Page 171 - Kailaspati: Paramhans Hansdevji Avadhoot

Once a dacoit felt like being initiated by a Mahatma and on bowing at his feet, he disclosed his intention and all the vices he had. Being happy with his innocence, Mahatma said to him, “henceforth never tell a lie”. and the dacoit promised him and took leave of him.
Once that very dacoit stole from the stable of the king his most favourite horse. When the dacoit was galloping away, a guard intercepted him and asked, “Who are you?” The dacoit said, “i am a thief.” The guard thought that one who is a thief does not disclose his identity as a thief. The guard therefore took him to be a guest or a friend of the king and thought that the man was just joking.
The guard let him off and the dacoit made good his escape. On the way there was the ashram of his Guru. he kept his horse tethered to a post and went into the ashram to pay his pranam to his Guru. Meanwhile, the news that the most favourite horse of the king had been stolen spread far and wide and his guards rushed out in every direction in search of the dacoit. Following the footprint of the horse, a group of guards reached the ashram of the Mahatma. They saw a horse kept tethered outside the ashram. But the horse they saw was white, while the stolen horse was black in colour.
Pranam over, the dacoit came out of the ashram of his Guru and saw some guards on horseback observing the white horse. and to his surprise, he saw that the colour of the horse had got changed. With a smile on his face, he asked the guards, “What are you looking at?”
One of the guards said, “The most favourite horse of the king was stolen. We are looking to see if it is the same one. Do you know anything about it?” The dacoit replied, “This is indeed the king’s horse and i have stolen it.” The guards took it to be a jest, left the place and informed the king of what had happened.
after a few days, the Police-Chief suspected the dacoit to be accused of a theft and produced him before the king. There was indeed no proof against him. The king said to him, “have you stolen something?” and the dacoit admitted it. The king then asked, “how did you commit a theft?”
Fhftd Volum: First Taranga 141