Haydn’s Kindness
The following story proves what a noble, generous man Haydn was. In 1780 the daughter of an army officer from Coburg wrote to him of a little adventure, asking him to set it to music. This is the story: She and her intended husband, a captain of the army, together with a friend and a poodle were taking a walk. The captain had been praising his dog’s talents, and made a bet with his friend that the dog would find a thaler laid under a bush now, he being sent back for it after their return home. The bet was accepted. Directly after returning home the captain sent his dog back for the money.
Now it so happened that a traveling tailor sat down to rest under that very bush where the thaler was deposited, found the money and put it in his pocket. When the poodle arrived he smelled the coin and fawned upon the tailor. The man, highly pleased at having found a thaler and such an amiable dog within an hour, took him to his stopping place in the town. The poodle watched the tailor’s clothes all night, and when, early the next morning, the door of the room was opened, he stole out, carrying the tailor’s trousers with him and brought both them and the thaler to his master.
This little adventure had been put into verse under the title: “The Cunning and Serviceable Poodle,” and Haydn was asked now to put the text to music. The lady added that she was poor, but having heard so much of his generosity, she hoped the enclosed ducat would be considered sufficient pay.
Haydn went to work at it at once, but returned the ducat to the young lady in a letter, saying that as a punishment for not knowing him better, and sending any money at all, she should knit him a pair of garters. These garters, made of white silk with a hand-painted wreath of violets, Haydn kept with his jewels in his treasure box.