ywenttothecityandmadeforthekingstreasury,whichwascompletelysurroundedbyguards.Thethievesthereforeduganundergroundtunnelintothetreasuryandstoleeverything.Surveyinghisloss,thekinghadnoideahowhemightcatchtherobbers.HewenttoamannamedSnare,whohadbeenputinprisonforstealing,andsaid,"Ifyoucantellmewhocommittedthisrobbery,Illsetyoufreeandmakeyouamarquis."
Snarereplied,"ItcanbenoneotherthanCrackorCrook,orbothofthemtogether,sincetheyarethemostnotoriousthievesalive.ButIlltellyouhowyoucancatchthem.Havethepriceofmeatraisedtoonehundreddollarsapound.Thepersonwhopaysthatmuchforitwillbeyourthief."
Thekinghadthepriceofmeatraisedtoonehundreddollarsapound,andeverybodystoppedbuyingmeat.Finallyitwasreportedthatafriarhadgonetoacertainbutcherandboughtmeat.Snaresaid,"ThathadtobeCrackorCrookindisguise.Illnowdisguisemyselfandgoaroundtothehousesbegging.Ifanybodygivesmemeat,Illmakearedmarkonthefrontdoor,andyourguardscangoandarrestthethieves."
ButwhenhemadearedmarkonCrackshouse,thethiefsawitandwentandmarkedalltheotherdoorsinthecitywithred,sotherewasnotellingintheendwhereCrackandCrooklived.
Snaresaidtotheking,"DidntItellyoutheywerefoxy?Buttheressomeoneelsefoxierthantheyare.Heresthenextthingtodo:putatubofboilingpitchatthebottomofthetreasurysteps.Whoevergoesdowntostealwillfallrightintoit,andhisdeadbodywillgivehimaway."
CrackandCrookhadrunoutofmoneyinthemeantimeanddecidedtogobacktothetreasuryformore.Crookwentinfirst,butitwasdark,andhefellintothetub.Crackcamealongandtriedtopullhisfriendsbodyoutofthepitch,butitstuckfastinthetub.Hethencutofftheheadandcarrieditaway.
Thenextdaythekingwenttoseeifhehadcaughtthethief."Thistimewegothim!Wegothim!"Butthecorpsehadnohead,sotheywerenonethewiseraboutthethieforanyaccompliceshemighthavehad.
Snaresaid,"Theresonemorethingwecando:havethedeadmandraggedthroughthecitybytwohorses.Thehousewhereyouhearsomeoneweepinghastobethethiefshouse."
Ineffect,whenCrookswifelookedoutthewindowandsawherhusbandsbodybeingdraggedthroughthestreet,shebeganscreamingandcrying.ButCrackwasthereandkn
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