They offered a huge reward for this man's head. The rich people of Australia were baptized when they heard his name, the poor people blessed him. And women all over the country - both rich and poor - dreamed of spending at least a night with him. He mocked the royal police and soldiers, laughed at danger and looked death in the face. He was a noble bandit and a national hero: desperate, dashing and - for the time being - elusive. His name was Ned Kelly. He actually lived in the world. He was only 26 years old, but his memory is revered in Australia to this day. How do legends grow out of hungry boys? Ned Kelly himself can best tell about this. The text preserves the style, spelling and punctuation of the author.