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