He was often graciously pleased to talk concerning his early difficulties.
"When I was an understrapper," he was wont to say, "the land was overswarmed and eaten up by officialdom.

I could not see the good meat wasted upon crawlers.

'Get to work,' said I, 'or ye shall neither eat nor crawl!' "'We must eat--to beg we are not ashamed, to steal is the right of our noble Ritterdom,' the crawlers replied.
"'So,' said I, '_bitte_--as to that we shall see!' "Then I made me a fine gallows, builded like that outside Paris, which I had seen once when on an embassy for Prince Dietrich.

It was like a castle, with walls twelve feet thick, and on the beams of it room for a hundred or more to swing, each with his six feet of clearance, all comfortable, and no complaints.
"Then came the crawlers and asked me what this fine thing was for.
"'For the sacred Ritterdom of Plassenburg!' answered I, 'if it will not cease to burn houses and to ravish and carry off honest men's wives and daughters.' "'But you must catch us!' quoth Crawlerdom.

'Walls fourteen feet thick!' said they.
"'Content,' cried I; 'there is the more fun in catching you.