At the end of five months, Alcouz having a mind to buy some sheep, and to pay for them with this fine money, opened his trunk; but, instead of finding money, was extremely surprised to see nothing but a parcel of leaves clipped round in the place where he had laid it:  he beat his head, and cried out aloud, which presently brought the neighbours about him, who were as much surprised as he, when he told them the story.  O! cried my brother, weeping, that this treacherous old fellow would come now with his hypocritical looks!  He had scarce done speaking, when seeing him coming at a distance, he ran to him, and laid hands on him, Mussulman, 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, without any passion, said to him very gravely, You would do well to 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 am not willing 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 to tell it then, said the old man; and turning to the people, said, Know, good people, that this fellow, instead of selling mutton as he ought, sells man’s flesh.  You are a cheat, said my brother.  No! no! said the old man:  Good people, this very minute that I am speaking, there is a man with his throat cut hung up in his shop like a sheep; do any of you go thither, and see if what I say be not true.

Before my brother had opened his trunk, he had just killed a sheep, dressed it, and exposed it in his shop, according to custom:  he protested that what the old man said was false; but, notwithstanding all his protestations, the mob, being prejudiced against a man accused of such a heinous crime, would go to see whether the matter was true.  They obliged my brother to quit the old man, laid hold of him, and ran like madmen into his shop, where they saw a man murdered and hung up, as the old man had told them; for he was a magician, and deceived the eyes of all people, as he did my brother’s, when he made him take leaves instead of money.  At this spectacle, one of those who held Alcouz gave him a great blow with his fist, and said to him, Thou wicked villain, dost thou make us eat man’s flesh instead of mutton?  At the same time the old man gave him another blow, which beat out one of his eyes, and every body that could get near him beat 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 expect that you should punish him in an exemplary manner.  The judge heard my brother with patience, but would believe nothing of the story of the money exchanged into leaves; called my brother a cheat, told him he would believe his own eyes, and ordered him to have five hundred blows.  He afterwards made him tell where his money was, took it all from him, and banished him for ever, after having made him ride three days through the town upon a camel, exposed to the insults of the people.