The Thief and His Master
| The Thief and His Master | |
|---|---|
| Folk tale | |
| Name | The Thief and His Master |
| Aarne–Thompson grouping | ATU 325 |
| Country | Germany |
| Published in | Grimms' Fairy Tales |
"The Thief and His Master" is a German fairy tale (original title: "De Gaudeif un sien Meester") collected by the Brothers Grimm in Grimm's Fairy Tales as tale number 68. In the first edition (published on 20 December 1812) there was another fairy tale at place 68. The name of the fairy tale is "Von dem Sommer- und Wintergarten".
It is Aarne–Thompson type 325, The Magician and His Pupil, containing a transformation chase. Others of this type include Farmer Weathersky, The Sorcerer's Apprentice and Master and Pupil. This tale type is well known in India and Europe and notably stable in form. A literary variant is Maestro Lattantio and His Apprentice Dionigi.