ICH. "'It grows in Holstein in the Low Grounds (NIEDERUNG).
Never below the 10th grain [10 reaped for 1 sown] have I yet
had it.'

KING. "'Nu, nu [Ho, ho], surely not the 10th grain all at once!'

ICH. "'That is not much. Please your Majesty to ask the Herr
General von Gortz [who has not spoken a syllable all day]; he knows
this is not reckoned much in Holstein:'--(the General Graf von
Gortz I first had the honor to make acquaintance with in Holstein).

"They now talked, for a while, of the rye, in the carriage
together. Presently his Majesty called to me from the carriage,
'Na, stand by the Holstein STAUDEN-rye, then; and give some to the
tenants too.'

ICH. "'Yes, your Majesty.'

KING. "'But give me some idea: what kind of appearance had the Luch
before it was drained?'

ICH. "'It was mere high rough masses of hillocks (HULLEN);
between them the water settled, and had no flow. In the driest
years we couldn't cart the hay out, but had to put it up in big
ricks. Only in winter, when the frost was sharp, could we get it
home. But now we have cut away the hillocks; and the trenches that
your Majesty got made for us take the water off. And now the Luch
is as dry as your Majesty sees, and we can carry out our hay when
we please.'