按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
lamented； and for many days he did not dare to go home again； for
he was afraid that the old woman would slay him outright。 The
robbers； also； were not very well pleased at this； for they were forced
to own that the youth was at the head of them all。 So one day
they made up their minds to set to work to do something which it
was not in his power to accomplish； and they all took to the road
together； and left him at home alone。 When they were well out of
the house； the first thing that he did was to drive the oxen out on
the road； whereupon they all ran home again to the man from whom
he had stolen them； and right glad was the husbandman to see
them。 Then he brought out all the horses the robbers had； and
loaded them with the most valuable things which he could find
vessels of gold and of silver； and clothes and other magnificent
thingsand then he told the old woman to greet the robbers from
him and thank them from him； and say that he had gone away；
and that they would have a great deal of difficulty in finding him
again； and with that he drove the horses out of the courtyard。
After a long； long time he came to the road on which he was travelling
when he came to the robbers。 And when he had got very near
home； and was in sight of the house where his father lived； he put
on a uniform which he had found among the things he had taken
from the robbers； and which was made just like a general's； and
drove into the yard just as if he were a great man。 Then he entered
the house and asked if he could find a lodging there。
‘No； indeed you can't！' said his father。 ‘How could I possibly
be able to lodge such a great gentleman as you？ It is all that I
can do to find clothes and bedding for myself； and wretched they
are。'
‘You were always a hard man；' said the youth； ‘and hard you
are still if you refuse to let your own son come into your house。'
‘Are you my son？' said the man。
‘Do you not know me again then？' said the youth。
Then he recognised him and said； ‘But what trade have you
taken to that has made you such a great man in so short a
time？'
‘Oh； that I will tell you；' answered the youth。 ‘You said that I
might take to anything I liked； so I apprenticed myself to some
thieves and robbers； and now I have served my time and have
become Master Thief。'
Now the Governor of the province lived by his father's cottage；
and this Governor had such a large house and so much money that
he did not even know how much it was； and he had a daughter too
who was both pretty and dainty； and good and wise。 So the
Master Thief was determined to have her to wife； and told his
father that he was to go to the Governor； and ask for his daughter
for him。 ‘If he asks what trade I follow； you may say that I am a
Master Thief；' said he。
‘I think you must be crazy；' said the man； ‘for you can't be in
your senses if you think of anything so foolish。'
‘You must go to the Governor and beg for his daughterthere
is no help；' said the youth。
‘But I dare not go to the Governor and say this。 He is so rich
and has so much wealth of all kinds；' said the man。
‘There is no help for it；' said the Master Thief； ‘go you must；
whether you like it or not。 If I can't get you to go by using good
words； I will soon make you go with bad ones。'
But the man was still unwilling； so the Master Thief followed
him； threatening him with a great birch stick； till he went weeping
and wailing through the door to the Governor of the province。
‘Now； my man； and what's amiss with you？' said the Governor。
So he told him that he had three sons who had gone away one
day； and how he had given them permission to go where they
chose； and take to whatsoever work they fancied。 ‘Now；' he
said； ‘the youngest of them has come home； and has threatened
me till I have come to you to ask for your daughter for him； and
I am to say that he is a Master Thief；' and again the man fell
a…weeping and lamenting。
‘Console yourself； my man；' said the Governor； laughing。 ‘You
may tell him from me that he must first give me some proof of
this。 If he can steal the joint off the spit in the kitchen on Sunday；
when every one of us is watching it； he shall have my daughter。
Will you tell him that？'
The man did tell him； and the youth thought it would be easy
enough to do it。 So he set himself to work to catch three hares
alive； put them in a bag； clad himself in some old rags so that he
looked so poor and wretched that it was quite pitiable to see him；
and in this guise on Sunday forenoon he sneaked into the passage
with his bag； like any beggar boy。 The Governor himself and
every one in the house was in the kitchen； keeping watch over the
joint。 While they were doing this the youth let one of the hares
slip out of his bag； and off it set and began to run round the yard。
‘Just look at that hare；' said the people in the kitchen； and
wanted to go out and catch it。
The Governor saw it too； but said； ‘Oh； let it go！ it's no use to
think of catching a hare when it's running away。'
It was not long before the youth let another hare out； and the
people in the kitchen saw this too； and thought that it was the same。
So again they wanted to go out and catch it； but the Governor again
told them that it was of no use to try。
Very soon afterwards； however； the youth let slip the third
hare； and it set off and ran round and round the courtyard。 The
people in the kitchen saw this too； and believed that it was still the
same hare that was running about； so they wanted to go out and
catch it。
‘It's a remarkably fine hare！' said the Governor。 ‘Come
and let us see if we can get hold of it。' So out he went； and the
others with him； and away went the hare； and they after it； in real
earnest。
In the meantime； however； the Master Thief took the joint and
ran off with it； and whether the Governor got any roast meat for
his dinner that day I know not； but I know that he had no roast
hare； though he chased it till he was both hot and tired。
At noon came the Priest； and when the Governor had told him
of the trick played by the Master Thief there was no end to the
ridicule he cast on the Governor。
‘For my part；' said the Priest； ‘I can't imagine myself being
made a fool of by such a fellow as that！'
‘Well； I advise you to be careful；' said the Governor； ‘for he
may be with you before you are at all aware。'
But the Priest repeated what he had said； and mocked the
Governor for having allowed himself to be made such a fool of。
Later in the afternoon the Master Thief came and wanted to
have the Governor's daughter as he had promised。
‘You must first give some more samples of your skill；' said the
Governor； trying to speak him fair； ‘for what you did to…day was no
such very great thing after all。 Couldn't you play off a really good
trick on the Priest？ for he is sitting inside there and calling me a
fool for having let myself be taken in by such a fellow as you。'
‘Well； it wouldn't be very hard to do that；' said the Master
Thief。 So he dressed himself up like a bird； and threw a great white
sheet over himself； broke off a goose's wings； and set them on his
back； and in this attire climbed into a great maple tree which stood
in the Priest's garden。 So when the Priest returned home in the
evening the youth began to cry； ‘Father Lawrence！ Father
Lawrence！ ‘for the Priest was called Father Lawrence。
‘Who is calling me？' said the Priest。
‘I am an angel sent to announce to thee that because of thy
piety thou shalt be taken away alive into heaven；' said the Master
Thief。 ‘Wilt thou hold thyself in readiness to travel away next
Monday night？ for then will I come and fetch thee； and bear thee
away with me in a sack； and thou must lay all thy gold and silver；
and whatsoever thou may 'st possess of this world's wealth； in a heap
in thy best parlour。'
So Father Lawrence fell down on his knees before the angel
and thanked him； and the following Sunday he preached a farewell
sermon； and gave out that an angel had come down into the large
maple tree in his garden； and had announced to him that； because
of his righteousness； he should be taken up alive into heaven； and
as he thus preached and told them this everyone in the church；
old or young； wept。
On Monday night the Master Thief once more came as an angel；
and before the Priest was put into the sack he fell on his knees and
thanked him； but no sooner was the Priest safely inside it than the
Master Thief began to drag him away over stocks and stones。
‘Oh！ oh！ ‘cried the Priest in the sack。 ‘Where are you taking
me？'
‘This is the way to heaven。 The way to heaven is not an easy
one；' said the Master Thief； and dragged him along till he all but
killed him。
At last he flung him into the Governor's goose…house； and the
geese began to hiss and peck at him； till