Then he again began to pay me frequent visits and I entered into converse with him and questioned him of the band and how he came to escape, he alone of them all.  Quoth he, ’I left them from the day on which God the Most High delivered thee from them, for that they would not obey my speech; wherefore I swore that I would no longer consort with them.’  And I said, ’By Allah, I marvel at thee, for that thou wast the cause of my preservation!’ Quoth he, ’The world is full of this sort [of folk]; and we beseech God the Most High for safety, for that these [wretches] practise upon men with every kind of device.’  Then said I to him, ’Tell me the most extraordinary adventure of all that befell thee in this villainy thou wast wont to practise.’  And he answered, saying, ’O my brother, I was not present when they did on this wise, for that my part with them was to concern myself with selling and buying and [providing them with] food; but I have heard that the most extraordinary thing that befell them was on this wise.

The Thief’s story.

The woman who used to act as decoy for them once caught them a woman from a bride-feast, under pretence that she had a wedding toward in her own house, and appointed her for a day, whereon she should come to her.  When the appointed day arrived, the woman presented herself and the other carried her into the house by a door, avouching that it was a privy door.  When she entered [the saloon], she saw men and champions[FN#131] [and knew that she had fallen into a trap]; so she looked at them and said, “Harkye, lads![FN#132] I am a woman and there is no glory in my slaughter, nor have ye any feud of blood-revenge against me, wherefore ye should pursue me; and that which is upon me of [trinkets and apparel] ye are free to take.”  Quoth they, “We fear thy denunciation.”  But she answered, saying, “I will abide with you, neither coming in nor going out.”  And they said, “We grant thee thy life.”

Then the captain looked on her [and she pleased him]; so he took her for himself and she abode with him a whole year, doing her endeavour in their service. till they became accustomed to her [and felt assured of her].  One night she plied them with drink and they drank [till they became intoxicated]; whereupon she arose and took her clothes and five hundred dinars from the captain; after which she fetched a razor and shaved all their chins.  Then she took soot from the cooking-pots and blackening their faces withal, opened the doors and went out; and when the thieves awoke, they abode confounded and knew that the woman had practised upon them.’"’

The company marvelled at this story and the ninth officer came forward and said, ’I will tell you a right goodly story I heard at a wedding.

The ninth officer’s story.