A Thief hired a room at an inn, and stayed there some days on the look-out for something to steal. No opportunity, however, presented itself, till one day, when there was a festival to be celebrated, the Innkeeper appeared in a fine new coat and sat down before the door of the inn for an airing. The Thief no sooner set eyes upon the coat than he longed to get possession of it. There was no business doing, so he went and took a seat by the side of the Innkeeper, and began talking to him. They conversed together for some time, and then the Thief suddenly yawned and howled like a wolf. The Innkeeper asked him in some concern what ailed him. The Thief replied, “I will tell you about myself, sir, but first I must beg you to take charge of my clothes for me, for I intend to leave them with you. Why I have these fits of yawning I cannot tell: maybe they are sent as a punishment for my misdeeds; but, whatever the reason, the facts are that when I have yawned three times I become a ravening wolf and fly at men's throats.” As he finished speaking he yawned a second time and howled again as before. The Innkeeper, believing every word he said, and terrified at the prospect of being confronted with a wolf, got up hastily and started to run indoors; but the Thief caught him by the coat and tried to stop him, crying, “Stay, sir, stay, and take charge of my clothes, or else I shall never see them again.” As he spoke he opened his mouth and began to yawn for the third time. The Innkeeper, mad with the fear of being eaten by a wolf, slipped out of his coat, which remained in the other's hands, and bolted into the inn and locked the door behind him; and the Thief then quietly stole off with his spoil.
有一个贼在一个旅馆里租了一个房间，在那里住了几天，想看看有什么东西可偷。不过，却一直都没有机会，直到有一天恰逢一个节日，会有庆祝活动，旅馆老板穿上了一件特别好的新外套，坐在旅馆门前。贼一看到那件外套就想据为己有。由于店内没有生意，所以他便走过去，坐在了旅馆老板旁边，和他攀谈。他们聊了一会天，然后贼突然间打哈欠，并像狼一样号叫。旅馆老板关心地问他是不是不舒服。贼回答：“跟你说说我的事情吧，先生，但是请你帮我照看我的衣服，因为我要把它们留在你这里。我为什么会这样打哈欠我也说不清，也许这是对我的恶行的惩罚。但是不管为什么，事实上，当我打三次哈欠，我就会变成一只恶狼，飞扑向人们的喉咙。”他说完，便又打了第二次哈欠，又像刚才一样发出一阵号叫。旅馆老板相信了他的话，很害怕要面对一只狼，于是匆匆站起身，向旅馆内跑去，但是贼却抓住他的衣服，想要拦住他，他喊道：“等等，先生，等等，帮我看着我的衣服，要不我就再也见不到它们了。”他说着便张开了口，准备第三次打哈欠。旅馆老板担心自己被狼吃了，吓得都快疯了，于是褪掉了被小偷抓住的外套，缩进旅馆里，紧紧地锁上了身后的门，贼便带着战利品溜走了。