when he came up to the shore he was surprised to see four large , tall men , lying on the ice , spearing fish . they were four brothers , who looked exactly alike . as the little boy - man approached them , the nearest looked up . in his turn he was surprised to see such a tiny being . turning to his brothers , he said : " tia ! look ! see what a little fellow is here . " the three others then looked up too . seeing these four faces , as if they had been one , the little spirit or boy - man said to himself : " four in one ! what a time they must have in choosing their hunting - shirts ! " after they had all stared for a moment at the boy , they covered their heads , intent in searching for fish . the boy thought to himself : " these four - faces fancy that i am to be put off without notice because i am so little . they are so broad and long . they shall find out . i may find a way to teach them that i am not to be treated so lightly . " after they were covered up , the boy - man , looking sharply about , saw that among them they had caught one large trout , which was lying just by their side . stealing along , he slyly seized it . placing his fingers in the gills , and tossing his ball before him , he ran off at full speed . they heard the pattering of his little steps upon the ice . when the four looked up all together , they saw their fine trout sliding away , as if of itself , at a great rate , the boy being so small that he could not be distinguished from the fish . " see ! " they cried out , " our fish is running away on the dry land ! " when they stood up they could just see , over the fish 's head , that it was the boy - man who was carrying it off . the little spirit reached the lodge , and having left the trout at the door , he told his sister to go out and bring in the fish he had brought home . she exclaimed , " where could you have got it ? i hope you have not stolen it . " 
he wanted to play a trick on the four men .
why did the boy steal the fish ?
why did the boy steal the fish ?