Sir, said the old magician to the judge, we have brought you a
man, who is so barbarous as to murder people, and to sell their
flesh instead of mutton; the public expect that you should punish
him in an exemplary manner. The judge heard my brother with
patience, but would believe nothing of the story of the money
exchanged into leaves; called my brother a cheat, told him he
would believe his own eyes, and ordered him to have five hundred
blows. He afterwards made him tell where his money was, took it
all from him, and banished him for ever, after having made him
ride three days through the town upon a camel, exposed to the
insults of the people.
I was not at Bagdad when this tragical adventure befel my fourth
brother. He retired into a remote place, where he lay concealed
till he was cured of the blows with which his back was terribly
gored. When able to walk, he went by night to a certain town
where nobody knew him, and there he took a lodging, from whence
he seldom went out; but, being at last weary of his life, he took
a walk into one of the suburbs, where he was suddenly alarmed
with the noise of horsemen coming behind him. He was then by
chance near the gate of a great house; and fearing, after what
had befallen him, that these horsemen were pursuing him, he
opened the gate in order to hide himself; and, after shutting it
again, he came into a wide court, where two servants immediately
came and took him by the neck, and said, Heaven be praised that
you are come voluntarily to surrender yourself up to us! You have
frightened us so much these three last nights, that we could not
sleep; nor would you have spared our lives, if you could have
come at us! You may very well imagine that my brother was much
surprised at this compliment.
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