I was travelling across the desert with Sheik Mahmoud Ibn Moosa and his caravan of ninety camels and nineteen men. The Sheik was a dignified old man with fierce dark eyes and a white beard. He rode a large white donkey, and his donkey was dignified too. The Sheik treated him as a friend and an equal. They were almost always together all day. They slept in the same tent every night.

I was carrying with me about eighty pieces of gold in a leather bag. I kept the bag in my tent at night and every morning I checked to see that the pieces of gold were safe. On the ninth morning the bag was not there.

went at once to the Sheik and complained to him about the loss of my bag. He sat in silence for a few minutes stroking his beard. At last he said, “The caravan will not leave this camp today. Before evening comes, you will have your gold.”

After lunch, the Sheik went into his tent and closed the flap of the tent behind him. After dinner my host slowly came out of his tent and sent for me. He told me to sit up near him in front of his tent. Then he said, “Bring me the men.” All his men stood in a row in front of him.

When all the men were there, the Sheik spoke, “Today some trouble has come to my guest, this traveller. Someone has stolen his bag of gold. Stealing is a crime and to steal from a guest is seven times worse. As no one from outside has been near our camp, the man who stole the bag is standing before me now. He thinks he can hide his crime, but I can find him out with the help of my wonderful donkey.”