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| 182. The Thief And The Innkeeper A Thief hired a room in a taver n, and stayed some days, in the hope of stealing something which should enable him to pay his reckoning. When he had waited some days in vain, he saw the Innkeeper dressed in a new and handsome coat, and sitting before his door. The Thief sat down beside him, and talked with him. As the conversation began to flag, the Thief yawned terribly, and at the same time howled like a wolf. The Innkeeper said, "Why do you howl so fearfully? " "I will tell you," said the Thief: "but first let me ask you to hold my clothes, for I wish to leave them in your hands. I know not, sir, when I got this habit of yawning, nor whether these attacks of howling were inflicted on me as a judgment for my crimes, or for any other cause; but this I do know, that when I yawn for the third time, I actually turn into a wolf, and attack men." With this speech he commenced a second fit of yawning, and agai n howled as a wolf, as he did at first. The Innkeeper hearing his tale, and, believing what he said, became greatly alarmed, and rising from his seat, attempted to run away. The Thief laid hold of his coat, and entre ated him to stop, saying, "Pray wait, sir, and hold my clothes, or I shall tear them to pieces in my fury, when I turn into a wolf." At the same moment he yawned the third time, and set up a howl like a wolf. The Inn keeper, frightened lest he should be attacked, left his new coat in his hand, and ran as fast as he could into the inn for safety. The Thief made off with his new coat, and did not return again to the inn. Every tale is not to be believed. | 182. 贼和旅馆主人 有一个贼到一家旅店，租了一间房子，住了几天，希望能偷取一点东西，好让他能够付膳宿费。 当他空等了几天之后，看见旅馆主人穿著一件漂亮的新衣，坐在门前。 于是贼便坐在他的身旁和他闲聊。 他们聊得很疲倦了，贼打了一个呵欠，同时叫了一声，像狼叫似的。 旅馆主人说：「你怎么叫得这么可怕呢？」 贼说：「你听我说，但我得先请你抓住我的衣服，因为我希望它们放在你的手中。 先生，我也不知道自己什么时候养成这种打呵欠的习惯，也不明白这种叫声传染到我身上来，是为处罚我的罪孽呢？还是有其它什么原因？可是有件事我是知道的：在我第三次再打呵欠的时候，我真的会变成一只狼去扑杀人的。」 他说完以后，便再打第二个呵欠，并且和第一次一样，又像一只狼似的嚎叫起来。 旅馆主人听了他的故事，而且也相信他所说的话，非常害怕的站起身来，想要逃走。 贼却扯住他的外衣，请他留步，并说：「先生，请等一下，扯住我的衣服吧，否则我一变成狼时，会暴怒地撕破它们的。」 同时他打第三次呵欠的时候，又像一只狼似的嚎叫起来。 旅馆主人唯恐被他扑杀，便将他的新外衣留在贼的手中，赶快跑进旅馆去避难。 贼就带了他的新外衣逃走，不再回到旅馆里来了。 每一个故事，都是一桩谎话。 |
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