There was once aforetime a chief officer [of police] and there
passed by him one day a Jew, with a basket in his hand, wherein
were five thousand dinars; whereupon quoth the officer to one of
his slaves, "Canst thou make shift to take that money from yonder
Jew's basket?" "Yes," answered he, nor did he tarry beyond the
next day before he came to his master, with the basket in his
hand. So (quoth the officer) I said to him, "Go, bury it in such
a place." So he went and buried it and returned and told me.
Hardly had he done this when there arose a clamour and up came
the Jew, with one of the king's officers, avouching that the
money belonged to the Sultan and that he looked to none but us
for it. We demanded of him three days' delay, as of wont, and I
said to him who had taken the money, "Go and lay somewhat in the
Jew's house, that shall occupy him with himself." So he went and
played a fine trick, to wit, he laid in a basket a dead woman's
hand, painted [with henna] and having a gold seal- ring on one of
the fingers, and buried the basket under a flagstone in the Jew's
house. Then came we and searched and found the basket, whereupon
we straightway clapped the Jew in irons for the murder of a
woman.
When it was the appointed time, there came to us the man of the
Sultan's guards, [who had accompanied the Jew, when he came to
complain of the loss of the money,] and said, "The Sultan biddeth
you nail up[FN#143] the Jew and bring the money, for that there
is no way by which five thousand dinars can be lost." Wherefore
we knew that our device sufficed not. So I went forth and finding
a young man, a Haurani,[FN#144] passing the road, laid hands on
him and stripped him and beat him with palm-rods. Then I clapped
him in irons and carrying him to the prefecture, beat him again,
saying to them, "This is the thief who stole the money." And we
strove to make him confess; but he would not confess. So we beat
him a third and a fourth time, till we were weary and exhausted
and he became unable to return an answer. But, when we had made
an end of beating and tormenting him, he said, "I will fetch the
money forthright."
So we went with him till he came to the place where my slave had
buried the money and dug there and brought it out; whereat I
marvelled with the utmost wonder and we carried it to the
prefect's house. When the latter saw the money, he rejoiced with
an exceeding joy and bestowed on me a dress of honour. Then he
restored the money straightway to the Sultan and we left the
youth in prison; whilst I said to my slave who had taken the
money, "Did yonder young man see thee, what time thou buriedst
the money?" "No, by the Great God!" answered he. So I went in to
the young man, the prisoner, and plied him with wine till he
recovered, when I said to him, "Tell me how thou stolest the
money." "By Allah," answered he, "I stole it not, nor did I ever
set eyes on it till I brought it forth of the earth!" Quoth I,
"How so?" And he said, "Know that the cause of my falling into
your hands was my mother's imprecation against me; for that I
evil entreated her yesternight and beat her and she said to me,
'By Allah, O my son, God shall assuredly deliver thee into the
hand of the oppressor!' Now she is a pious woman. So I went out
forthright and thou sawest me in the way and didst that which
thou didst; and when beating was prolonged on me, my senses
failed me and I heard one saying to me, 'Fetch it.' So I said to
you what I said and he[FN#145] guided me till I came to the place
and there befell what befell of the bringing out of the money."
I marvelled at this with the utmost wonderment and knew that he
was of the sons of the pious. So I bestirred myself for his
release and tended him [till he recovered] and besought him of
quittance and absolution of responsibility.'
All those who were present marvelled at this story with the
utmost marvel, and the twelfth officer came forward and said, 'I
will tell you a pleasant trait that I had from a certain man,
concerning an adventure that befell him with one of the thieves.
(Quoth he)