But sanitary reformers tell him truly that he has no right to shoot poisoned arrows from it at his neighbours. The French say, "The collier (or charcoal burner) is master in his own house,"[165] and refer the origin of the proverb to a hunting adventure of Francis I., which is related by Blaise de Montluc. Having outridden all his followers, the king took shelter at nightfall in the cabin of a charcoal burner, whose wife he found sitting alone on the floor before the fire. She told him, when he asked for hospitality, that he must wait her husband's return, which he did, seating himself on the only chair the cabin contained. Presently the man came in, and, after a brief greeting, made the king give him up the chair, saying he was used to sit in it, and it was but right that a man should be master in his own house. Francis expressed his entire concurrence in this doctrine, and he and his host supped together very amicably on game poached from the royal forest.
"Man," said Ferdinand VII. to the Duke of Medina Celi, the premier nobleman of Spain, who was helping him on with his great coat, "man, how little you are!"—"At home I am great," replied the dwarfish grande (grandee). "When I am in my own house I am a king" (Spanish).[166]
FOOTNOTES:
[155] À tout oiseau son nid est beau. A ogni uccello suo nido è bello.
[156] Ost und West, daheim das Best.
[157] Mas vale humo de mi casa que fuego de la agena.
[158] Casa mia, casa mia, per piccina che tu sia, tu mi sembri una badia.
[159] Casa mia, mamma mia.
[160] Legami mani e piei, e gettami tra' miei.
[161] Gallus in suo sterquilinio plurimum potest.