| Bicycle touring Germany. Early
one afternoon, we arrived in historic Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
In 1631, during the Thirty Years War, the town had been conquered.
The mayor figured he may as well welcome the conquering commander,
so he filled the town's rather generous three-liter tankard with
wine, and presented it as a peace gesture. When the commander
got a load of the size of the flagon, he was immediately struck
by its humour, and dared the mayor to down the entire contents
in one swill. If the mayor succeeded, the commander promised,
he would allow Rothenburg to go free. The mayor rose to the challenge,
swigged the entire mug in one enormous draft, and saved the town.
(That's what I admire about those old-time conquerors -- they
were usually true to their word.) |
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