--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In fact, if there were such a thing as an…" description: "\"“In fact, if there were such a thing as an international thieving contest, Ankh-Morpork would bring home the trophy and probably everyone's wallets.”\" ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/256/terry-pratchett-19_ankh-morpork_in-fact-if-there-were-such-a-thing-as-an_2032195.jpg" --- # In fact, if there were such a thing as an international… ![“In fact, if there were such a thing as an international thieving contest, Ankh-Morpork would bring home the trophy and probably everyone's wallets.” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/256/terry-pratchett-19_ankh-morpork_in-fact-if-there-were-such-a-thing-as-an_2032195.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/256/terry-pratchett-19_ankh-morpork_in-fact-if-there-were-such-a-thing-as-an_2032195.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/256/terry-pratchett-19_ankh-morpork_in-fact-if-there-were-such-a-thing-as-an_2032195.jpg) > ““In fact, if there were such a thing as an international thieving contest, Ankh-Morpork would bring home the trophy and probably everyone's wallets.”” [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ankh-Morpork is portrayed as a city where theft is so common it could win a contest, highlighting its chaotic, law‑less nature. **In simple terms:** The city is hilariously bad at keeping money safe. Key Takeaway Expect chaos, protect your valuables. Themes humor satire city life crime fantasy Mood playful ironic Type satirical humorous When to use this quote - travel - budgeting - urban planning - crime prevention - storytelling Key Concepts anarchic society exaggeration social commentary Questions to Reflect On - How does satire reveal societal flaws? - What does this say about trust in urban centers? A Different Perspective The joke may downplay real theft issues in some societies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Thief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thief/) [Thieving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thieving/) ## Related quotes > [If there were such a thing as an inter-city thieving contest, Ankh-Morpork would bring home the trophy and probably everyone’s wallets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/if-there-were-such-a-thing-as-an-inter-city-thieving-contest-ankh/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There was a typical Ankh-Morpork street scene outside, although people were trying to separate them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-was-a-typical-ankh-morpork-street-scene-outside-although-people/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You see," said Colon, "thieves are organized here. I mean, it's official . They're allowed a certain amount of thieving. Not that they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-see-said-colon-thieves-are-organized-here-i-mean-it-s-official/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [I suggest that we are thieves in a way. If I take anything that I do not need for my own immediate use, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-suggest-that-we-are-thieves-in-a-way-if-i-take-anything-that-i-do/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Want of money and the distress of a thief can never be alleged as the cause of his thieving, for many honest people endure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/want-of-money-and-the-distress-of-a-thief-can-never-be-alleged-as-the/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [“One has thieving intention himself, otherwise no one can ever steal from him; no one can ever rob him. One’s own intention does the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/one-has-thieving-intention-himself-otherwise-no-one-can-ever-steal/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [Everyday there's more death, and plus I'm doughless. I'm seeing more reasons for me to proceed with thieving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/everyday-there-s-more-death-and-plus-i-m-doughless-i-m-seeing-more/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [“His chief form of entertainment was reading. The last moments he was in a cabin were usually spent scanning bookshelves and nightstands. The life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-finkel/his-chief-form-of-entertainment-was-reading-the-last-moments-he-was/) [Michael Finkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-finkel/) > [“I flow like a butter in the nailed pan I stole. I also kept the nail, to polish and use as a means of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-advise/i-flow-like-a-butter-in-the-nailed-pan-i-stole-i-also-kept-the-nail/) Will Advise > [“Thieving has deep roots among these people. Back when I was traveling in Russia I was robbed of nearly everything that could be stolen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/thieving-has-deep-roots-among-these-people-back-when-i-was-traveling/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is sublime thieving in all giving. Someone gives us all he has and we are his.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/there-is-sublime-thieving-in-all-giving-someone-gives-us-all-he-has/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [I am convinced that if all men were to live as simply as I then did, thieving and robbery would be unknown. These take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-convinced-that-if-all-men-were-to-live-as-simply-as-i-then-did/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [This is the lying thieving mother who cut me $500,000.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-holmes/this-is-the-lying-thieving-mother-who-cut-me-500-000/) [Larry Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-holmes/) > [“Thieving was not a sheer absurdity. It was a form of human industry, perverse indeed, but still an industry exercised in an industrious world;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/thieving-was-not-a-sheer-absurdity-it-was-a-form-of-human-industry/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [“Having no applicable skills, in any possible area whatsoever, effectively makes me the master of redundancy. But that info is obsolete, like my insults…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-advise/having-no-applicable-skills-in-any-possible-area-whatsoever/) Will Advise ## More by Terry Pratchett > [“This one’s mental.’ ‘Eccentric.’ ‘What’s the difference?’ ‘A bag of cash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-one-s-mental-eccentric-what-s-the-difference-a-bag-of-cash/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“But I did not return until half past four this morning and I distinctly remember stubbing my toe on the stairs. I am as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-i-did-not-return-until-half-past-four-this-morning-and-i/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Someone broke from the scrum and, punching and kicking, staggered towards the Klatchian goal. "Isn't that man your butler?" said Ahmed. "Yes." "One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/someone-broke-from-the-scrum-and-punching-and-kicking-staggered/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [It's an interesting fact that fewer than 17 % of Real cats end their lives with the same name they started with. Much family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-an-interesting-fact-that-fewer-than-17-of-real-cats-end-their/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [You can't trust folk songs. They always sneak up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-can-t-trust-folk-songs-they-always-sneak-up-on-you/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Either dragons should exist completely or fail to exist at all, he felt. A dragon only half-existing was worse than the extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/either-dragons-should-exist-completely-or-fail-to-exist-at-all-he/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Magrat wondered what it was like, spending your whole life doing something you didn’t want to do. Like being dead, she considered, only worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/magrat-wondered-what-it-was-like-spending-your-whole-life-doing/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [A hardback's harder at Christmas time because that's a good hardback buying time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-hardback-s-harder-at-christmas-time-because-that-s-a-good-hardback/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There were more old people. The world was full of them,' said the wizard. 'Yes, I know. And now it's full of young people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-were-more-old-people-the-world-was-full-of-them-said-the-wizard/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Hobson was big and heavyset, but not exactly fat; he was probably what you’d get if you shaved a bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/hobson-was-big-and-heavyset-but-not-exactly-fat-he-was-probably-what/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There is a night that never comes to an end… The clock of the world turns under its own shadow. Midnight is a moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-is-a-night-that-never-comes-to-an-end-the-clock-of-the-world/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You'd like Freedom, Truth, and Justice, wouldn't you, Comrade Sergeant?' said Reg encouragingly. 'I'd like a hard-boiled egg,' said Vimes, shaking the match out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-d-like-freedom-truth-and-justice-wouldn-t-you-comrade-sergeant/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You are not apprehensive, are you? I can't detect no trace of fear none whatsoever Roomy cranium all possible videos of all possible outcomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-are-not-apprehensive-are-you-i-can-t-detect-no-trace-of-fear-none/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Imagination, not intelligence, made us human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/imagination-not-intelligence-made-us-human/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) [Explore all 3,328 Terry Pratchett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## More Ankh-morpork quotes > [“There was a typical Ankh-Morpork street scene outside, although people were trying to separate them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-was-a-typical-ankh-morpork-street-scene-outside-although-people/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) Browse all 2 Ankh-morpork quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In fact, if there were such a thing as an international thieving contest, Ankh-Morpork would bring home the trophy and probably everyone's wallets.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Terry Pratchett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/in-fact-if-there-were-such-a-thing-as-an-international-thieving/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ankh-morpork" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/in-fact-if-there-were-such-a-thing-as-an-international-thieving/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/256/terry-pratchett-19_ankh-morpork_in-fact-if-there-were-such-a-thing-as-an_2032195.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/256/terry-pratchett-19_ankh-morpork_in-fact-if-there-were-such-a-thing-as-an_2032195.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/256/terry-pratchett-19_ankh-morpork_in-fact-if-there-were-such-a-thing-as-an_2032195.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In fact, if there were such a thing as an international thieving contest, Ankh-Morpork would bring home the…” — Terry Pratchett", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Terry Pratchett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“In fact, if there were such...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/in-fact-if-there-were-such-a-thing-as-an-international-thieving/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/in-fact-if-there-were-such-a-thing-as-an-international-thieving/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```