n_. 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. After some time the young woman communicated the whole affair
to her elder brother, whose name was Gaspar, and begged him to convey her
and the child to the king at Buda. The brother consented, and both set
out, taking the child with them. On their way, the woman, wanting to
wash her clothes, laid the child down, giving it the king's ring to play
with. A raven, who saw the glittering ring, came flying, and plucking it
out of the child's hand, carried it up into a tree; the child suddenly
began to cry, and the mother, hearing it, left her washing, and running
to the child, forthwith missed the ring, but hearing the raven croak in
the tree, she lifted up her eyes, and saw it with the ring in its beak.
The woman, in great terror, called her brother, and told him what had
happened, adding, that she durst not approach the king if the raven took
away the ring. Gaspar, seizing his cross-bow and quiver, ran to the
tree, where the raven was yet with the ring, and discharged an arrow at
it, but, being in a great hurry, he missed it; with his second shot he
was more lucky, for he hit the raven in the breast, which, together with
the ring, fell to the ground. Taking up the ring, they went on their
way, and shortly arrived at Buda. One day, as the king was walking after
dinner in his outer hall, the woman appeared before him with the child,
and, showing him the ring, said, 'Mighty lord! behold this token! and
take pity upon me and your own son.' King Sigmond took the child and
kissed it, and, after a pause, said to the mother, 'You h