School: Cornamon (roll number 13926)

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   “John's father was working on a gentleman's estate and this lad used to bring his meals to his father and anything he could steal or get 'handy' he always took it.”

   

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   John's father was working on a gentleman's estate and this lad used to bring his meals to his father and anything he could steal or get "handy" he always took it. Now the gentleman didn't know how to get rid of John from the place and at last one day he said to the father "Why don't you send this fine lad on for a trade and not have him wasting his time?" "I don't know what to send him to" said the father. "A thief is the best trade going and I'm sure he will get on well at it." So the father put new shoes on the son and they started off and they travelled "where the cock never crew or the devil never shook his bugle horns". They met the black thief and he asked them what brought them to that part of the country so they said they were looking for a master thief. "Well" said the thief "I'm looking for a smart boy to help the other apprentice." So they made the bargain and the father and son parted. Next morning there was a butcher

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   Folktales index

   AT1525: The Master Thief

   Language

   English

   Informant

   Mrs Gracie Mawn

   Gender

   Female