The man and woman went in and saw the boy sleeping there. They awoke him and said: ‘Who art thou who hast appeared here? We pray thee to tell us what thou hast done that we no longer know our own house.’ The boy smiled and said: ‘I told you yesterday that your shepherd was coming to you with his possessions. Behold! he came yesterday, and has taken up his abode in your courtyard. Let us call this your shepherd here.’
At that moment the shepherd awoke. When he jumped out of bed and saw the courtyard, he said to himself: ‘Great art thou, O Lord! I was settled in my home, and now I am here!’ He went in to his master, bent his knee, and said: ‘Thus and thus have I done; I have done evil, and now I am in thy hands, do to me as thou wilt.’ When the man and woman heard this tale they did not know what to do to show their joy. First one embraced the child, then the other. At length the boy said: ‘I am in truth your son, but this man is also your child. He has done wrong, but you will forgive all, and give him his hire.’ His father gave the shepherd his hire, and forgave him.
But still the boy was not satisfied. He said to his parents: ‘This shepherd, at least, left a goat in exchange for me; if my mother brought up the goat, he brought me up. If you wish, keep the goat and I will go with him; if, however, you keep me, you ought to give him back his goat.’ ‘Not only will I do that, but I will also give him half of my flocks,’ said the boy’s father. He divided his flocks into two parts and gave one to his shepherd, and took him into his house. The boy remained with his father and mother, and they lived happily together.
XIV
The Two Thieves
There was once a thief called the Big Thief. Now this Big Thief went into a town to steal. When he had gone some little distance he met an unknown man. ‘God give thee victory![1] Mayst thou be victorious!’[1] said they one to another. ‘Who art thou, and what is thy trade?’ inquired the Big Thief. ‘My trade is thieving, and my name is Little Thief,’ said the unknown. ‘I, too, am a thief, so let us join partnership.’ He agreed, and they became partners.
And they went on together to steal. On the way, the Big Thief said to the Little Thief: ‘Now give me a proof of thy skill in thieving.’ But the latter said: ‘Thou art the Big Thief, thou must show me thy skill; what can I do compared with thee?’ The Big Thief consented.
They saw, just at that moment, a pigeon sitting on a plane tree. The Big Thief said: ‘Now you shall see me pull out the tail of that pigeon on the plane tree without its knowledge.’ Having said this, he went up the tree.
When he had gone about half way, the Little Thief silently stole under the plane tree, climbed up, and while the Big Thief pulled out the tail of the pigeon, the Little Thief took off his companion’s drawers, and promptly descended the tree.