’It is told of a certain doughty thief, that he used to rob and stop the way by himself upon caravans, and whenever the prefect of police and the magistrates sought him, he would flee from them and fortify himself in the mountains.  Now it befell that a certain man journeyed along the road wherein was the robber in question, and this man was alone and knew not the perils that beset his way.  So the highwayman came out upon him and said to him, “Bring out that which is with thee, for I mean to slay thee without fail.”  Quoth the traveller, “Slay me not, but take these saddle-bags and divide [that which is in] them and take the fourth part [thereof].”  And the thief answered, “I will not take aught but the whole.”  “Take half,” rejoined the traveller, “and let me go.”  But the robber replied, “I will take nought but the whole, and I will slay thee [to boot].”  And the traveller said, “Take it.”

So the highwayman took the saddle-bags and offered to kill the traveller, who said, “What is this?  Thou hast no blood-feud against me, that should make my slaughter incumbent [on thee].  Quoth the other, “Needs must I slay thee;” whereupon the traveller dismounted from his horse and grovelled on the earth, beseeching the robber and speaking him fair.  The latter hearkened not to his prayers, but cast him to the ground; whereupon the traveller [raised his eyes and seeing a francolin flying over him,] said, in his agony,” O francolin, bear witness that this man slayeth me unjustly and wickedly; for indeed I have given him all that was with me and besought him to let me go, for my children’s sake; yet would he not consent unto this.  But be thou witness against him, for God is not unmindful of that which is done of the oppressors.”  The highwayman paid no heed to this speech, but smote him and cut off his head.

After this, the authorities compounded with the highwayman for his submission, and when he came before them, they enriched him and he became in such favour with the Sultan’s deputy that he used to eat and drink with him and there befell familiar converse between them.  On this wise they abode a great while, till, one day, the Sultan’s deputy made a banquet, and therein, for a wonder, was a roasted francolin, which when the robber saw, he laughed aloud.  The deputy was angered against him and said to him, “What is the meaning of thy laughter?  Seest thou default [in the entertainment] or dost thou mock at us, of thy lack of breeding?” “Not so, by Allah, O my lord,” answered the highwayman.  “But I saw yonder francolin and bethought myself thereanent of an extraordinary thing; and it was on this wise.  In the days of my youth, I used to stop the way, and one day I fell in with a man, who had with him a pair of saddle-bags and money therein.  So I said to him, ’Leave these bags, for I mean to kill thee.’  Quoth he, ’Take the fourth part of [that which is in] them and leave [me] the rest.’  And I said, ’Needs must I take the whole and slay thee, to boot.’