WHEN IS A STUDENT A KING?
Episode 108
This is a Hungarian folk tale translated by my mom, Elizabeth A. Szabo, and read by her grandson, Landon.
King Matthias had many students working for him in the palace. One of these students, named Marton Nagy, was out travelling in one of the villages of Hungary. When he felt tired he stopped at an inn and knocked at the door.
“My name is Marton Nagy,” said the student, “and I work in the King’s court. Could you give me a room for a night?”
Now many people had heard that the King himself often traveled disguised as a student, so when the owner of the inn, Mr. András, saw this young student, he gave him a big welcome.
“I won’t be fooled like so many others have been,” thought to Mr. András to himself.
“This is King Matthias himself, and I will treat him as a King should be treated.”
“God has brought you to my house, Marton Nagy,” spoke Mr. András. “Please come in and make yourself at home.”
Then Mr. András turned to his stable hand and called out to him. “János, put the horse up in your room and place a feather bed under him. Give him the very best straw we have in the stable.”
“But sir,” protested the student, “a horse doesn’t belong in a room and neither does he belong on a feather bed.”
“You just leave everything to me,” said Mr. András, “I know where respect is due.”
Then Mr. András took the student into his most beautiful room. For supper, he cut up special oxen meat and had his servant prepare a rabbit for his guest’s pleasure. Mr. András served the student on silver plates and gave him his best wine to drink. Mr. András didn’t eat nor did he drink. All Mr. András did was serve his guest. He was very busy running back and forth trying his best to please the student. And, no matter what the student said to him, Mr. András’ reply was always the same.
“You just leave everything to me, I know where respect is due.”
When King Matthias heard this story about how Mr. András treated Marton Nagy, the student, he laughed heartily. “It’s too bad Mr. András can’t tell a student from a king!”
Several months later, King Matthias put on his student dress, as he so often did, and began travelling his kingdom. The King decided to stop at Mr. András’ inn to see what sort of follow he was.
“Good evening, sir.” said the disguised King. “My name is Matyas Szilagyi. I am a student in the King’s court.”
“Well,” though! Mr. András to himself, “I won’t! be made a fool of this time.”
“Put the horse in the stable and give him some food,” called Mr. András to János, his stable boy. “And we will put this student in the same room with you, János. Take care of him.”
Mr. András thought, “Indeed I have some brains in my head, too. Every student isn’t a
king. And this time, my neighbors won’t laugh at me the way they did the last time I treated a student as the king.”
János, the stable boy, took good care of the student. Together they ate and drank and had hours of fine talk. Early the next morning the student spoke to János.
“By the way, I forgot to give this letter to Mr. András. Take it, will you, János, and go straight up to Mr. András’ room with it.”
When Mr. András read the letter, he was a very surprised man. It said:
I command my good follower, George András, to take leave immediately with his stableboy, János, and come to Buda. I have some things I would like to talk to him about.
King Matthias
“Bring the student here, quickly,” called Mr. András. “Let’s find out from him what the King wants.”
By the time János got back to his room, the student, together with his horse, was gone.
A short time later, Mr. András took leave to visit the city of Buda. The King happened to be in his garden when Mr. András arrived. Mr. András could see the King’s beautiful robe all glittering with finery. As he entered the gate, Mr. András bowed deeply three times before he even got close to the King. Standing before the King, Mr. András bowed low once again and then spoke to him.
“Your Majesty, you commanded me to come before you…” But when Mr. András looked
into the King’s face, the words stuck in his throat.
The King quickly began giving orders. “Take this man’s horse and put it in one of my rooms and put a soft featherbed under him, too. That’s what Mr. András did when one of my students paid him a visit. It’s the least we can do.”
“Your noble Majesty…” started Mr. András.
But the King didn’t allow him a word and continued quickly. “János, the stable boy, will be my guest. Dress him in the finest clothes and seat him at my table. And Mr. András will be the guest of my stable boy.
Poor Mr. András was too embarrassed to move.
“Well, well, Mr. András. Were you joking with me?” asked the King. “My student was treated as a king is treated, but when I was your guest, you treated me as a student.”
“But Your Most Noble Majesty,” began Mr. András. “How does a man know when you
are aking?”
“That’s not the only thing you have to watch out for, my friend,” answered the King. “You also have to know when the student is a king and when the king is a student.”
Mr. András just nodded without saying a word.
“But now,” laughed the King, “I have had my joke on you, too, so come and be my guest.
We shall all have a good time before you leave.”:
