In1793,British,HanoverianandAustriantroopsinvadedFranceinanattempttoputdowntheFrenchRevolution.TheHanoveriangeneralFreytagwastakenprisonerbyaFrenchhussar,who,perceivingthathehadavaluablewatch,said,"Givemeyourwatch."Freytaginstantlycomplied.
Ashorttimeafter,whenhewasliberatedandthehussarhadbecomeaprisonerinhisturn,thehussarwithgreatunconcernpulledthewatchfromhispocketand,presentingittoFreytag,said,"Sincefatehasturnedagainstme,takebackyourwatch.Itwouldnotbesowelltoletothersstripmeofit."Freytagwaspleasedwiththehussar'shonesty,andbadehimtokeepthewatchinremembranceofhishavingoncehaditsownerforaprisoner.
一七九三年，英國、漢諾威、奧地利聯軍入侵法國，要敉平法國大革命。漢諾威將領弗賴塔格被法國一個輕騎兵所擒。那輕騎兵見他有個名貴的錶，就說：「把錶給我。」弗賴塔格立刻遵命奉上。
不久，弗賴塔格被救出，那輕騎兵轉而成為階下囚。他若無其事，把那個錶從口袋裏掏出來，交給弗賴塔格，說：「我既然時窮運倒，這個錶你拿回去吧；給別人取去，就不那麼好了。」弗賴塔格喜歡他的老實，叫他把錶留着，算是曾經俘虜其主人的紀念品。
【附注】Bade是bid（吩咐）的過去式，其後可用「受詞（object）+原形動詞（infinitive）」或「受詞+to+原形動詞」，例如：Freytagbadehim（to）keepthewatch。