Mátyás, who lived from 1443 to 1490, was and is the most beloved of Hungary's kings. Many stories are told about him, including this one.
The Squash and the Colt
![]() | King Mátyás awakens early one morning in a village where he has spent the night and when he gets up, takes a walk through the streets. On this walk, he observes a man whistling cheerfully and greets him. |
Next door to the poor man lived a well-to-do peasant. When he saw the thousand forints his neighbor got for the squash, he almost had a stroke. But then the well-off peasant had an idea. He had a beautiful three-year-old colt, finer than any he had seen in a really long time. What would he get for it from King Mátyás, if he paid a thousand forints for a squash! | ![]() |
Translated from the Hungarian by Eva M. Thury, copyright 1999. All rights reserved.
Other Hungarian Items:
Fascinating Fasteners.
For the Lovelorn: Hints from Heloise