weeping, “that this treacherous old fellow would come now with his hypocritical looks!” He had scarcely spoken, when he saw him at a distance; he ran to him, and laid hands on him; “Moosulmauns,” cried he, as loud as he could, “help! hear what a cheat this wicked fellow has put upon me,” and at the same time told a great crowd of people, who came about him, what he had formerly told his neighbours.  When he had done, the old man said to him very gravely and calmly, “You had better let me go, and by that means make amends for the affront you have put upon me before so many people, for fear I should put a greater affront upon you, which I should be sorry to do.”  “How,” said my brother, “what have you to say against me?  I am an honest man in my business, and fear not you, nor any body.”  “You would have me speak out then,” resumed the old man in the same tone; and turning to the crowd, said to them, “Know, good people, that this fellow, instead of selling mutton as he ought to do, sells human flesh.”  “You are a cheat,” said my brother.  “No, no,” continued the old man; “good people, this very minute while I am speaking to him, there is a man with his throat cut hung up in the shop like a sheep; do any of you go thither, and see if what I say be not true.”

Just before my brother had opened his chest he had killed a sheep, dressed it, and exposed it in the shop, according to custom:  he protested that what the old man said was false; but notwithstanding all his protestations, the credulous mob, prejudiced against a man accused of such a heinous crime, would go to see whether the charge were true.  They obliged my brother to quit the old man, laid hold of him, and ran like madmen into his shop, where they saw, to all appearance, a man hung up with his throat cut, as the old man had told them; for he was a magician, and deceived the eyes of all people, as he did my brother, when he made him take leaves instead of money.  At this sight, one of those who held Alcouz gave him a violent blow with his fist, and said to him, “Thou wicked villain, dost thou make us eat man’s flesh instead of mutton?” And at the same time the old man gave him another blow, which beat out one of his eyes.  Every body that could get near him struck him; and not content with that, they carried him before a judge, with the pretended carcase of the man, to be evidence against him.”  “Sir,” said the old magician to the judge, “we have brought you a man, who is so barbarous as to murder people, and to sell their flesh instead of mutton.  The public expects that you will punish him in an exemplary manner.”  The judge heard my brother with patience, but would believe nothing of the story of the money changed into leaves, called my brother a cheat, told him he would believe his own eyes, and ordered him to receive five hundred blows.  He afterwards made him tell him where his money was, took it all from him, and banished him for ever, after having made him ride three days through the city upon a camel, exposed to the insults of the people.