The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night/The Merchant and the Thieves

by Unknown

THE MERCHANT AND THE THIEVES.

There was once a wealthy merchant, who set out for a certain city with merchandise, purposing to sell it there, and when he came thither, he hired a lodging there and took up his abode therein. Now certain thieves saw him, who were wont to lie in wait for merchants, that they might steal their goods; so they went to his house and cast about to enter in, but could find no way thereto, and their captain said, “I will accomplish you his affair.” Then he went away and donning a physician’s habit, threw over his shoulder a bag containing medicines, with which he set out, crying, “Who lacks a doctor?” and fared on till he came to the merchant’s lodging and saw him sitting eating the morning meal. So he said to him, “Dost thou want a physician?” “Not I,” answered the merchant; “but sit and eat with me.” So the thief sat down over against him and began to eat.

Now this merchant was a great eater; and the thief, seeing this, said to himself, “I have found my opportunity.” So he turned to his host and said to him, “It behoveth me to give thee an admonition; and after thy kindness to me, I cannot hide it from thee. I see thee to be a great eater and the cause of this is a disorder in thy stomach; so hasten to take order for thy cure, or thine affair will end in perdition.” Quoth the merchant, “My body is sound and my stomach quick of digestion, and though I be a hearty eater, yet is there no disease in me, to God be the praise and the thanks!” “It may so appear unto thee,” rejoined the thief; “but I know thou hast a latent disorder in thy vitals and if thou hearken to me, thou wilt medicine thyself.” “And where shall I find him who knoweth my remedy?” asked the merchant. “God is the Healer,” answered the robber; “but a physician like myself tendeth the sick to the best of his power.” And the other said, “Show me my remedy and give me thereof.” So he gave him a powder, wherein was great plenty of aloes, saying, “Use this to-night.”

When the night came, the merchant tasted the powder and found it nauseous of taste; nevertheless he misdoubted not of it, but swallowed it all and found ease therefrom that night. Next night the thief brought him another powder, wherein was yet more aloes, and he took it. It purged him that night, but he bore with this and rejected it not. When the thief saw that he gave ear unto his word and put trust in him, he brought him a deadly drug and gave it to him. The merchant swallowed it and no sooner had he done this than that which was in his belly fell down and his guts were rent in sunder, and by the morrow he was a dead man; whereupon the thieves came and took all that belonged to him.

Return to King Jelyaad of Hind and His Vizier Shimas.

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