On the Side of the Persecuted

By Elisabeth Kesten and Bernard Kesten

Jody Myers, Ph.D. (Coordinator, Jewish Studies Program / Professor, Department of Religious Studies, California State University, Northridge):
On the Side of the Persecuted ... is a very interesting book that will engage readers on a number of different levels.I enjoyed the book very much and I recommend it wholeheartedly.
On the level of its story line, On the Side of the Persecuted has a plot that keeps the reader guessing.The book is set in late 14th - early 15th century Germany and Italy, and it illustrates the daily lives of the nobility, physicians, peasants, and Jews.It opens with a brief look at a few stark incidents in the childhood of Prince Leon, the protagonist, that shape him into a persecutor of Jews.We follow Leons personal journey - which is never predictable - as he wrestles with his sins and attempts to redeem himself as a human being. ...The personal relationships ... are sensitively developed by the author, and it is easy to be drawn into Leons dilemmas, losses, and victories.It is quite a moving tale.
On the Side of the Persecuted makes history come alive.The author sets the story into the late medieval period, with its groundbreaking political and religious changes: the growth of nation-states, schism within the Catholic church, the Black plague, expulsion of Jews, etc.She weaves together the story with just enough history to make the story line plausible and to make the history relevant.As a teacher of Jewish history, I can testify that the book is very good at driving home the influence on the Jews of medieval economic practices and political systems, the Church hierarchy, and Christian insecurities vis a vis heretics and Jews.It also enlightens the reader about the internal workings of the Jewish community....The author describes Leons training and occupation as a physician and we learn fascinating tidbits about medical education, the common versus professional concepts of disease and treatment, and the many religious obstacles in the way of advancing medical knowledge.This information is conveyed in short segments or details woven into the story, so it is never boring.
I think this book is particularly good for teaching Jewish moral and religious concepts.Without being preachy or pedantic, the reader learns about the importance of teshuva (repentance), establishing a disciplined way of life, doing deeds of loving kindness, honoring peoples privacy, and keeping ones pride in check.The author shows that these are really quite complex and sophisticated matters. ...
It is easy to get absorbed in On the Side of the Persecuted.The book conveys a great deal while telling a good story.Those knowledgeable about Judaism, as well as those less familiar, would find it insightful and thought-provoking.History buffs would enjoy it immensely.I would recommend it those of high school age and older.It would be an excellent choice for a book club, and it would also work well as a supplement to a history class or a course on Jewish ethics.It is obvious that Elisabeth Kesten crafted her book with a lot of care and painstaking research, and her work deserves wide recognition.


Association of Jewish Libraries Newsletter, September/October 2001:
Prince Leon of Germany, destined for greatness and power, creates a new path for himself, one that has been trod by few others before him.Born of Christian nobility, Prince Leon is gr

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Aug 29, 2000
• ISBN: 9781469118147

Elisabeth Kesten

ELISABETH KESTEN - Elisabeth Kesten was born in Nurnberg, Germany. After her university education, she received a teaching credential and taught there for several years, after which she moved to Israel. She also received a teaching credential in Israel, after several years on two kibbutzim. She taught in Kiryat Gat. After about four years in Israel, she moved to the United States. She has taught in several Jewish Day Schools, and now teaches in a Los Angeles Unified School District elementary school. Her hobbies include reading and religious studies. She currently has several writing projects in mind. She is an active member of Shomrei Torah Synagogue in West Hills where she regularly reads from the Torah during Shabbat services. A few years ago, she taught an adult education course there on the Jews of Medieval Europe. Much of the material used in that course is presented in “On the Side of the Persecuted”, though it was first obtained in the process of doing research for the book. /P> She lives in the San Fernando Valley with her husband and their two children. BERNARD KESTEN - Bernard Kesten, who collaborated with his wife Elisabeth on “On the Side of the Persecuted” chooses, for reasons known only to himself, to remain as anonymous as possible.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

Prince Leon was eleven years old when his father, the Duke of Reissenberg, took him to a performance by a traveling group of actors. His brother, who was fifteen months younger, accompanied them. It was around Easter time. Prince Leon was on a three-week vacation from his service as a page in the castle at Stuttgart, visiting his family at the fortress in Reissenberg, where they lived.

The performance took place on the open space in front of Reissenberg’s eastern gate, on the tournament ground. The market place was not big enough for all the spectators. In front of the stage, special seats were built for Duke Richard of Reissenberg, Duchess Bertha, his second wife, and his two sons from his first marriage, Leon and Albert. Everybody else had to stand or sit on the ground.

Young Prince Leon would never forget this event.

When the performance began, the stage was decorated with black curtains and red wooden flames. Devils were dancing; big, black, ugly devils with disgusting long, hairy tails. They danced clumsily on their cloven hooves and held pitchforks in their hands. Every devil did a solo dance, and then stood in front of the others, proudly reporting his deeds and successes in catching souls and torturing them in the eternal fires of hell.

They had awful names. Their leaders were Satan and Lucifer with his devilish helpers: Devil Hellekruk, Devil Spiegelglantz, Devil Raffenzahn, Devil Yidel, Devil Binkenbank. Leon shuddered.

After this introduction, the play began.

Satan: Well done, my devilish devils!

There is one thing left to do:

This Jesus Christ in the Jews’ country—

He has to die on the cross.

He has to die, he has to bleed.

He has to be destroyed through treachery.

The devils held a meeting and plotted the details of their planned crime. Satan suggested that the Jewish people would be the traitors and the devils’ helpers.

* * *

After this scene, the stage was rearranged. The Franciscan friar, Chrisostomos, bent towards the two boys.

Here you can see, my princes, what I have always taught. The Jews are traitors and the murderers of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Yes, Prince Albert answered immediately, like a student who eagerly awaited any opportunity to shine in front of his teacher.

That is why they are the Christians’ servants. Innocent III, the Vicar of Christ, who was Pope two hundred years ago, said that kings and nobility should not be too protective of the Jews—because they crucified our Lord Jesus Christ and are condemned to eternal servitude.

Prince Albert breathed deeply and continued: Saint Bernard from Clairvaux said that the Jews are dispersed in all countries as a penalty for their great crimes.

Well spoken, young prince, exclaimed the friar. Our holy Church Father, Saint Chrisostomos, after whom I am named, described how the Jews keep company with the devil. Jews are like animals. They even slaughter their own children and sacrifice them to the devil. Saint Chrisostomos warned the faithful not to sit with those who spilled Jesus’ blood, because for them there is no pardon.

The monk raised his voice, and was now preaching.

Do not go to them or eat with them. Do not step into their synagogues, because they are thieves’ dens and whorehouses.

The duke, his wife, the two princes and the people listened attentively. Suddenly, a bell rang and the play continued.

The next scene was of a group of bearded Jews, counting money. They were dressed in the distinctive clothing of the Swabian Jews, with a big hat and yellow rings on the coat, one on the front and one on the back. The special dress code for Jews required that these rings had to be at least two fingers wide.

One Jew after another came forward and reported his deeds: poisoning a well so that many died; murdering a Christian boy in order to use his blood for black magic; theft and torture of the holy host; cheating in business; swearing a false oath and many more.

The list of the crimes was very long and was presented with every ugly detail. Prince Leon was terrified as he watched. He glanced at his brother who sat there unmoved, still proud that he was able to show off in front of everybody.

The Jews’ names were just as terrible as their crimes: Jew Moyses Natey, Jew Pinkes Snappenkeile, Jew Mikel Effikax, Jew Romo Gugulus.

The devils entered, praised the Jews’ crimes and danced slowly with the Jews, chanting a long song with the refrain:

"He will have to die, bleed at the cross.

Be happy and gay with us, you Jews.

* * *

At this point Leon wanted to go home, but he knew that his father would not allow it and that his brother would laugh at him. Leon let his thoughts wander and watched the swallows in the blue sky, instead of watching the show. When the duke saw that Leon wasn’t paying attention to the play, he gave him a hard shove. Leon turned his attention to the stage.

A lot of blood was flowing. Jesus was being lashed. The disgusting Jews had long whips in their hands and were beating him. It was terrible. Leon trembled, stricken with horror. He imagined feeling the pain himself.

Why do they torture him so cruelly? Leon thought sadly, inflamed with anger. Jesus didn’t do anything bad. He was completely innocent.

Leon saw the red blood and heard the lashes. The actors had obviously gotten carried away, because the brutally bound Jesus fell to the ground, unconscious. The awful Jews had hit him too hard and the red, make-believe blood mixed with real blood. Leon felt tears on his cheeks. The blood blurred before his eyes.

Suddenly, his father hit him several times and said, in a loud, hard voice: Don’t be a crybaby! Only girls cry. Men are strong. Men take the sword in their hands and act. They don’t cry.

Prince Leon forced back his tears.

How vicious these Jews are, he thought. Even the Romans felt compassion and wanted to free Jesus. Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor in the Jews’ country, begged them to let Jesus go.

Pilate: Think about it, you wicked Jews. If you don’t let him go, he will die a miserable death on the cross.

Think well. We assume he is without guilt, he is innocent as a newborn child.

It is up to you to decide his fate.

But the robber and murderer Barabas, I don’t want to see him free.

He deserves death.

Let him die on the cross, and, I beg you, let Jesus Christ go!

Jews: No, no, no! Free Barabas, and death to Jesus. We want to see his red blood.

Pilate: I want no part of this plot.

I want Jesus free and alive.

Jews: Unto us the guilt, unto us his blood; unto us and unto our children.

Leon made a fist—he hated the Jews for what they did. He trembled with horror when the Jews chanted a scary melody:

Bring him to the mountain with the cross.

Our evil scheme succeeded, Jesus will die.

He won’t live long. We’ll kill him.

Let’s start, we’ll kill him.

The people listened in silence. Nobody spoke while the stage was rearranged for the next scene.

Leon, my son, the duke said abruptly in a loud voice. Do you think that in the future you’ll always be able to cry whenever you feel like it? Or do you think that you’ll be able to act like a man?

Leon was ashamed. His face reddened. Everybody heard what his father said. Albert grinned and Friar Chrisostomos looked at him mockingly.

I will be a man! I will kill the Jews! he screamed with a burning face and whipped the air with his horsewhip. Hierosolyma est perdita!—Jerusalem is lost! Death to the Jews.

Death to the Jews! the monk echoed. This is a praiseworthy intention for a brave knight.

Death to the Jews! the crowd howled. Then the bell rang and the next scene began.

Before Jesus was lead by the Jews to his crucifixion, he preached to his tormentors.

Jesus: You say that Abraham is your father, but you want to kill Jesus Christ.

Father Abraham never would have done this.

It is your illusion that you are his sons.

You call the Lord God your father, but you want to kill His only son.

God’s real children love the son, sent to redeem the world from its sins.

You are not Abraham’s sons, neither are you God’s children.

You are wicked sinners—the devil’s bastards.

You do what Satan commands.

You listen to him. He is your father.

You don’t believe me, you laugh in my face.

Every child of God will turn his heart to the holy Christian faith, but since you don’t listen, you will suffer at the Final Judgment.

Jewish High Priest:

Strip him quickly.

Your coat, Jesus, goes to the soldiers.

Lie down at the cross, they’ll nail your hands and feet.

First Jew: Give me three very thick nails—blunt ones—they hurt more.

Give me the hammer. Tie his arms and legs and stretch him on the cross.

Here, stretch his arms and quick—nail his hands so he can’t escape.

This nail goes through your right hand, Jesus.

You shall suffer pain.

Second Jew: Look, his hands and feet don’t reach this mark.

What shall I do?

Third Jew: I will give you some good advice. Quick! Get some rope.

We’ll stretch his arms.

Let’s pull with all our might.

Let’s pull him to pieces.

Once again, Prince Leon felt like crying, but this time he was able to suppress his tears. How could the Jews do this to the dear Lord Jesus?

At that moment, Leon swore to himself that he would avenge the death of Jesus. In the name of Jesus he would wreak vengeance on his murderers—the wicked Jews. He didn’t pay any more attention to the play, but thought about what he could do to the Jews. Finally the play was over.

The duke had his soldiers accompany the people to town. Some of them guarded the entrance to the Judengasse, the Jews’ street, in order to prevent attacks on the Jews. Duke Richard had strictly forbidden the actors from using the names of well-known local Jews. He didn’t do this for humanitarian reasons, but for financial ones. If the Jews emigrated, they would not be there to pay him the very high taxes that he had imposed upon them.

As Prince Leon rode back to the fortress, he thought about his oath of vengeance. The duke, his family and his servants took the long way around the town. They passed by the Southern Gate, rode along the meadows of the Rees, where the women do the laundry. He spoke with his steward, Heinrich Geissbrecht, the new, young administrator, about the big hunt that would take place after Easter.

Albert interrupted their conversation and begged his father to take him along on the hunt and let him hold the falcon. Duke Richard bluntly denied him this request. Albert gnashed his teeth and looked at his brother, hatred in his eyes. Prince Albert was very jealous that Leon was educated at the castle in Stuttgart, while he had only been sent to a monastery for a clerical career.

Only one prince could inherit the duke’s crown and throne, and this was to be Leon, the firstborn. But at least Albert managed to convince his father to take him out of the monastery and let him go to Stuttgart with his brother, Leon. He was only ten years old, but his only wish was that his brother Leon—the weakling, as he called him—would disappear. In his dreams, he sat on the duke’s throne.

* * *

Prince Leon could not stop thinking about the Jews. He shuddered with disgust when he saw two people far away, a woman and a boy. He could tell, by their clothing, that they were Jews. He whipped his horse to a canter to reach them before the others. The Jews tried to escape in the trees, but Leon was too quick for them. He caught up with them and struck them with his whip. The woman screamed, dropped the wood she had gathered and ran away. The prince chased her on his horse, and struck her again. She fell, but Leon continued striking her. The boy did not run away, but stayed with the woman, who Leon assumed was his mother, and protected her with his body by taking the blows, silently.

Death to you Jews! Leon yelled. Death to you, you Christ killers!

Only when his arm grew tired from the whipping did he stop and let them go. He rode back to his father who waited for him with the others.

Not bad, the duke said with appreciation. My eldest son finally becomes a man.

* * *

Prince Leon didn’t sleep very well that night.

Devils with ugly tails and Jews wearing big hats chased him in nightmares. He suddenly woke up and saw the dark eyes of the boy whom he had beaten, looking at him in a reproaching manner. Leon could not forget how the boy protected his mother. He felt a slight regret that he never had known his mother. She died giving birth to his brother, Albert. He was six years old when his father remarried. Right after the wedding, Duchess Bertha sent him to Stuttgart to be educated first as a page to a noble, and then to become a knight. Leon had never established a warm relationship with his stepmother.

* * *

The next morning, he talked with Friar Chrisostomos who was the princes’ teacher when they visited the fortress in Reissenberg. The monk asked him how he liked living at the Grand Duke’s court in Stuttgart. Leon didn’t answer.

I am sorry that I hit the woman and the boy, he suddenly said. It was wrong to do that.

My young lord, said the monk in amazement, I’m surprised that you waste your thoughts on this event. You did the right thing. Jews don’t deserve compassion. After all, they’re guilty of Jesus’ death. Don’t you remember the play? By punishing the Jews we are doing God’s will. It was no sin to hit them.

The prince didn’t answer. Friar Chrisostomos turned to Leon and continued talking: I invite you and your brother, Prince Albert, to come to my chapel at the ford of the river Rees after the noon meal. When you are there, I will tell you the truth about the Jews’ crimes. Will you come, young lord?

Yes, we will come, answered Leon, including his brother without having asked him. He knew that his brother liked to get out of the fortress, ride along the river and listen to the monk’s gruesome stories whenever he could.

In the afternoon, the brothers rode down the mountain, past the Tannenhof, a big estate where the steward and many servants and peasants produced everything necessary for the duke. When they reached the river, the boys turned right and followed the small path leading to the ford.

Friar Chrisostomos was waiting for them in front of the entrance to his chapel. It was a beautiful, richly ornamented chapel. Right next to it stood the stone house which was his home.

This was a place where a miracle had taken place, and which became a place of pilgrimage. Many faithful believers came to the chapel and brought rich presents to the altar of the Holy Virgin.

The monk led the boys to the altar.

The miracle happened here, he said, after they said the Ave Maria prayer in front of the beautifully colored wooden statue.

It was here that the Holy Virgin Mary pulled the boy out of the river and laid him on the grass, after he had been slaughtered by the godless Jews. Don’t you know that the Jews use blood for the practice of their atrocious rituals? he asked the spellbound boys in a low voice.

This was discovered through torture. The Jews confessed their crimes. It happened many years ago, when the duke, your father’s father, reigned in the fortress at Reissenberg. All the Jews were burned at the stake, Jesus Christ be praised.

For ever and in eternity, Amen, Leon and Albert answered.

Friar Chrisostomos continued: "My predecessor, the late Friar Gebhardt from the Zwiefalten monastery, found the body of the holy boy. There was a light around him, because the Virgin, the Holy Mother of God, had held him in her arms. A miracle happened. The boy’s wounds began bleeding again, and he awoke from death to tell Friar Gebhardt the names of the murderers. They were Jews. Many people came to the holy boy’s funeral, because it came to be known that he was protected by the Holy Virgin.

After the Jews were tortured, the judges learned that the Jews killed him to produce poison from his blood, in order to poison wells that belonged to faithful Christians. One year after the execution of these criminals and the expulsion of all the remaining Jews, their awful schemes became a dreadful reality: the black death—the bubonic plague—came to the town of Reissenberg, and many, many people died. During the peak of the plague, the Jews of the villages around the town were also burned to contain the disease and root out the cause.

The Franciscan angrily raised his voice. And now, only sixty years after this hint from God—the plague—members of this accursed people again live amongst us in our town.

Prince Leon remembered the big stone that was placed in the fortress’ courtyard as a memorial to the expulsions. It was one of the large stones from the destroyed synagogue, upon which were written these words:

ONLY THIS STONE REMAINED OF THE JEWS

WHEN THEY WERE EXPELLED FROM THE CITY

FROM HOUSES, YARDS, GARDENS AND STREETS

IN THE YEAR ONE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY-NINE.

The monk neglected to explain to the two princes that Duke Adalbert, Leon’s grandfather, himself invited the Jews to settle in his town. After the ‘big Jewish fires’—which was how the Christians referred to the burning of the Jews—and especially after the plague and the expulsions of the Jews forever and for eternity, the duke once again needed the Jews to borrow money from. The ruined economy could only be revived with the Jews’ help. The Jews paid a very high price for permission to settle there—letters of protection and all sorts of special taxes. Only half as many Jews now lived in the town as there were sixty years ago.

A modern era had dawned. About one hundred years ago, gunpowder had been first used to propel a projectile, and now cannons were being used in warfare. In spite of this, Duke Richard held to the old tradition and had his sons educated to be knights. Duke Richard always tried to be on good, friendly terms with the Grand Duke of Wirtenberg, because he was very mighty and rich and had a larger army than any of his neighbors. Duke Richard was by no means weak or poor. He doubled the size of his domain when he married, as his first wife, the only daughter of the knight Dietrich Wildensteiner.

Richard’s father, Duke Adalbert, thought of other ways to enlarge his country. He declared war on his neighbor, Knight Erkinger from Schwarzsee, destroyed his villages, fields and his little fortress. The knight and his family were killed during the fighting. Then Duke Adalbert occupied the knight’s land. When this scandal was later investigated, he paid the Emperor’s judge a lot of money—a fine plus a big bribe—but he was permitted to keep his new property.

Duke Richard knew that his fortress, in spite of a moat, walls and towers, would not be able to withstand cannon attacks. For that reason he always remained the Grand Duke’s friend and ally. His town would not be strong enough to withstand a siege with cannons. The town was protected in the south by the river Rees, in the north by the woods and in the west by the steep mountains with the fortress. The most critical part of the defenses was the eastern wall. That is why the duke decided to give the street along the eastern wall to the Jews. In case of a war, the Jews would be the first victims.

As a further humiliation, Duke Adalbert made one of the Jews the town’s hangman. When a Jew was condemned to death, he was hanged from the gallows by the feet. He was left this way for several days, suffering terribly until he finally died. Only a few years ago, after the Jewish hangman died, Duke Richard canceled this law. The duke was afraid that the rich Jews would emigrate and the community would not be able to pay the high taxes. Duke Richard called the Jewish moneylenders his ‘sponges’, because they sucked the money out of the people in the towns and in the countryside which he, in turn, squeezed out into his own treasure boxes.

* * *

Slanderous people with evil tongues maintained an entirely different story about the dead boy from the river Rees’ ford. There was enough to talk about for the duke’s servants to keep them occupied a whole long winter without ever becoming bored. The gossip was as follows:

The duke was deeply indebted to the rich Jews of Reissenberg. When this boy, a troublemaker who had run away, accidentally drowned, Friar Gebhardt, the duke’s father-confessor, had a good idea: he reminded the duke of the fact that one did not have to repay one’s debts to dead people. So the three Jewish moneylenders were the first ones to be accused of the murder. A few years later, the duke allowed Jews to resettle in the town, but he insisted that an extra clause be included in the resettlement contract, stating that old debts cannot be claimed by the creditors’ heirs. In the meantime, Friar Gebhardt created a moving story about the Holy Mother of God, in order to attract pilgrims and their donations to the chapel under his authority.

Frightened maids and servants genuflected when they heard this godless talk. The cynical ones laughed about the monk’s intelligence. No one ever felt sorry for the Jews and the gossip was ultimately forgotten. After all, there must have been some truth to the monk’s story. Otherwise, the Jews would not have been punished so cruelly. And besides, hadn’t they confessed to their crimes?

* * *

Chrisostomos didn’t mention the fact that his predecessor, Friar Gebhardt, had received a large loan from the duke in order to build a new chapel and had never repaid it. At that time, the duke’s treasure chests were filled for a change. In the year 1385, the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation decreed that all debts owed to the Jews were expunged. Of course the debtors had to repay their loans, but to the towns and the dukes, instead of to the Jews. Emperor Wenzel requested one-quarter of the amount of each of the debts for his own treasury, as a tribute from the towns and the dukes. The remaining three-quarters would be for their benefit. This was how Leon’s father improved his financial situation.

* * *

The two princes listened to the Franciscan who continued his sermon: . . . that our Lord Jesus Christ has died, so we gain forgiveness for our sins. But we must never forget who is guilty of His death. ‘His blood shall come over us’, screamed the devilish Jews. Even today, they are not ready to confess to the biggest error of their existence, to repent and to accept the only valid faith.

Friar Chrisostomos turned to Prince Leon.

You, my young Lord, will one day rule over the Jews and over honest Christian people. Don’t ever forget what they deserve. For the Christians: the mercy of a true Christian knight. And for the Jews: all your severity.

I will not forget it, answered the prince loudly. He thought of his oath to avenge Jesus’ death at the hands of the Jews.

Just remember, my princes, Jews are not real people. Demons live inside them. Look at them. They have dark piercing eyes. Many limp because they have the devil’s cloven hooves under their shoes, and the horns of Satan are hidden under their hats. Leon grew pale. For a long time he had wondered why Jews wore their strange hats.

Leon had heard enough, turned to his brother and said: We have to go.

Go with God, my princes and don’t forget my teachings. Remember that the mark of Cain is on the Jews’ foreheads and that every honest Christian is rewarded in heaven if he punishes a Jew on earth. It is not a sin. It is a good deed. The Lord’s mercy will be on such a Christian. All his sins will be forgiven and his soul will jump out of purgatory and taste the heavenly joy for ever and ever.

Amen, said the boys who then left.

* * *

Prince Leon would have been amazed to know that the official teaching of the Holy Father in Rome did not support such talk. But Rome was far away and many monks in the Holy Roman Empire were very uneducated and were fanatics.

* * *

After Easter, Prince Leon returned to the Grand Duke’s castle in Stuttgart along with his brother. The duke’s steward, Heinrich Geissbrecht, accompanied them with two soldiers. That summer, Prince Leon was supposed to enter the squire’s service and learn the crafts of a knight. Prince Albert would be a page before he also could be a squire. He was happy. He hated studying Church law in the monastery. Prince Albert was nearly ten years old and constantly feared that he would conform to the old Germanic saying: He who stays in school until twelve years of age, will only be able to become a priestling.

Chapter 2

By the time Leon was six years old, he was already living at the Grand Duke of Wirtenberg’s castle. He was the youngest, but nobody spoiled him. The first thing the steward taught the boys was table manners. His lessons were reinforced by sharp blows on the hands with a leather strap. He helped serve meals, helped his lord dress in the morning and learned how to ride horses.

Leon quickly learned to say Blessed be Jesus Christ before eating, not to loosen his belt during dinner, not to take salt and mustard with his fingers, not to lean on his elbows and not to clean his teeth with his knife.

Don’t drink like an animal if you have food in your mouth. Don’t behave like a peasant and dip the piece of bread you just took a bite from into the big bowl. The nobility don’t do any of these things which are so common to lowly people. It is extremely bad-mannered to sneeze into the tablecloth. Bones are thrown to the dogs—under no circumstances are they returned to the bowl.

The steward was a very strict teacher and the boys never forgot what he taught them.

Leon also learned to eat very quickly—otherwise the large common bowl was empty before his stomach was filled.

Since he was the youngest and smallest page, he was allowed to serve the Grand Duchess and he was very happy when she would sometimes pat his head.

* * *

When he grew older, he participated in sports lessons. He was quick and liked to ride on his horse—a gift from his father. It was a black pony, with white legs and a white spot on its forehead. At the age of fourteen Leon became a knight’s attendant.

But young Prince Leon was not powerfully built. His wrists and hands were small and delicate—like those of a girl. He participated in all kinds of sports. He was extremely good in running and jumping. But he was not strong enough to throw the spear several times in succession, to stab with the lance or to handle the heavy sword. Together with the others he spent many hours practicing swordplay, using a wooden sword. When it was time to change to an iron sword, Leon could hardly lift it. He never succeeded to knock any of his jousting opponents off of their horses; it was enough of a struggle for him to keep the long, heavy wooden lance from dropping.

This defect greatly hindered his success in learning to become a knight. Knight Lutz of Neuhausen, a big, strong fighter, accepted Leon as his squire and later complained jokingly to the Grand Duke that he had the right to have an additional squire because this Leon is only half a person. Leon gnashed his teeth. His face turned red with shame when he heard this remark.

He never won any of the prizes that were awarded to the squires that excelled in the tournaments. He did not feel any better knowing that he was the best dancer at the Grand Duke’s court, that he played lute very well, or that he studied Latin, even though this was not required for a young squire. It didn’t help him one bit with the other candidates for knighthood that his singing voice was so beautiful that the Grand Duchess often had him come to the castle to entertain her and her friends.

To compensate for his physical shortcomings, the young prince developed excessive pride and arrogance. He always emphasized that he was of noble birth and strongly believed in the superiority of his rank. All the knights and squires at the Grand Duke’s court were proud of their noble birth, but Leon was recognized as the most haughty of all.

* * *

He participated in most of the travels of his knight up to the age of seventeen, serving him as a squire and was with him in wars and battles. His main duty was looking after his master’s horses and armor. He was lucky because Knight Lutz of Neuhausen had grown used to comfortable living and did not like to go to battle. After Leon’s seventeenth birthday, he was knighted in a solemn ceremony.

* * *

Several months before the ceremony that the knights called ‘the sacrament of the sword’, the squires practiced two things: jumping onto a horse and destroying armor that had been fixed to a post. Leon did not have any problems jumping onto the horse. He could even do it with a big sword, wearing all of his armor.

But he rarely managed to even touch the armor on the post with his lance. He was just not able to carry the heavy lance for a long time in his right hand. After two tries he had to give up. The seven other squires never expressed any sympathy for him. They didn’t like him. He was too proud and never helped anybody. They told jokes about him behind his back:

If Leon found somebody hanging over an abyss, what would he do?

He would save him.

Wrong! He would first ask him what his rank was because he would never deal with someone of a lesser rank.

They roared with laughter.

I know another one, somebody said. Prince Leon sinks into a swamp. His servant wants to pull him out and reaches for his hand. What happens?

"He will be