the spell and had carried off the body, and also much of gold; wherefore they needs must make diligent research and find out who the man ever might be.  They then took counsel and determined that one amongst them, who should be sagacious and deft of wit, must don the dress of some merchant from foreign parts; then, repairing to the city he must go about from quarter to quarter and from street to street, and learn if any townsman had lately died and if so where he wont to dwell, that with this clue they might be enabled to find the wight they sought.  Hereat said one of the robbers, “Grant me leave that I fare and find out such tidings in the town and bring thee word a; and if I fail of my purpose I hold my life in forfeit.”  Accordingly that bandit, after disguising himself by dress, pushed at night into the town and next morning early he repaired to the market square and saw that none of the shops had yet been opened, save only that of Baba Mustafa the tailor, who thread and needle in hand sat upon his working stool.  The thief bade him good day and said, " ’Tis yet dark:  how canst thou see to sew?” Said the tailor, “I perceive thou art a stranger.  Despite my years my eyesight is so keen that only yesterday I sewed together a dead body whilst sitting in a room quite darkened.”  Quoth the bandit thereupon to himself, “I shall get somewhat of my want from this snip;” and to secure a further clue he asked, “Meseemeth thou wouldst jest with me and thou meanest that a cerecloth for a corpse was stitched by thee and that thy business is to sew shrouds.”  Answered the tailor, “It mattereth not to thee:  question me no more questions.”  Thereupon the robber placed an Ashrafi in his hand and continued, “I desire not to discover aught thou hidest, albeit my breast like every honest man’s is the grave of secrets; and this only would I learn of thee, in what house didst thou do that job?  Canst thou direct me thither, or thyself conduct me thereto?” The tailor took the gold with greed and cried, “I have not seen with my own eyes the way to that house.  A certain bondswoman led me to a place which I know right well and there she bandaged my eyes and guided me to some tenement and lastly carried me into a darkened room where lay the dead body dismembered.  Then she unbound the kerchief and bade me sew together first the corpse and then the shroud, which having done she again blindfolded me and led me back to the stead whence she had brought me and left me there.  Thou seest then I am not able to tell thee where thou shalt find the house.”  Quoth the robber, “Albeit thou knowest not the dwelling whereof thou speakest, still canst thou take me to the place where thou west blindfolded; then I will bind a kerchief over thine eyes and lead thee as thou west led:  on this wise per chance thou mayest hit upon the site.  An thou wilt do this favour by me, see here another golden ducat is thine.”  There upon the bandit slipped a second Ashrafi into the tailor’s palm, and Baba Mustafa thrust it