J. F. Campbell Collection > Household stories

THE MASTEK-THIEF. 509
told that he had become a thief, two rivers, as it were, of tears flowed
from her eyes. At length she said, " He is still my son, although become
a Master-Thief, and mine eyes have seen him once more."
The three then sat down to table, and he ate again with his parents
the coarse fare which he had not tasted for so long. During the meal
the old Peasant said to his son, " If our master, the Count of the castle
above there, knew who you were, and what you were doing, he would
not, methinks, take you in his arms and rock you, as he once did at your
christening ; he would rather cause you to be hung on the gallows."
" Do not be afraid, my dear Father, he will do nothing to me ; I
understand my trade too well. To-day even I will go to him."
So when it was evening, the Master-Thief got into his carriage and
drove to the castle, where the Count received him with courtesy, because
he took him for some noble personage. But when the Stranger disclosed
his real character, the Count turned pale, and sat in silence for some
time. At last he said, " Since you are my godson, I will forego justice
for mercy, and show forbearance to you. But because you profess to be
a Master-Thief, I will put your art to the proof, and if then you fail, you
must keep your wedding with the hangman's daughter, and the cawing
of the rooks shall be the music to celebrate it."
" My lord Count," replied the Master-Thief, " think of three as
difficult tasks as you can, and if I do not fulfil my pretensions, do with
me as you will."
The Count considered for some minutes, and then said, "For the first
task you shall steal out of its stable my favourite horse ; for the second,
you shall take away from my wife and me, when we are asleep, the
counterpane under which we lie, without our knowledge, and also the
ring off" my wife's finger. For the third, and last task, you shall steal
out of the church the parson and the clerk. Now mark all this well, for
your neck depends upon its due performance."
Thereupon the Master-Thief went to the nearest town, and there
purchased the old clothes of a country-wife, and put them on. Then he
dyed his face a deep brown, and fashioned wrinkles on it, so tliat nobody
could have recognised him. Lastly, he filled a small cask with old
Hungary wine, in which he mixed a powerful sleeping drug. Then,
laying the cask in a basket which he carried upon his shoulder, he
walked with wavering and tottering steps to the castle of the Count. It
was quite dark when he arrived there, and so, sitting down upon a stone
in the courtyard, he began to cough like an asthmatic old woman, and
rubbed his hands together as if they were cold. Now, before the door of
the stables, Soldiers were lying round a fire, and one of them remarking
the old Woman, called to her to come nearer, and warm herself. The
seeming old Woman tottered up to the group, and taking her basket from
her head, sat down near them. " What have you got in your basket,
old Woman?" cried one. "A good taste of wine," she replied; "I
maintain myself by trading with it ; for some money and your fair words
I will give you a glassful." " Come along, then," returned the Soldier ;
but as soon as he had drunk what was given him, he said, "Ah ! this