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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.’ Then said he, ‘Take the saddle-bags and let me go my way.’ But I answered, ‘Needs must I slay thee.’ As we were in this contention, he and I, behold, he saw a francolin and turning to it, said, ‘Bear witness against him, O francolin, that he slayeth me unjustly and letteth me not go to my children, for all he hath gotten my money.’ However, I took no pity on him neither hearkened to that which he said, but slew him and concerned not myself with the francolin’s testimony.”
His story troubled the Sultan’s deputy and he was sore enraged against him; so he drew his sword and smiting him, cut off his head; whereupon one recited the following verses:
An you’d of evil be quit, look that no evil you do; Nay, but do good, for the like God will still render to you.
All things, indeed, that betide to you are fore-ordered of God; Yet still in your deeds is the source to which their fulfilment is due.
Now this[1] was the francolin that bore witness against him.’
- ↑ i.e. the mysterious speaker?
