nd he abused them all violently, making as if
he were angry, but when the guards tried to appease him, after a time
he feigned to be pacified and to abate his anger, and at length he drove
his asses out of the road and began to set their loads right. Then more
talk arose among them, and one or two of them made jests at him and
brought him to laugh with them; and in the end he made them a present of
one of the skins in addition to what they had. Upon that they lay down
there without more ado, being minded to drink, and they took him into
their company and invited him to remain with them and join them in their
drinking: so he (as may be supposed) was persuaded and stayed. Then as
they in their drinking bade him welcome in a friendly manner, he made
a present to them also of another of the skins; and so at length having
drunk liberally the guards became completely intoxicated; and being
overcome by sleep they went to bed on the spot where they had been
drinking. He then, as it was now far on in the night, first took down
the body of his brother, and then in mockery shaved the right cheeks of
all the guards; and after that he put the dead body upon the asses and
drove them away home, having accomplished that which was enjoined him by
his mother. (e) Upon this the king, when it was reported to him that the
dead body of the thief had been stolen away, displayed great anger; and
desiring by all means that it should be found out who it might be who
devised these things, did this (so at least they said, but I do not
believe the account),--he caused his own daughter to sit in the stews,
and enjoined her to receive all equally, and before having commerce with
any one to compel him to tell her what was the most cunning and what the
most unholy deed which had been done by him in all his life-time; and
whosoever should relate that which had happened about the thief, him she
must seize and not let him go out. Then as she was doing that which was
enjoined by her father, the thief, hearing for what purpose this was
done and having a desire to get the better of the king in resource,
did thus:--from the body of one lately dead he cut off the arm at the
shoulder and went with it under his mantle: and having gone in to the
daughter of the king, and being asked that which the others also were
asked, he related that he had done the most unholy deed when he cut off
the head of his brother, who had been caught in a trap in the king's
treasure-cha