"You must bake some at once," ordered his master.

"But we have no flour," was the answer.

"You must grind some, then," was the command.

"We cannot do so, for we have no grain."

"Then see that some is threshed immediately."

"That is impossible, for the harvests have been burned down," replied
the steward.

"You can at least sow grain, that we may have new harvests as soon as
possible."

"We cannot even do that, for our enemies have burned down all the
buildings where the grain was stored for seed-time."

Frederick now turned to his visitors, and told them they must eat
their meat without bread. But that was not all. He told them they
must give him enough money to build new houses and barns to take the
places of those they had destroyed, and also to buy new seed for
grain.

"It is wrong," he said, sternly, "to carry on war against those who
are helpless, and to take away their seeds and tools from the poor
peasants."