Finally Columbus laid his plans before the new King of Portugal, John II. The king secretly sent out a ship to test the plan. His sailors, however, became frightened and returned before going very far. Columbus was indignant at this mean trick and immediately started for Spain (1484), taking with him his little son, Diego. [Sidenote: =What the Spaniards thought of Columbus=] =3. Columbus at the Court of Spain.= The King and Queen of Spain, Ferdinand and Isabella, received him kindly; but some of their wise men did not believe the world is round, and declared Columbus foolish for thinking that countries to the eastward could be reached by sailing to the westward. He was not discouraged at first, because other wise men spoke in his favor to the king and queen. [Illustration: COLUMBUS SOLICITING AID FROM ISABELLA _From the painting by the Bohemian artist, Vaczlav Brozik, now in the Metropolitan Museum, New York_] [Sidenote: =Some thought him crazy=] It was hard for these rulers to aid him now because a long and costly war had used up all of Spain's money. Columbus was very poor and his clothes became threadbare. Some good people took pity on him and gave him money but others made sport of the homeless stranger and insulted him. The very boys in the street, it is said, knowingly tapped their heads when he went by to show that they thought him a bit crazy. [Illustration: LA RABIDA CONVENT NEAR PALOS _At this monastery, on his way to France, Columbus met the good prior_] [Sidenote: =Begs bread for his son=] =4. New Friends of America.= Disappointed and discouraged, after several years of weary waiting, Columbus set out on foot to try his fortunes in France. One day while passing along the road, he came to a convent or monastery. Here he begged a drink of water and some bread for his tired and hungry son, Diego, who was then about twelve years of age. The good prior of the monastery was struck by the fine face and the noble bearing of the stranger, and began to talk with him. When Columbus explained his bold plan of finding a shorter route to India, the prior sent in haste to the little port of Palos, near by, for some old seamen, among them a great sailor, named Pinzón. These men agreed with Columbus, for they had seen proofs of land to the westward. [Illustration: COLUMBUS AT THE CONVENT OF LA RABIDA _Columbus explaining his plan for reaching India to the prior and to Pinzón, the great sailor_] [Sidenote: =The prior goes to Queen Isabella=]