self took his sword, and wandered about alone at night. And
he saw a man creeping along a wall with noiseless steps, often casting
a fearful glance behind him. The king concluded that this was the thief
who all alone robbed the city, and went up to him. And the thief asked
him who he was. The king replied: "I am a thief."

Then the thief said joyfully: "Good! You are my friend. Come to my
house. I will treat you like a friend." So the king agreed and went
with the thief to a house hidden in a grove and guarded by a wall, full
of delightful and beautiful things, and bright with shining gems. There
the thief offered the king a seat, and went into an inner room.

At that moment a serving-maid came into the room and said to the king:
"Your Majesty, why have you come into the jaws of death? This wonderful
thief has gone out, intending to do you a mischief. He is certainly
treacherous. Go away quickly."

So the king quickly went away, returned to the city, and drew up a
company of soldiers. With these soldiers he went and surrounded the
house where the serving-maid had been.

When the thief saw that the house was surrounded, he knew that he was
betrayed, and came out to fight and die like a man. He showed more than
human valour. He cut off the trunks of elephants, the legs of horses,
and the heads of men; and he was all alone, with only his sword and
shield. When the king saw that his army was destroyed, he ran forward
himself.

The king was a scientific swordsman, so with a turn of his wrist he
sent the sword and the dagger flying from the thief's hand. Then he
threw away his own sword, wrestled with the thief, threw him, and took
him alive.

The next morning the thief was led to the place of execution to be
impaled, and the drums were beaten. And Pearl, the merchant's daughter,
saw him from her balcony. All bloody and dusty as he was, she went mad
with love, found her father, and said to him: "Father, I am going to
marry that thief who is being led to execution. You must save him from
the king. Otherwise I shall die with him."

But her father said: "What do you mean, my daughter? That thief stole
everything the citizens had, and the king's men are going to kill him.
How can I save him from the king? Besides, what nonsense are you
talking?" But the more he scolded, the more determined she became. And
as he loved his daughter, he went to the king and offered all he had
for the release of the thief.

But the king wou