# Arabian Nights Entertainments (1706)/Volume 5/Story of the Barber

The Story of the Barber.
IN the Reign of the Califf Monſtancer Billah, continues he, a Prince ſo famous for his vaſt Liberality towards the Poor, ten Highway-men infeſted the Roads about Bagdad, and for a long Time committed unheard of Robberies and Cruelties. The Califf having Notice of this, ſent for the Judge of the Policy, ſome Days before the Feaſt of Bairam, and ordered him on pain of Death to bring all the Ten to him.
Scheherazade ſtopt here becauſe Day appeared, and next Night reſum’d her Diſcourſe as follows.
The Hundred and Sixty Seventh Night.
THE Judge of the Policy, continu’d the Barber, uſed ſo much Diligence, and ſent ſo many People in purſuit of the ten Robbers, that they were taken on the Day of Bairam. I was walking then on the Banks of the Tygris, and ſaw ten Men richly apparelled go into a Boat: I might have known they were Robbers, had I obſerv’d the Guards that were with them; but I look’d only to them, and thinking they were People that had a Mind to ſpend the Feſtival Day in Jollity, I enter’d the Boat with them, without ſaying one Word, in hopes they would allow me to be one of the Company. We went down the Tygris, and landed before the Califf’s Palace: Thad Time then to conſider with my ſelf, and to find my Miſtake; when we came out of the Boat, we were ſurounded by a new Troop of the Judges of the Policy’s Guard, who ty’d us all, and carry’d us all before the Califf, I ſuffer’d my ſelf ​to be ty’d as well as the reſt, without ſpeaking one Word: For to what Purpoſe ſhould I have ſpoke, or make any Reſiſtance? That had been the way to have been ill treated by the Guards, who would not have liſten’d to me, for they are brutiſh Fellows that will hear no Reaſon; I was with the Robbers, and that was enough to make them believe me to be one.
When we came before the Califf, he order’d the ten Highway-mens Heads to be cut off immediately, The Executioner drew us up in a File within reach of his Arm, and by good Fortune I was the laſt. He cut off the Heads of the ten Highway-men, beginning at the firſt; and when he came to me he ſtopt. The Calif perceiving that the Executioner did not meddle with me, he grew angry: Did not I command thee, ſays he, to cut off the Heads of ten Highway-men, and why haſt thou cut off but nine? Commander of the Faithful, ſays he, Heaven preſerve me from diſobeying your Majeſty’s Orders: there are ten Corps upon the Ground, and as many Heads which I cutoff, your Majeſty may count them. When the Califf ſaw himſelf that what the Executioner ſaid was true, he look’d upon me with Amazement, and perceiving that I had not the Face of a Highway-man, ſays to me, Good old Man, how came you to be among thoſe Wretches, who have deſerv’d a thouſand Deaths. I anſwered, Commander of the Faithful, I ſhall make a true Confeſſion, This Morning I ſaw thoſe ten Perſons, whoſe Chaſtiſement is a Proof of your Majeſty’s Juſtice, take Boat: I embark’d with them, thinking they were Men going to a Treat to celebrate this Day, which is the moſt remarkable in our Religion.
The Califf could not Seven Hobo my Adventure and inſtead of treating me as a prattling Fellow, as the lame young Man did, he admired my Diſcretion and conſtant Silence. Commander of the Faithful, ſaid I, your Majeſty need not wonder at my keeping Silence, on ſuch an Occaſion, as would have made another apt to ſpeak: I make a particular Profeſſion of holding my Peace, and upon that Account, I have acquired the glorious Title of Silent. Thus I am called, to diſtinguiſh me from my ſix Brothers, This is the Effect of my Philoſophy; and in a Word, in this Virtue conſiſts my Glory and Happineſs. I ​am very glad, ſays the Califf, ſmiling, that they gave you a Title which you ſo well deſerve, and know how to make ſuch good Uſe of. But tell me what ſort of Men were your Brothers, were they like you? By no means, ſaid I, they were all of them more given to prating than another: And as to their Perſons, there was ſtill a greater Difference betwixt them and me. The firſt was Hump-back’d; the ſecond had rotten Teeth; the third had but one Eye; the fourth was blind; the fifth had his Ears cut; and the fixth had Hair-Lips. They had ſuch Adventures as would inform you of their Characters, had I the Honour to tell them to your Majeſty: And ſince the Califf ſeem’d to deſire no better than that I ſhou’d tell him their Stories, I went on without his Order.