The laughable stories collected by Mâr Gregory John Bar Hebræ

STORIES OF THIEVES AND OF ROBBERS.
DCLIII.
When a certain man's money had been stolen
the people said to him, "Grieve not, for in the day
"of judgment the wages of him who took it shall not
"be reckoned [unto him];" and he replied, "I do not know
"about that, but at the moment he hath taken all my
"wages."
DCLIV. Certain things having been stolen from a
man it was said to him, "Take refuge in God and in
"the adorable Gospel, and He will expose the thief."
The man replied, "If the thief had hearkened unto the
"counsel of the Gospel, he would not only have robbed
"me, but he would also have destroyed me and slain
"me; for he would have heard our Lord saying, 'The
"thief Cometh not except to steal and to slay, and to
"destroy',' and how can He Who counselled the thief
"thus
expose him.-*"
DCLV. When some thieves were stripping another
man of his clothes he said to them, "Leave my clothes
"on me, and I will send you the price thereof with
"something in addition." The thieves said to him, "O
"fool, who ever saw the robber who put anything out
"at interest?"
DCLVI. Another thief used only to steal children,
^ St. John X. 10.