Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 1.djvu/327

301 expose me?” asked my brother, and the other replied, “In that thou sellest man’s flesh for mutton.” “Thou liest, O accursed one!” cried my brother: and the old man said, “He is the accursed one who has a man hanging up in his shop.” “If it be as thou sayest,” rejoined my brother, “I give thee leave to take my property and my life.” Then said the old man, “Ho, people of the city! an ye would prove the truth of my words, enter this man’s shop.” So they rushed into the shop, when they saw the ram was become a dead man hanging up and seized on my brother, crying out, “O infidel! O villain!” And his best friends fell to beating him and saying, “Dost thou give us man’s flesh to eat?” Moreover, the old man struck him on the eye and put it out. Then they carried the carcase to the chief of the police, to whom said the old man, “O Amir, this fellow slaughters men and sells their flesh for mutton, and we have brought him to thee; so arise and execute the justice of God, to whom belong might and majesty!” My brother would have defended himself, but the prefect refused to hear him and sentenced him to receive five hundred blows with a stick and to forfeit all his property. And indeed, but for his wealth, they had put him to death. Then he banished him from the city and my brother fared forth at a venture, till he came to a great city, where he thought well to set up as a cobbler. So he opened a shop and fell to working for his living. One day, as he went on an occasion, he heard the tramp of horse, and enquiring the cause, was told that the King was going out to hunt and stopped to look on his state. It chanced that the King’s eye met his, whereupon he bowed his head, saying, “I take refuge with God from the evil of this day!” And drawing bridle, rode back to his palace, followed by his retinue. Then he gave an order to his guards, who seized my brother and beat him grievously, till he was well-nigh