The Thief And The Innkeeper
Aesop Fable: The Thief And The Innkeeper
A thief hired a room in a tavern and stayed a while in the
hope of stealing something which should enable him to
pay his reckoning. When he had waited some days in vain,
he saw the Innkeeper dressed in a new and handsome coat
and sitting before his door. The Thief sat down beside him
and talked with him. As the conversation began to flag,
the Thief yawned terribly and at the same time howled like
a wolf. The Innkeeper said, "Why do you howl so fearfully?"
"I will tell you," said the Thief, "but first let me ask you
to hold my clothes, or I shall tear them to pieces. I know
not, sir, when I got this habit of yawning, nor whether
these attacks of howling were inflicted on me as a judgment
for my crimes, or for any other cause; but this I do
know, that when I yawn for the third time, I actually turn
into a wolf and attack men." With this speech he commenced
a second fit of yawning and again howled like a wolf, as he
had at first.
The Innkeeper, hearing his tale and believing what he
said, became greatly alarmed and, rising from his seat, attempted
to run away. The Thief laid hold of his coat and
entreated him to stop, saying, "Pray wait, sir, and hold my
clothes, or I shall tear them to pieces in my fury, when I
turn into a wolf." At the same moment he yawned the third
time and set up a terrible howl. The Innkeeper, frightened
lest he should be attacked, left his new coat in the Thief’s
hand and ran as fast as he could into the inn for safety. The
Thief made off with the coat and did not return again to
the inn.
Every tale is not to be believed.
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