The Youth's Companion/July 19, 1860/Gifts Returned to the Giver
Gifts Returned to the Giver.
Gifts are often valued, not according to their real worth, or the intention of the giver, but according to the scarcity of the article. A queer story is told of a present once made to an Emperor of Germany:
The Emperor Charles V., returning from his expedition against Tunis, traveled by land from Calabria to Naples. As he was to pass through La Cava, the town council met to decide upon a gift for his majesty. Some proposed pine apples, but the majority were in favor of a certain kind of fig, which, having been covered with mats through the winter, were then (March) delicious eating. The Emperor, who was a terrific gormandiser, was much gratified with the present, and inquired with a great deal of interest, if it were difficult to preserve the figs thus, and if they were abundant.
“Oh!” said the sapient mayor, “we have such a quantity that we give them to our hogs.”
“To your hogs!” repeated the Emperor, “then take your figs back again.”
With the word he threw a ripe one in the face of the councilman, and the courtiers, following his example, pelted the deputies until they were soiled and bruised with the fruit. One of them, however, supposed that this singular proceeding was a part of the ordinary ceremonial at receptions, and observed on his way home:
“How lucky it was that we carried our point in favor of figs, for had we offered pine apples, we should, doubtless, have had our brains knocked out!”