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Borrow, George Henry, 1803-1881

"The Romany Rye"

Well, Hunyadi and Corvinus
are the same.
Myself. Corvinus means the man of the crow, or raven. I suppose
that your John, when a boy, climbed up to a crow or a raven's nest,
and stole the young; a bold feat, well befitting a young hero.
Hungarian. By Isten, you are an acute guesser; a robbery there
was, but it was not Hunyadi who robbed the raven, but the raven who
robbed Hunyadi.
Myself. How was that?
Hungarian. In this manner: Hunyadi, according to tradition, was
the son of King Sigmond, by a peasant's daughter. The king saw and
fell in love with her, whilst marching against the vaivode of
Wallachia. He had some difficulty in persuading her to consent to
his wishes, and she only yielded at last, on the king making her a
solemn promise that, in the event of her becoming with child by
him, he would handsomely provide for her and the infant. The king
proceeded on his expedition; and on his returning in triumph from
Wallachia, again saw the girl, who informed him that she was
enceinte by him; the king was delighted with the intelligence, gave
the girl money, and at the same time a ring, requesting her, if she
brought forth a son, to bring the ring to Buda with the child, and
present it to him. When her time was up, the peasant's daughter
brought forth a fair son, who was baptized by the name of John.


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