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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 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