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 by 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 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. 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 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; and 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. Upon this the
king, when it was reported to him that the dead body of the thief had