A thief of the thieves of the Arabs went one night to a certain man’s
house, to steal from a heap of wheat there, and the people of the house
surprised him. Now on the heap was a great copper tasse, and the thief
buried himself in the corn and covered his head with the tasse, so that
the folk found him not and went their ways; but, as they were going,
behold, there came a mighty great fart[124] forth of the corn. So they
went up to the tasse and raising it, discovered the thief and laid hands
on him. Quoth he, “I have saved you the trouble of seeking me: for I
purposed, in breaking wind, to direct you to my hiding-place; wherefore
do you be easy with me and have ruth on me, so may Allah have ruth on
you!” Accordingly they let him go and harmed him not. “And for another
story of the same kind,” (she continued) “hearken to