The Thief and His Master facts for kids

The Thief and His Master is a classic German fairy tale collected by the famous Brothers Grimm. Its original German title is "De Gaudeif un sien Meester". This story is part of their well-known collection, Grimm's Fairy Tales, where it is tale number 68. It's a special kind of story known as an Aarne–Thompson type 325 tale, often called "The Magician and His Pupil." These tales are famous for featuring a thrilling transformation chase, where characters change their forms to escape or catch each other.

About This Fairy Tale

This type of story, where a student learns magic from a master and then tries to outsmart them, is very old. You can find similar tales in many different cultures, from India to Europe. They often share a similar plot. Other stories like "The Thief and His Master" include Farmer Weathersky, The Sorcerer's Apprentice, and Master and Pupil. There's even a literary version called Maestro Lattantio and His Apprentice Dionigi.

The Story of the Thief and His Master

The tale begins with a father named Jan who wants his son to learn a useful skill. He goes to church to ask for guidance. There, he hears a voice suggesting his son should learn to be a thief. So, Jan decides to find someone who can teach his son this unusual profession.

Finding a Teacher

Jan and his son search a large forest until they find a small house. An old woman lives there, and she agrees to let Jan's son stay for a year to learn from a master-thief. The master-thief says Jan won't have to pay for the lessons. However, there's a catch: if Jan can't recognize his own son when he returns, he will have to pay a price.

The Clever Escape

After a year, Jan returns to get his son. A wise dwarf helps him. The dwarf tells Jan to bring some bread. He also reveals that a little bird peeping from a basket is actually his son. Jan follows the dwarf's advice and manages to get his son back. The master-thief is amazed, saying Jan must have had magical help to recognize his son.

A Daring Chase

On their way home, Jan and his son see a carriage. The son quickly transforms into a beautiful dog. The man in the carriage is impressed and wants to buy the dog. Jan sells him, but moments later, the dog cleverly jumps out of the carriage window. It changes its shape again and escapes, returning safely to Jan.

The Final Showdown

The next day, Jan and his son go to the market in a nearby village. The son transforms himself into a magnificent horse. He warns his father not to sell him with the bridle still on. However, Jan accidentally sells the horse to the master-thief, bridle and all.

When the master-thief takes the horse to his stable, he asks his maid to remove the bridle. The horse then speaks, surprising the maid so much that she drops the bridle. This allows the son to escape! A thrilling transformation chase begins. The son and the master-thief change forms rapidly, first into sparrows, then into fish. Finally, the son turns into a clever fox, and the master becomes a rooster. The fox quickly outsmarts the rooster, ending the chase and defeating the master-thief.