Once upon a time, there was a father who had one son. He had had his son learn everything that could possibly be learned.

One day the father said, "Listen, my boy. What would you like to do now? You are my only child and heir. I am immensely rich. You have learned everything. Now tell me what you would like to do."

"Father," the son said, " 'tis true, I learned many a thing, but not everything. I have never learned to rob and steal, which I would like to learn as well."

The father was shocked enormously and said, "But my dear boy, what is this supposed to mean? Robbing and stealing? But you're incredibly rich!"

"This may be true," said the son, "but father, these treasures could be taken away from either you or me, and if I am able to rob and steal, I could make a living that way too, if everything else is of no avail."

The father wept and lamented intensely about his child's incomprehensible wish, but no matter how he prayed, threatened, or begged, his son wanted to learn about robbing and stealing. When the father realized that he couldn't change his son's decision, he went to see the leader of a band of robbers and came to an understanding with him to take on his son as an apprentice. The conclusion of this conversation was that the son would be accepted among the robbers for the duration of one year, but that he, like all apprentices, would be obliged to prove his competence before he left. And it was no sooner said than done.

The son joined the robbers, stole and learned as much as he could, and when the year was almost over, he reminded the leader of his departure.

"Very well," said the leader. "You can leave, but you know the conditions."

"Well," said the son, "why don't you give me a test?"

"Listen to this," said the leader. "A farmer will pass through the forest, sitting on a horse, and behind the horse, there will be a sheep with a little bell under its throat. The sheep will be tied to the horse's tail. Your task is to steal the sheep, as well as the horse, and to put the farmer in a well, naked. And you will have to do this all on your own."

The son promised to perform this task to prove his competence.

Thus his labour began. He climbed a tree, and after having waited patiently for several hours, he heard the farmer coming on his horse, and the sheep right behind him. In the distance, he could hear the sound of the little bell. He now descended from the tree and hid behind it. When the farmer had passed, he followed him silently, widened the loop atound the sheep's neck, pulled it over its head, and left the loop and the bell hanging behind the horse.

Then he took the sheep to a place known to him. Since he knew his way around the woods better than the farmer, he took a side road and consequently ended up at a spot on the main road the farmer still had to pass.

The farmer, who had walked on for a while without getting suspicious (after all, he kept hearing the little bell), happened to take a look behind him and O dear! he missed his sheep. He checked the loop and noticed that it had been pulled over the head of the sheep.

That poor animal, he thought, I will go and look for it, otherwise it will surely lose its way in the forest. In order to be able to have a good look around in the undergrowth as well, the farmer went on foot, and tied his horse to a tree for the time being. He had absolutely no idea that the sheep had been stolen. When he was thus looking for his sheep, the robbers' apprentice appeared. He cut loose the horse, took it to his place of safety, and then sat near a well in the forest, crying out loud.

The farmer, who couldn't find his sheep no matter how he kept looking, returned in disappointment to the place where he had left his horse. But imagine his shock when, returned to the spot, he found his horse was gone! This left him no choice but to think he had been robbed. That poor farmer, how sad he was. While he was thinking about the fastest way to get out of the forest, before it became dark, he heard very loud noises and crying, not too far away from him. Following the crying sounds, he arrived at the well where the robbers' apprentice was sitting, and asked him what the matter was.

"Ah, good man," the robbers' apprentice said, "I am a merchant of gold and gems.

When I was passing through the forest, I was held up by robbers, who took my valuables away from me. Now I've become a poor man."

"Well, you poor wretch," said the farmer, "that makes us partners in adversity, for oh, I don't know what to do either! Surely 'twas those same robbers who stole my horse and sheep."

And the farmer joined in the moaning.

"Hush, man," said the robbers' apprentice. "I'll tell you something. Be, quiet about your loss. Do you see that black spot over there in that well? Well, that is the most valuable case of all, containing my jewels. The robbers had quite a load already, and they thought this was only a case containing silver. So for the time being, they threw it into the well and planned to get it later."

"Well," said the farmer, "why don't you get it out, so you'll have your treasure back after all?"

"Oh, dear, good man," the apprentice said, "can't you see that I'm half-dead with fear and woe? No, I'd rather have you get it out. I promise you, you'll have two horses and a sheep from me in return."

Well, the farmer quite liked the idea.

"But how will I get into the well? And I will become ever so wet."

"I know what to do," said the apprentice. "Strip naked, sit on that bucket, and I'll let you down. As soon as you have the case, you can call me, I'll pull you back up, and you can get dressed again. Then you'll be dry, and I will give you your reward."

And it was no sooner said than done. The farmer sat naked on the bucket, the robber let him down, and when the farmer called out, "I can't feel any case down here!" the apprentice replied, "You can say that again, my friend! Just you stay down there for a while."

Heavens above, how terrified this farmer was! But the robbers' apprentice laughed up his sleeve, went to see his mates, and told them about the successful conclusion of his assignment.

Now all the robbers, including the leader and the apprentice, went to the forest, dressed as gentlemen. There they found the sheep and the horse, and, having arrived at the well, they saw the farmer sitting in the well, totally naked. The cold and the fear of facing death down there in that well had rendered him virtually speechless. The gentlemen robbers pulled him up and asked him how he, stripped and all, had ended up in that well. After having recovered himself, the poor farmer told them what had happened to him.

When he had told them everything, the leader said, "After all, you're actually a stupid farmer, 'cause who would crawl naked into a well for some stranger? Would you recognize this guy? Have a look around and see ifhe's among this group of gentlemen."

"O no, noble lord," said the farmer, "I wouldn't even dare thinking that. He was definitely no gentleman, but a nasty robber, dressed as a merchant."

"Well," the leader said, "this guy promised you two horses and a sheep. Here is a purse full of money, which will buy you your promised reward – you're allowed something for your fear ..... And now begone with you."

Then the leader turned to the son and said, "You've shown yourself a man of the trade. Your test was completed utterly successfully. With this laudation as your diploma, you can leave, although it pains us to see you go. If ever there are difficult times for you, we will welcome you back to our guild with open arms."

And thus the son returned to his father.