Equal to the Occasion
The Emperor was an enthusiastic sportsman. One day, while on a hunt with a number of royal guests, he grew tired, and decided to go home quietly. Two of his guests, noticing this, accompanied him. They had walked along the road some distance when a farmer with his wagon overtook them. One of the gentlemen asked him to take them along for a consideration. The farmer consented and the three climbed into the farm-wagon.
Curiosity soon got the better of the countryman, and turning to one of the gentlemen, he asked:
“And who might you be?”
“I am the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg.”
“May the——!” cried the farmer, laughing; and turning to the second gentleman, he asked “and who are you?”
“I,” replied he, “am the King of Saxony!”
“Why, this is getting better,” cried the amused farmer. Finally he turned to the third gunner with:
“Well, and who are you?”
“I am William, Emperor of Germany!”
“Well, this beats all!” said the countryman, partly amused, partly indignant, “but I should certainly not have thought that such old dignified gentlemen would find pleasure in fooling the likes of me! So that you may know who is driving you, I’ll introduce myself: I, I am the Shah of Persia!”
The shouts of laughter at this sally made the gentlemen forget their fatigue.