The Real Thief: The Drifting Tale of Mouse Abe

Author: William Steig (USA)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: Gaven is the head guard of the royal treasury, a honest and kind goose who is loved by everyone. Look, he is wearing a red guard uniform with gold trim, the golden buttons shining brightly, standing majestically at the entrance of the royal treasury. Under the sunlight, his guard uniform and the long spear in his hand are gleaming. Every day, whether it's a holiday or not, tourists come to the entrance of the royal treasury out of curiosity. They admire the grandeur of the treasury building and the strength of the walls, while also praising Gaven's imposing presence. Gaven proudly raises his head and puffs out his chest, posing for tourists' "click, click" camera flashes. Hey, he looks so majestic! However, the sunlight is too strong, making the ground scorching hot. Gaven has to lift one leg occasionally to "stand on one leg like a rooster," then put it down and lift the other leg, so that his "feet" (webbed feet) don't get burned. People come and go, but sometimes there's only Gaven there, so he can't help but feel his job is a bit monotonous. When he feels lonely, he misses his carefree past life: playing leisurely in the pond, sleeping in the grass, planting beans and cabbage near home—how peaceful and harmonious it was. Gaven was once a famous architect, and he loved his work. Every day, he planned to build towering structures. He also had a dream: to build a grand palace in the shape of a goose egg for the king, making this building famous worldwide! But, he was unexpectedly chosen by the king and appointed as the head guard of the royal treasury. Although his position and rank were quite high, the job was too monotonous, and he often felt it wasn't fulfilling enough. There was no way around it—he was specifically chosen by the king. He was upright in character, incorruptible, and highly responsible, known far and wide. It was precisely for this reason that the king chose him from thousands of others. The king was a strong bear, so he was prone to being grumpy, with mood swings. When he was in a good mood, he was exceptionally kind. Who would dare to refuse the king's appointment? Besides, it was such a great honor! Gaven deeply admired the king and longed to serve him for his entire life, so he accepted the job of head guard without hesitation. To maintain consistency, the king also selected three clever and capable geese—Hawkeye, Gavvy, and Wimper—whom all fell under Gaven's command. The four geese took turns standing guard at the entrance of the royal treasury. However, the keys to the royal treasury—the only two keys—were kept by both the king and Gaven. Gaven was very serious and responsible about his work, so he specially formulated a set of on-duty regulations, making the work of the royal treasury guard team well-organized. Usually, two geese stood guard, and when it was time to switch shifts, they would "quack, quack" twice before officially exchanging posts. Every day, just before the end of the shift, Gaven would personally open the treasury door, go inside to inspect, and carefully count everything to ensure that all the gold, silver, and jewels were still in their original places, not a single feather missing. Only after the inspection could hely lock the door. Besides jewelry and medals, the treasury also stored a large amount of gold coins, all belonging to the royal