The guards all looked the other way And he crept past to go and play The king

When was this, Mama?

Many years ago, sweet one. He sidled through the city lanes More silently than blood through veins The thief king

Where was he going, Mama?

Wherever he wanted, sweet one. He visited the temple rows And tweaked each godly statue's nose The god thief king

Why didn't that offend them, Mama?

It did, but the Thief is always forgiven, sweet one. He climbed the stele's carven stone And danced and sang all on his own The mad god thief king

Why was he on his own, Mama?

Because his family were sleeping, sweet one. His foe came there and scoffed aloud And did not see the closing shroud The cunning mad god thief king

Did he really kill his foe, Mama?

Even he had to kill sometimes, sweet one. The people saw the fallen foe And praised aloud the end of woe The beloved mad god thief king

Did all the people love him, Mama?

No one worshiped is ever loved by everyone, sweet one. The people followed at his feet Up palace steps from city street And there where he had set it down Was still the annux-heavy crown He sat to rule on altar-throne But he was never there alone The father-brother-husband beloved mad god thief king

Was he really real, Mama?

As real as me, or my mother, or her father, or his father, or his mother who was Eugenides' daughter, sweet one.