The chief justice, and all the spectators, wondered at the strange events which had ensued upon the death of the little hunch-back.  “Let the Jewish doctor go,” said the judge, “and seize the tailor, since he confesses the crime.  It is certain this history is very uncommon, and deserves to be recorded in letters of gold.”  The executioner having dismissed the doctor prepared to impale the tailor.

While the executioner was making ready to impale the tailor, the sultan of Casgar, wanting the company of his crooked jester, asked where he was; and one of his officers told him; “The hunch-back, Sir, whom you inquire after, got drunk last night, and contrary to his custom slipped out of the palace, and went strolling about the city, and this morning was found dead.  A man was brought before the chief justice, and charged with the murder of him; but when he was going to be impaled, up came a man, and after him another, who took the charge upon themselves and cleared one another, and the judge is now examining a third, who gives himself out for the real author of the murder.”

Upon this intelligence the sultan of Casgar sent an officer to the place of execution.  “Go,” said he, “with all expedition, and tell the judge to bring the accused persons before me immediately and bring also the corpse of poor hunch-back, that I may see him once more.”  Accordingly the officer went, and happened to arrive at the place of execution at the very time that the executioner had laid his hands upon the tailor.  He called aloud to him to suspend the execution.  The executioner knowing the officer, did not dare to proceed, but released the tailor; and then the officer acquainted the judge with the sultan’s pleasure.  The judge obeyed, and went directly to the palace accompanied by the tailor, the Jewish doctor, and the Christian merchant; and made four of his men carry the hunch-backed corpse along with him.

When they appeared in the sultan’s presence, the judge threw himself at the prince’s feet and after recovering himself, gave him a faithful relation of what he knew of the story of the hunch-backed man.  The story appeared so extraordinary to the sultan, that he ordered his own historian to write it down with all its circumstances.  Then addressing himself to the audience; “Did you ever hear,” said he, “such a surprising event as has happened on the account of my little crooked buffoon?” The Christian merchant, after falling down, and touching the earth with his forehead, spoke as follows:  “Most puissant monarch, I know a story yet more astonishing than this; if your majesty will give me leave, I will relate it.  The circumstances are such, that no one can hear them without emotion.”  “Well,” said the sultan, “you have my permission:”  and the merchant went on as follows: 

The Story told by the Christian Merchant.