d time the money was each time seen to be diminished,
for the thieves did not slacken in their assaults upon it, he did as
follows:--having ordered traps to be made he set these round about the
vessels in which the money was; and when the thieves had come as at
former times and one of them had entered, then so soon as he came near
to one of the vessels he was straightway caught in the trap: and when he
perceived in what evil case he was, straightway calling his brother
he showed him what the matter was, and bade him enter as quickly as
possible and cut off his head, for fear lest being seen and known he
might bring about the destruction of his brother also. And to the other
it seemed that he spoke well, and he was persuaded and did so; and
fitting the stone into its place he departed home bearing with him the
head of his brother. (c) Now when it became day, the king entered into
the chamber and was very greatly amazed, seeing the body of the thief
held in the trap without his head, and the chamber unbroken, with no way
to come in or go out: and being at a loss he hung up the dead body of
the thief upon the wall and set guards there, with charge if they saw
any one weeping or bewailing himself to seize him and bring him before
the king. And when the dead body had been hung up, the mother was
greatly grieved, and speaking with the son who survived she enjoined
him, in whatever way he could, to contrive means by which he might
take down and bring home the body of his dead brother; and if he should
neglect to do this, she earnestly threatened that she would go and give
information to the king that he had the money. (d) So as the mother
dealt hardly with the surviving son, and he though saying many things
to her did not persuade her, he contrived for his purpose a device as
follows:--Providing himself with asses he filled some skins with wine and
laid them upon the asses, and after that he drove them along: and when
he came opposite to those who were guarding the corpse hung up, he drew
towards him two or three of the necks 102 of the skins and loosened the
cords with which they were tied. Then when the wine was running out,
he began to beat his head and cry out loudly, as if he did not know to
which of the asses he should first turn; and when the guards saw the
wine flowing out in streams, they ran together to the road with drinking
vessels in their hands and collected the wine that was poured out,
counting it so much gain; a