Smurfs who have ever smurfed consistent, the names of every Smurf born are recorded in this language. It is one of our important links to our culture and history."
"That seems reasonable," Empath said, sounding like he was agreeing to Brainy's reasoning on the subject. "Then perhaps you can help this smurf interpret all the names that are recorded in this book."
"That would be my pleasure, Empath," Brainy said as he took the book and went through the pages with Empath reading alongside him. "The next name you have is Schtroumpf Costaud, which is Hefty Smurf. And then there's Schtroumpf Bricoleur, which is Handy. There's Schtroumpf Gourmand, which is Greedy; Schtroumpf Grognon, which is Grouchy; Schtroumpf Paresseux, which is Lazy; Schtroumpf Farceur, which is Jokey; Schtroumpf Coquet, which is Vanity..."
"Would this smurf's name be recorded in this book?" Empath asked, interrupting Brainy's explanations.
"Hmmm...let me see...," Brainy said as he looked through the entire book for Empath's name in Schtroumpf. And then, "Ah! Here it is! Imagine that; your name is officially recorded as Schtroumpf Empathie!"
Empath stared in wonder at the page with his name recorded in Schtroumpf on it. He began to have more of a sense that he was truly a Smurf that came from their village.
"By the way, would you happen to know what Papa Smurf's name would be in this language that all the names are recorded in?" Empath asked, more curious about the subject.
"Unfortunately, Papa Smurf's name is recorded in a different book of the same name, and he doesn't let any Smurf smurf through that one," Brainy answered. "However, as one who knows the language of Schtroumpf, Papa Smurf would be referred to as Le Grand Schtroumpf."
"'The Great Smurf'," Empath guessed. "That sounds more authoritarian than does the name Papa Smurf."
"True, it's more of a title for Smurf Village leaders than an actual name, Empath," Brainy said. "But you have to agree that Papa Smurf is a Smurf who's well-desmurfing of such a title. Anyway, if you need to learn how to smurf the language, your best smurf would be to smurf either Painter Smurf or Papa Smurf. Although they may end up being the only Smurfs in the village that you can smurf to in that language since I can only smurf the language in writing but not in smurfing verbally."
Empath thought of that for a moment. "Well, given this smurf's current inability to speak in Smurf, perhaps learning an alternate language that the Smurfs have spoken may be the best alternative. This smurf appreciates your help on the subject, Brainy."
Years later, after Empath returned home for good, he looked at the Smurf Register Of Names one more time and saw his name recorded as Schtroumpf Empathie, along with a baby's handprint. He sensed that it was his own, that everything Papa Smurf told him about him being his only begotten son was true. Already he could see the event happen as if it were yesterday.
"Empathy Smurf is his name, my fellow Smurfs," Papa Smurf said to both Aristotle and Picasso, who were both working on recording names.
Picasso thought about Empathy's name for a moment, and then said, "Schtroumpf Empathie, mon ami."
"Schtroumpf Empathie," Aristotle recorded in the register. "Okay, my little Smurf, smurf your hand on the inkpad and then smurf it on the page next to your name."
Empath did what he was told. He pressed his hand on the inkpad, then pressed it on the page next to his name.
"Very good, child," Aristotle said, smiling. "Your name is now officially recorded."
"You're now a Smurf of this village, my little Empathy," Papa Smurf said, holding up his child. "I'm so pleased with you."
"Empath, I didn't expect to smurf you here smurfing at the register," the present Papa Smurf's voice broke in, interrupting Empath's memory.
Empath turned to see Papa Smurf approaching. "Everything you said about this smurf is true, Papa Smurf. This smurf had to revisit the book to see for myself."
"I just knew you couldn't let a thing like this go, Empath, but I'm not surprised by it either," Papa Smurf said.
"How could this smurf ever doubt that you were this smurf's Papa Smurf all along?" Empath asked. "This smurf was so foolish to think you were anything other than what you said you were when you revealed the truth."
"The only thing I want for you is to not feel alone among your fellow Smurfs, Empath," Papa Smurf said. "They're just as much your family as they are your friends."
"Brainy's part of this smurf's family, too, as this smurf's half-brother," Empath said. "This is just so amazing, because this smurf had always felt a bond between us."
"As I smurfed you before, Empath, you're a Smurf of the village," Papa Smurf said, putting his hand on Empath's shoulder. "I couldn't be more pleased with you."
