He Did Not Understand
Frederick the Great made the personal acquaintance of every soldier of his regiment of guards. Whenever he saw a fresh one, he put the three following questions to him: “First, how old are you? Second, how long have you been in my service? Third, are you satisfied with your pay and treatment?”
It happened that a young Frenchman, who did not understand German, enlisted in the Prussian service, and Frederick, on seeing him, put the usual questions. The soldier had learned the answers by heart, but in the same order as the King generally interrogated.
Unfortunately, on this occasion, the King began with the second question:
“How long have you been in my service?”
“Twenty-one years,” replied the Frenchman.
“What!” said Frederick, “how old are you then?”
“One year,” was the reply.
“Upon my word,” exclaimed his majesty, “you or I must be mad!”
“Both,” replied the soldier, according to what he had been taught.
“Well,” said the astonished King, “this is the first time I have ever been called a madman by one of my guards. What do you mean by it, sir?”
The poor fellow seeing that the King was angry, told him, in French, that he did not understand a word of German.
“Oh! is that so?” said the monarch. “Well, learn it as soon as possible, and I have no doubt that you will make a very good soldier.”