A certain simple fellow was once going alonghaling his ass after him by the halterwhen a couple of sharpers saw him and one said to his fellow'I will take that ass from yonder man.'
'How wilt thou do that？'asked the other. 'Follow me and I will show thee，'replied the first. So he went up to the ass and loosing it from the haltergave the beast to his fellow；then clapped the halter on his own head and followed the simpleton，till he knew that the other had got clean off with the ass，when he stood still. The man pulled at the halterbut the thief stirred not；so he turned and seeing the halter on a man's necksaid to him'Who art thou？'Quoth the sharper'I am thine ass and my story is a strange one. Know that I have a pious old mother and came in to her one daydrunk；and she said to me'O my sonrepent to God the Most High of these thy transgressions.'But I took the cudgel and beat herwhereupon she cursed me and God the Most High changed me into an ass and caused me fall into thy handswhere I have remained till now.
Howeverto-daymy mother called me to mind and her heart relented towards me；so she prayed for meand God restored me to my former shape of a man.'There is no power and no virtue but in God the Most Highthe Supreme！'cried the simpleton. 'O my brotherI conjure thee by Allahacquit me of what I have done with theein the way of riding and so forth.'
Then he let the sharper go and returned homedrunken with chagrin and concern. His wife asked him'What ails thee and where is the ass？'And he answered'Thou knowest not what was this ass；but I will tell thee.'So he told her the storyand she exclaimed'Woe worth us for God the Most High！ How could we have used a man as a beast of burdenall this while？'And she gave alms and asked pardon of God. Then the man abode awhile at homeidletill she said to him'How long wilt thou sit at homeidle？ Go to the market and buy us an ass and do thy business with it.'Accordinglyhe went to the market and stopping by the ass-standsaw his own ass for sale. So he went up to it and clapping his mouth to its earsaid to it'Out on theethou good-for-nought！ Doubtless thou hast been getting drunk again and beating thy mother！ Butby AllahI will never buy thee more！'And he left it and went away.
