Tangled Yarns: Hidden Talents

tell her to fill your bag with money. As soon as its full, I'll zap you back home and you'll be happy for ever after amen!"

"I'm not so sure about this?" I said. (I didn't like this fairy's methods - why couldn't he be like your average, standard sort, and just give me stuff without resorting to crime?)

When I walked into the bank I noticed that there were a lot of people there, all lined up in queues. I thought it might be a bit rude to jump the queue, so I stood at the back of one and waited. People started looking at me. Some of them laughed. They couldn't believe that I was really really seriously there to hold up the bank. I waited and waited. After about ten minutes I wanted to go to the toilet, but I was scared of losing my place. Finally, a woman stepped aside and I went up to the counter. It was quite high, so the teller saw only top of my head and the plastic gun (which she thought was a real one) pointing at her.

"Fill this bag with money please," I said rather timidly.

"Certainly," said the teller, "Do you want it in tens or twenties?"

"Both."

The teller filled the bag and I thanked her. She said thank you back and gave me a brochure about saving for retirement.

"How did you get on?" the Burglar Fairy asked as I came out.

"It's a good bank," I said, "Friendly service, helpful tellers, good interest rates..."

"Strange that they weren't annoyed at you?" said the Fairy, "I suppose its because you have an honest face. Well, I'd better get you back home."

Flash. I was back home, but there was a policeman standing in my bedroom. I remembered that this didn't happen very often. Well, never actually. He seemed to be very interested in me too, which wasn't really much of a surprise.

"I am here to inform you," said the policeman, "That what you have just done is an offense under the law, and I am hereby ordering you to hand over the money."

"How did yon know it was me?" I asked.

"Your name and address were on the bag" said the policeman.