The Prince and the Pauper and the Porpoise

My daughter has selective hearing. Bede mentioned something about wanting to have lunch with his friend John, and Lucia somehow heard "John Paul." She asked where "John Paul" was. Bede replied, "It's just John." So, Lucia asked, "Where's Paul?" Quite often these days, Lucia is insistent that she heard a certain word and continues to harp upon it long after we've tried explaining, redirecting, ignoring (no, it doesn't work) and finally burying our heads in our hands. I am reminded of this exchange in the last episode of Blackadder III between Edmund Blackadder (a butler) and Prince "Thick-as-a-Whale-Omelet" George, the Prince Regent of England, as they work out a disguise to fool the Iron Duke:

Prince George: Oh fantastic, yes, dressing up. I love it. It's just like that story, ah, "The Prince And The Porpoise."

Edmund: "..and the Pauper," sir.

Prince George: Oh yes! Yes yes yes, "The Prince and the Porpoise and the Pauper."

Later…

Edmund: Don't even try to work it out Baldrick. Two people you know well have exchanged coats and now you don't know which is which.

Prince George: I must say I'm pretty confused myself! Which one of us is Wellington?

Edmund: (exasperated) Wellington is the man at the door.

Prince George: Oh. And the porpoise?

Edmund: ….Hasn't arrived yet sir. We'll just have to fill in as best we can without it. Sir, if you would let the Duke in.