The Book of Genesis gives a mythical account of the origin of different languages. According to this, humanity originally spoke only a single language. The people decided to settle in just one place and built a city with a great tower, the Tower of Babel pointing heavenwards. However God was not pleased; he thought humanity was becoming too powerful. So he scattered the people on the earth and gave different languages so they would not understand each other. I thought of this story during a recent trip to Wales; on a boat with twelve other people, ten were native Welsh-speakers and so were chatting to each other in Welsh. Indeed, why not? I had chosen to visit a Welsh-speaking area and so this was no different from being in Italy and finding the people around me were speaking Italian. And yet, if I am honest, I did feel excluded; I wanted to share in their banter. I felt the curse of the Babel myth. But, I enjoy visiting Wales because of its culture; the handful of words I know allow me (sometimes) to translate the place names; on a good day to appreciate the rhythm of Welsh poetry even if I need an English translation to understand it. It is possible to read the Babel myth in a different light; that it was not good for humanity to settle in just one place and to speak in just one way as that would constrain our imaginations and, ultimately our potential. Languages evolve out of places and landscapes and enrich us. Perhaps the Babel myth ultimately is about a blessing, not a curse.