'There was once an old man renowned for roguery, and he went, he
and his mates, to one of the markets and stole thence a parcel of
stuffs. Then they separated and returned each to his quarter.
Awhile after this, the old man assembled a company of his fellows
and one of them pulled out a costly piece of stuff and said,
"Will any one of you sell this piece of stuff in its own market
whence it was stolen, that we may confess his [pre-eminence in]
sharping?" Quoth the old man, "I will;" and they said, "Go, and
God the Most High prosper thee!"
So on the morrow, early, he took the stuff and carrying it to the
market whence it had been stolen, sat down at the shop whence it
had been stolen and gave it to the broker, who took it and cried
it for sale. Its owner knew it and bidding for it, [bought it]
and sent after the chief of the police, who seized the sharper
and seeing him an old man of venerable appearance, handsomely
clad, said to him, "Whence hadst thou this piece of stuff?" "I
had it from this market," answered he, "and from yonder shop
where I was sitting." Quoth the prefect, "Did its owner sell it
to thee?" "Nay," replied the thief; "I stole it and other than
it." Then said the magistrate, "How camest thou to bring it [for
sale] to the place whence thou stolest it?" And he answered, "I
will not tell my story save to the Sultan, for that I have an
advertisement[FN#154] wherewith I would fain bespeak him." Quoth
the prefect, "Name it." And the thief said, "Art thou the
Sultan?" "No," replied the other; and the old man said, "I will
not tell it but to himself."
So the prefect carried him up to the Sultan and he said, "I have
an advertisement for thee, O my lord." "What is thine
advertisement?" asked the Sultan; 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." Quoth the
Sultan, "Give him a dress of honour and accept his profession of
repentance." So he went down from the presence and returning to
his comrades, related to them that which had passed and they
confessed his subtlety and gave him that which they had promised
him. Then he took the rest of the stolen goods and went up with
them to the Sultan. When the latter saw him, he was magnified in
his eyes and he commanded that nought should be taken from him.
Then, 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].' The folk marvelled at this and
the fifteenth officer came forward and said, 'Know that among
those who make a trade of knavery are those whom God the Most
High taketh on their own evidence against themselves.' 'How so?'
asked they; and he said.