'
'O! Kuno!' said Fritz. 'An ignoramus!'
'Ay, Kuno, to be sure,' quavered the old farmer. 'Well, since this
gentleman is a stranger to these parts, and curious about the
Prince, I do believe that story might divert him. This Kuno, you
must know, sir, is one of the hunt servants, and a most ignorant,
intemperate man: a right Grunewalder, as we say in Gerolstein. We
know him well, in this house; for he has come as far as here after
his stray dogs; and I make all welcome, sir, without account of
state or nation. And, indeed, between Gerolstein and Grunewald the
peace has held so long that the roads stand open like my door; and a
man will make no more of the frontier than the very birds
themselves.'
'Ay,' said Otto, 'it has been a long peace - a peace of centuries.'
'Centuries, as you say,' returned Killian; 'the more the pity that
it should not be for ever. Well, sir, this Kuno was one day in
fault, and Otto, who has a quick temper, up with his whip and
thrashed him, they do say, soundly. Kuno took it as best he could,
but at last he broke out, and dared the Prince to throw his whip
away and wrestle like a man; for we are all great at wrestling in
these parts, and it's so that we generally settle our disputes.
Well, sir, the Prince did so; and, being a weakly creature, found
the tables turned; for the man whom he had just been thrashing like
a negro slave, lifted him with a back grip and threw him heels
overhead.
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