This is translated by my father from his childhood momories of the stories he heard of how and why King Matthiua loved and trusted the Kuvasz so....
There was a great warrior at the time the Turkish had control of Hungary called Hunyadi Janos. The Turks had power over half of Hungary and most of Europe for 150 years.
After Hunyadi died the nobles were afraid his sons wouldn't be good kings for the rich and greedy people because of the family's reputation of integrity and fearlessness. He had two, sons; the eldest son was also strong and a great warrior like his father. The nobles blackmailed both boys and put Matthius, the youngest son, in jail and sentenced Laszlo, the oldest to death by execution.
It was said that Laszlo had a very muscular body and neck and extremely long thinck hair, and when they tried to behead him, they couldn't. They repeated the execution which was against the law. If he didn't die the first time, he should have been released. This almost caused a revolution because the people loved the Hunyadis. So the nobles decided to cover their tracks and let Matthius out of jail and make him King. Because he was a frail timid man, they thought they could use him as a puppet to do their bidding.
By this time, the rich were abusing the peasants badly. To find out the truth of how his people were being treated, Matthius would disguise himself. In one story he went out to work in the fields and when he asked for his pay, he was brutally whipped. The next day he went back as King and inflicted the same whipping on the man who had been so cruel the day before.
Matthius did many things like this and of course his life became in danger of assassination by the rich. He trusted no one other than his Kuvaszok. He bred the best bloodlines. The dogs were always at his side. They slept by his bed and sat by his throne. He used them as his bodyguards.
They patrolled the castle, hunted and guarded his livestock and he even took them to war! He only gave them to those he came to trust with his life. Matthius became the most powerful, loved, smartest and honest King in Hungarian history. When he died, the people were depressed and chanted in mourning "Matthius is dead so is truth and honesty"
Thus came the fame of the Kuvasz. There are many stories and poems of Matthius and his adventures with his dogs...the Kuvasz comes from a very impressive history.
Alot of feeling is lost in the translation. It is best told by my father as he is such a good storyteller. I remember as a child listening to these stories and poems about the king and his dogs. That is why the Kuvasz is so much more to me than a dog. It is a part of my heritage, my childhood, and the breed is a national treasure for the Hungarian people.
© 1996 Kris Finbow
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