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THE MASTER THIEF
THERE was once upon a time a husbandman who had three sons。
He had no property to bequeath to them； and no means of putting
them in the way of getting a living； and did not know what to
do； so he said that they had his leave to take to anything they most
fancied； and go to any place they best liked。 He would gladly
accompany them for some part of their way； he said； and that he did。
He went with them till they came to a place where three roads
met； and there each of them took his own way； and the father bade
them farewell and returned to his own home again。 What became
of the two elder I have never been able to discover； but the youngest
went both far and wide。
It came to pass； one night； as he was going through a great
wood； that a terrible storm came on。 It blew so hard and rained
so heavily that he could scarcely keep his eyes open； and before he
was aware of it he had got quite out of the track； and could neither
find road nor path。 But he went on； and at last he saw a light far
away in the wood。 Then he thought he must try and get to it； and
after a long； long time he did reach it。 There was a large house；
and the fire was burning so brightly inside that he could tell that
the people were not in bed。 So he went in； and inside there was
an old woman who was busy about some work。
‘Good evening； mother！' said the youth。
‘Good evening！' said the old woman。
‘Hutetu！ it is terrible weather outside to…night；' said the young
fellow。
‘Indeed it is；' said the old woman。
‘Can I sleep here； and have shelter for the night？' asked the
youth。
‘It wouldn't be good for you to sleep here；' said the old hag；
‘for if the people of the house come home and find you； they will
kill both you and me。'
‘What kind of people are they then； who dwell here？' said the
youth。
‘Oh！ robbers； and rabble of that sort；' said the old woman；
‘they stole me away when I was little； and I have had to keep
house for them ever since。'
‘I still think I will go to bed； all the same；' said the youth。
‘No matter what happens； I'll not go out to…night in such weather
as this。'
‘Well； then； it will be the worse for yourself；' said the old
woman。
The young man lay down in a bed which stood near； but he
dared not go to sleep： and it was better that he didn't； for the
robbers came； and the old woman said that a young fellow who was
a stranger had come there； and she had not been able to get him
to go away again。
‘Did you see if he had any money？' said the robbers。
‘He's not one to have money； he is a tramp！ If he has a few
clothes to his back； that is all。'
Then the robbers began to mutter to each other apart about
what they should do with him； whether they should murder him；
or what else they should do。 In the meantime the boy got up and
began to talk to them； and ask them if they did not want a man…
servant； for he could find pleasure enough in serving them。
‘Yes；' said they； ‘if you have a mind to take to the trade that
we follow； you may have a place here。'
‘It's all the same to me what trade I follow；' said the youth；
‘for when I came away from home my father gave me leave to
take to any trade I fancied。'
‘Have you a fancy for stealing； then？' said the robbers。
‘Yes；' said the boy； for he thought that was a trade which would
not take long to learn。
Not very far off there dwelt a man who had three oxen； one of
which he was to take to the town to sell。 The robbers had heard
of this； so they told the youth that if he were able to steal the ox
from him on the way； without his knowing； and without doing him
any harm； he should have leave to be their servant…man。 So the
youth set off； taking with him a pretty shoe with a silver buckle
that was lying about in the house。 He put this in the road by
which the man must go with his ox； and then went into the wood
and hid himself under a bush。 When the man came up he at once
saw the shoe。
‘That's a brave shoe；' said he。 ‘If I had but the fellow to it； I
would carry it home with me； and then I should put my old woman
into a good humour for once。'
For he had a wife who was so cross and ill…tempered that the
time between the beatings she gave him was very short。 But then
he bethought himself that he could do nothing with one shoe if he
had not the fellow to it； so he journeyed onwards and let it lie
where it was。 Then the youth picked up the shoe and hurried off
away through the wood as fast as he was able； to get in front of the
man； and then put the shoe in the road before him again。
When the man came with the ox and saw the shoe； he was
quite vexed at having been so stupid as to leave the fellow to it
lying where it was； instead of bringing it on with him。
‘I will just run back again and fetch it now；' he said to himself；
‘and then I shall take back a pair of good shoes to the old woman；
and she may perhaps throw a kind word to me for once。'
So he went and searched and searched for the other shoe for a
long； long time； but no shoe was to be found； and at last he was
forced to go back with the one which he had。
In the meantime the youth had taken the ox and gone off with
it。 When the man got there and found that his ox was gone； he
began to weep and wail； for he was afraid that when his old woman
got to know she would be the death of him。 But all at once it came
into his head to go home and get the other ox； and drive it to the town；
and take good care that his old wife knew nothing about it。 So he
did this； he went home and took the ox without his wife's knowing
about it； and went on his way to the town with it。 But the robbers
they knew it well； because they got out their magic。 So they told
the youth that if he could take this ox also without the man knowing
anything about it； and without doing him any hurt； he should
then be on an equality with them。
‘Well； that will not be a very hard thing to do；' thought the
youth。
This time he took with him a rope and put it under his arms and
tied himself up to a tree； which hung over the road that the man
would have to take。 So the man came with his ox； and when he
saw the body hanging there he felt a little queer。
‘What a hard lot yours must have been to make you hang
yourself！' said he。 ‘Ah； well！ you may hang there for me； I can't
breathe life into you again。'
So on he went with his ox。 Then the youth sprang down from
the tree； ran by a short cut and got before him； and once more hung
himself up on a tree in the road before the man。
‘How I should like to know if you really were so sick at heart
that you hanged yourself there； or if it is only a hobgoblin that's
before me！' said the man。 ‘Ah； well！ you may hang there for me；
whether you are a hobgoblin or not；' and on he went with his ox。
Once more the youth did just as he had done twice already；
jumped down from the tree； ran by a short cut through the wood；
and again hanged himself in the very middle of the road before him。
But when the man once more saw this he said to himself；
‘What a bad business this is！ Can they all have been so heavy。
hearted that they have all three hanged themselves？ No； I can't
believe that it is anything but witchcraft！ But I will know the
truth；' he said； ‘if the two others are still hanging there it is true
but if they are not it's nothing else but witchcraft。'
So he tied up his ox and ran back to see if they really were
hanging there。 While he was going； and looking up at every tree
as he went； the youth leapt down and took his ox and went off with
it。 Any one may easily imagine what a fury the man fell into
when he came back and saw that his ox was gone。 He wept and
he raged； but at last he took comfort and told himself that the best
thing to do was to go home and take the third ox； without letting
his wife know anything about it； and then try to sell it so well
that he got a good sum of money for it。 So he went home and
took the third ox； and drove it off without his wife knowing
anything about it。 But the robbers knew all about it； and they told
the youth that if he could steal this as he had stolen the two
others； he should be master of the whole troop。 So the youth
set out and went to the wood； and when the man was coming along
with the ox he began to bellow loudly； just like a great ox
somewhere inside the wood。 When the man heard that he was right
glad； for he fancied he recognised the voice of his big bullock； and
thought that now he should find both of them again。 So he tied
up the third； and ran away off the road to look for them in the
wood。 In the meantime the youth went away with the third ox。
When the man returned and found that he had lost that too； he fell
into such a rage that there was no bounds to it。 He wept and
lamented； and for many days he did not dare to go home again； for
he was afrai