“So? Did you also call him ‘blessed of the Lord’ when he came?”
“By no means, but I could not curse him.”
“Oh, yes! You are a Saxon. Now I shall see whether I bring more blessings to this village than Luzinsky.”
The King was shown to his room, and made much of the preacher, who greatly entertained him. When he departed he paid him a hundred Friedrich d’ors, and left an order that if Prussian troops came to the village they should take nothing, and should pay for everything they got outside their quarters.
Frederick always liked to talk with the country clergy. He resumed his march to Leipsic in more cheerful spirits, but did not enter the city at once. He had his night’s lodgings at a parson’s house in one of the villages near Leipsic. He was kept awake all night, for the house was overrun with mice, which made much noise in his room. Frederick arose at daybreak, called the pastor, and said: “Listen! Do you know anything about interpreting dreams?”
“Not particularly, Your Majesty, for I am not much of a believer in them.”
“You may not believe in them, but many a dream has a real meaning. I will tell you of mine. I dreamed your rooms were full of mice. What does that signify?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, I think Heaven means me to understand by this that my commissaries are good at plundering.”
“Oh, no, Your Majesty, I fear your dream was the result of natural causes; for, alas! I am very much plagued by these vermin in my house and I do not know how to get rid of them.”