Aesop's Fables

A Thief rented a room in a tavern and stayed a while in the hope of stealing something that would enable him to pay his bill. When he had waited some days in vain, he saw the Innkeeper dressed in a new and handsome coat and sitting in front of 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 dreadfully?” “I will tell you,” said the Thief, “but first let me ask you to hold my clothes, or I will tear them to pieces. I do not know, sir, when I got this habit of yawning, or whether these attacks of howling were inflicted on me as a punishment for my crimes or for some other cause; but I do know this: 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 again howled like a wolf, as he had 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 entreated him to stop, saying, “Please wait, sir, and hold my clothes, or I will tear them to pieces in my fury when I turn into a wolf.” At the same moment he yawned for the third time and let out a terrible howl. The Innkeeper, frightened that he might be attacked, 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 did not return to the inn again.

Not every tale is to be believed.