time?'

`Oh, that I will tell you,' answered the youth. `You said that I
might take to anything I liked, so I apprenticed myself to some
thieves and robbers, and now I have served my time and have
become Master Thief.'

Now the Governor of the province lived by his father's cottage,
and this Governor had such a large house and so much money that
he did not even know how much it was, and he had a daughter too
who was both pretty and dainty, and good and wise. So the
Master Thief was determined to have her to wife, and told his
father that he was to go to the Governor, and ask for his daughter
for him. `If he asks what trade I follow, you may say that I am a
Master Thief,' said he.

`I think you must be crazy,' said the man, `for you can't be in
your senses if you think of anything so foolish.'

`You must go to the Governor and beg for his daughter--there
is no help,' said the youth.

`But I dare not go to the Governor and say this. He is so rich
and has so much wealth of all kinds,' said the man.

`There is no help for it,' said the Master Thief; `go you must,
whether you like it or not. If I can't get you to go by using good
words, I will soon make you go with bad ones.'

But the man was still unwilling, so the Master Thief followed