There was once an old man renowned for clever roguery, and he went, he
and his mates, to one of the markets and stole thence a quantity of
stuffs: then they separated and returned each to his quarter. Awhile
after this, the old man assembled a company of his fellows and, as they
sat at drink, one of them pulled out a costly piece of cloth and said,
“Is there any one of you will dare sell this in its own market whence it
was stolen, that we may confess his superior subtlety?” Quoth the old
man, “I will;” and they said, “Go, and Allah Almighty open to thee the
door!” So early on the morrow, he took the stuff and carrying it to the
market whence it had been stolen, sat down at the very shop out of which
it had been purloined and gave it to the broker, who hent it in hand and
cried it for sale. Its owner knew it and bidding for it, bought it and
sent after the Chief of Police, who seized the Sharper and seeing him an
old man of grave presence and handsomely clad said to him, “Whence hadst
thou this piece of stuff?” Quoth he, “I had it from this market and from
yonder shop where I was sitting.” Quoth the Wali, “Did its owner sell it
to thee?” and quoth the robber, “Not so; I stole it, this and other than
it.” Then said the Chief, “How camest thou to bring it for sale to the
place whence thou stolest it?” “I will not tell my tale save to the
Sultan, for that I have a profitable counsel wherewith I would lief
bespeak him.” “Name it!” “Art thou the Sultan?” “No!” “I’ll not tell it
save to himself.” Accordingly the Wali carried him up to the Sultan and
he said, “I have a counsel for thee, O my lord.” Asked the Sultan, “What
is thy counsel?” And the thief said, “I repent and will deliver into thy
hand all who are evildoers; and whomsoever I bring not, I will stand in
his stead.” Cried the Sultan, “Give him a robe of honour and accept his
profession of penitence.” So he went down from the presence and
returning to his comrades, related to them that which had passed, when
they confessed his subtlety and gave him that which they had promised
him. Then he took the rest of the booty and went up therewith to the
Sultan, who, seeing him, recognised him and he was magnified in the
royal eyes and the king commanded that naught should be taken from him.
After this, when he went down, the Sultan’s attention was diverted from
him, little by little, till the case was forgotten, and so he saved the
booty for himself. Those present marvelled at this and the fifteenth
constable came forward and said, “Know that among those who make a trade
of trickery are those whom Allah Almighty taketh on their own testimony
against themselves.” It was asked him, “How so?” and he began to relate