The Tale Of Finnegan Rum

There was once a young boy called Finnegan Rum; a very naughty boy who was always getting up to mischief and giving cheek to his elders.
But, inspite of all his naughtiness, Finnegan loved his mother deeply.
Unfortunately, Finnegans stepfather was a terrible drunken brute who was always hitting his mother; and one day, coming home from drinking at his local tavern, the stepfather threatened to kill her.
And hearing this Finnegan became frantic.
"What will I do?", he thought.
He didn't know anyone he could run to for help because everyone in the town where he lived thought that he was a rascal and liar and he knew that no one would listen to him if he asked for help.
But then, suddenly, Finnegan had an idea and, running into the town he found a police constable who was chatting with the greengrocer and running up behind him, he stole the policemans truncheon from his belt and then he stole one of the greengrocers apples that was sitting outside in a crate.
And, angrilly both the police officer and the greengrocer started to chase him.
"Finnegan Rum", shouted the Police officer, "Stop in the name of the law".
But Finnegan did not stop. Instead, when they chased him, Finnegan ran as fast as he could off down the cobbled street.
And as he was running, Finnegan passed by the butchers shop and saw some lambchops sitting on the counter and so, rushing into the butchers shop, he grabbed hold of one of them and ran back out again and when he did, the butcher came running out of his shop and he started to chase him too.
"Finnegan Rum", he shouted, "Stop. Come back here with my chop, you thief".
But though the butcher, the greengrocer and the police constable were all chasing after him, Finnegan did not stop but kept running down the cobbled street.
But then, Finnegan passed by the master of the local school who was walking around with his cane and Finnegan stole that too, right out of his hand and so angry was he that the schoolmaster started to chase him aswell.
"Finnegan Rum, you rascal", shouted the Schoolmaster, "Stop. Come back here with my cane".
But though the police constable, the greengrocer, the butcher and the schoolmaster were all chasing him; Finnegan did not stop but ran as fast as he could down the cobbled street.
But then, finally, Finnegan came to his mothers house and ran inside and when he did, the constable, the greengrocer, the butcher and the schoolteacher, seeing him enter the house, all ran inside after him.
And it was certainly a good thing that they did for, just at that moment, Finnegans stepfather had his hands around his mothers throat and was trying to choke her.
But seeing what the stepfather was doing, the constable, the greengrocer, the butcher and the schoolteacher all seized hold of him and pulled him off of Finnegans mother and his stepfather was so drunk that he took a swing at the constable, knocking off his helmet  but then the men held him down and he had handcuffs put upon him and was taken off to jail.
Then, however, the greengrocer, the butcher and the teacher all complained to Finnegans mother about what the boy had done.
But the mother, throwing her arms around him , protected her son, pleading with them.
"Can't you see", she said, "That my boy was only trying to get help for his mother and if he had not then I might now not be living".
Realizing why Finnegan had done what he had done, the greengrocer, the butcher and the teacher, even the police constable all forgave the boy and the stepfather, who the men had clearly seen trying to kill his wife, was sent away to prison for a long, long time.