Page:A history of Hungarian literature.djvu/226

 212 HUNGAR.IAN LITERATURE way men were at his mercy, he would not touch wealth which was stained with blood. He continues his journey, when suddenly he becomes aware of the approach of a gay cavalcade. A troop of hussars is passing along the road. János can hardly contain his excitement. He goes up to the captai n and says : " I am a wanderer, without a home in the whole wide world, but if I could become a hussar, I would not change places with any one." H Remember," replies the captain, H that we are going to the war, to aid the Freneh agaiost the Turks." "My life," János answers, H is of no va lue. It is true that as a sheph erd I have only ridden a donkey, but that doesn't matter, for I am an Hungarian, and every Hungarian is cut out for a horseman ." He turns out a splendid Hussar. They pass through the land of the H dog-headed " Tartars, and the rosemary groves of Italy. They come to the vast mountains of India, amid which they wander at such altitudes that the sun is only an hour's distance above their heads. Thus the heat is very great and they suffer from thirst, but fortunately they can easily reach the clouds and squeeze the water out of them. At length they reach the rich country of the French. The Freneh king telis them of his great grief. The Turks have devastated his dominions and carried off his daughte r. The Hussars do not hesitate a moment, but set off on the track of the Turks, and destroy their army, and János has the good luck to rescue the princess. The grateful pri n­ cess offers her hand to her gallant defender, but János remains faithfui to Iluska and declines the honour. The Freneh king then gives our hero a large sack of gold, and he turns homeward joyfully, for he is now rich and can marry his true love. He embarks on a ship, but suddenly a storm arises 11 and the sea moans in pain,