The Thief and His Mother

The Thief and His Mother

A BOY stole a lesson-book from one of his schoolfellows and took it

home to his Mother. She not only abstained from beating him, but

encouraged him. He next time stole a cloak and brought it to her, and

she again commended him. The Youth, advanced to adulthood, proceeded to

steal things of still greater value. At last he was caught in the very

act, and having his hands bound behind him, was led away to the place

of public execution. His Mother followed in the crowd and violently

beat her breast in sorrow, whereupon the young man said, “I wish to say

something to my Mother in her ear.” She came close to him, and he

quickly seized her ear with his teeth and bit it off. The Mother

upbraided him as an unnatural child, whereon he replied, “Ah! if you

had beaten me when I first stole and brought to you that lesson-book, I

should not have come to this, nor have been thus led to a disgraceful

death.”