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    Who was the brother of Napoleon the Great, who, when appointed ruler of the Netherlands, tried to address his subjects in their own language, but unfortunately enough called himself "Rabbit of Olland"?

    Question #75138. Asked by Flem-ish. (Jan 29 07 9:13 AM)


    lanfranco

    		It seems to be Louis. I hadn't heard this funny story. Thanks!




    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Bonaparte

    Jan 29 07, 9:25 AM
    Arpeggionist

    		Better than Kennedy's "I am a jelly doughnut" speech.

    Jan 29 07, 9:39 AM
    Flem-ish

    		It is Louis - and he deserved better than being ridiculed for his little blunder. After all he was much more humane than his more famous brother.

    Jan 29 07, 11:07 AM
    lanfranco

    		You're right, Flem-ish. Though Lucien Bonaparte has always seemed the more interesting figure to me.

    By the way, is there an etymological relationship between "konijn" and the English term "coney"? Then again, the Italian for rabbit is "coniglio," so there must be some connection there, too.

    Jan 29 07, 11:42 AM
    Baloo55th

    		Louis didn't want to be a king, but was pushed into it. He immediately tried to be a good king for his subjects, which unfortunately wasn't quite what his brother had intended, especially as the interests of the Netherlands ran counter to those of France. Which explains why he was kicked out in 1810, having earned the name of Louis the Good from his formerly reluctant subjects.

    Jan 29 07, 11:53 AM
    Flem-ish

    		The Dutch name for Coney Island was Conyne Eylandt (ancient spelling).The usual explanation is that the island was full of rabbits. Words related to "konijn" are
    a.o. Kaninchen in German, conil in Old French, cuniculus in Latin. In my own Flemish dialect a further shortening has taken place and Dutch "konijn" has become "keun". "Boskeun" is one of the local regional beers here.

    Jan 29 07, 1:36 PM
    queproblema

    		I'll add that "rabbit" in Spanish is "conejo."

    Some readers checking in here might not realize that "king" in Dutch is "koning," (See how it realtes to English "king.") while "rabbit" is "konijn."

    About the jelly doughnut story, I have my doubts. If somebody stood up and said, "I'm Danish," nobody would think he was calling himself a pastry.

    http://urbanlegends.about.com/cs/historical/a/jfk_berliner.htm

    Jan 29 07, 10:47 PM

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