aesop's fables

"❁ the thief and the innkeeper

a thief rented a room in an inn and stayed awhile
in the hope of stealing something
which he could trade for money to pay his dues.
one day, he saw the innkeeper
dressed in a new, expensive coat,
sitting before his door.
the thief sat down beside him
and talked with him.

as the conversation was starting to come to an end,
the thief yawned terribly and then howled like a wolf.
"why do you howl so fiercely?"
inquired the innkeeper.
the thief responded,
"I don't know, sir,
when I got into this habit of yawning,
or whether these attacks of howling
began as a punishment for my crimes."
the innkeeper became confused.
"but why would this howling
be a punishment?"

"why, when I yawn for the third time,
I turn into a wolf and attack men."
after the thief said this,
he commenced a second fit of yawning
and again howled like a wolf,
as he had the first time.
the innkeeper, hearing his tale
and believing what he said,
became greatly alarmed and, rising from his seat,
attempted to run away.
the thief grabbed the end of the innkeeper's coat
and begged him to stop, saying,
"please wait, sir, and hold my clothes,
or I shall tear them to pieces
when I turn into a wolf."
at the same moment he yawned the third time
and howled a terrible howl.

the innkeeper,
thinking that he was about to be attacked,
ran away in a hurry.
but as he scrambled out the door
he did not realize that
he left his new coat in the thief's hand
and ran as fast as he could
into the inn for safety.
the thief made off with the coat
and never returned to the inn again.

do not trust those who commit crime.