The Tale of the Sharpers with the Shroff[474](#linknote-474) and the Ass
by Unknown
 and the Ass](/library-files/english/unknown/supplemental_nights_to_the_book_of_the_thousand_and_one_nights_volume_1_of_6/the_tale_of_the_sharpers_with_the_shroff_474_linknote_474_and_the_ass/images/cover/cover.png)
Adapted Version
Once, there was a rich man. His name was Mr. Shroff. He loved money. Four bad men made a plan. They wanted Mr. Shroff's money.
One day, the First Trickster came. He had a Donkey. The Donkey had a bag. The bag had big coins. He came to Mr. Shroff's shop. He asked for small money. Mr. Shroff was friendly. He gave small coins.
Then, the Other Tricksters came. There were three men. They looked at the Donkey. They touched its back. They touched its head. One man said, "It is the one!" Second said, "Secret!" Mr. Shroff heard them.
The Tricksters talked loudly. They wanted to buy the Donkey. First Trickster said, "No, I will not sell." He said, "It costs much money." Ten thousand big coins. The Other Tricksters offered less. The First Trickster said no.
Mr. Shroff watched them. He thought, "Donkey special. It has a secret." He felt greedy. He wanted the Donkey. He told the First Trickster to sell. "Sell the Donkey," he said.
The Other Tricksters came to Mr. Shroff. They spoke softly. "Buy the Donkey for us," they said. "We give you money." Mr. Shroff felt special. He felt more greedy. He liked this idea.
Mr. Shroff talked to the First Trickster. He wanted the Donkey. He paid much money. Five thousand five hundred coins. It was his own money. His greed was very big. He bought the Donkey.
The First Trickster left. Shroff, "Do not sell cheap. It has treasure." Mr. Shroff believed him. The Donkey was special.
The Other Tricksters came back. They looked at the Donkey. They touched its back. They shook their heads. "This is not our Donkey," they said. "It is not special. It is worth nothing. We do not want it."
The Tricksters walked away. They left Mr. Shroff. He was alone. He had the Donkey. The Donkey was not special.
Mr. Shroff knew the trick. He felt very sad. He felt foolish. He made a big mistake. He lost his money. He was very sad.
Other people came near. Mr. Shroff told his story. "I bought this Donkey," he said. "It is a normal Donkey. I paid much money. They tricked me."
People knew Mr. Shroff's mistake. They knew he was greedy. They saw his mistake. He learned a hard lesson.
Mr. Shroff learned a lesson that day. It is not good to be too greedy. And it is not good to believe big stories.
Original Story
The Tale of the Sharpers with the Shroff[474](#linknote-474) and the Ass.
Four sharpers once plotted against a Shroff, a man of much wealth, and agreed upon a sleight for securing some of his coins. So one of them took an ass and laying on it a bag, wherein were dirhams, lighted down at the shop of the Shroff and sought of him small change. The man of monies brought out to him the silver bits and bartered them with him, whilst the sharper was easy with him in the matter of exchange, so he might gar him long for more gain. As they were thus, up came the other three sharpers and surrounded the donkey; and one of them said, "'Tis he," and another said, "Wait till I look at him." Then he took to considering the ass and stroking him from crest[475](#linknote-475) to tail; whilst the third went up to him and handled him and felt him from head to rump, saying, "Yes, 'tis in him." Said another, "No, 'tis not in him;" and they left not doing the like of this for some time. Then they accosted the donkey's owner and chaffered with him and he said, "I will not sell him but for ten thousand dirhams." They offered him a thousand dirhams; but he refused and swore that he would not vend the ass but for that which he had said. They ceased not adding to their offer till the price reached five thousand dirhams, whilst their mate still said, "I'll not vend him save for ten thousand silver pieces." The Shroff advised him to sell, but he would not do this and said to him, "Ho, shaykh! Thou wottest not the case of this donkey. Stick to silver and gold and what pertaineth thereto of exchange and small change; because indeed the virtue of this ass is a mystery to thee. For every craft its crafty men and for every means of livelihood its peculiar people." When the affair was prolonged upon the three sharpers, they went away and sat down aside; then they came up privily to the money-changer and said to him, "An thou can buy him for us, do so, and we will give thee twenty dirhams." Quoth he, "Go away and sit down at a distance from him." So they did as he bade and the Shroff went up to the owner of the ass and ceased not luring him with lucre and saying, "Leave these wights and sell me the donkey, and I will reckon him a present from thee," till he sold him the animal for five thousand and five hundred dirhams. Accordingly the ,money-changer weighed out to him that sum of his own monies, and the owner of the ass took the price and delivered the beast to him, saying, "Whatso shall betide, though he abide a deposit upon thy neck,[476](#linknote-476) sell him not to yonder cheats for less than ten thousand dirhams, for that they would fain buy him because of a hidden hoard they know, whereto naught can guide them save this donkey. So close thy hand on him and cross me not, or thou shalt repent." With these words he left him and went away, whereupon up came the three other sharpers, the comrades of him of the ass, and said to the Shroff, "God requite thee for us with good, in that thou hast bought him! How can we reward thee?" Quoth he, "I will not sell him but for ten thousand dirhams." When they heard that they returned to the ass and fell again to examining him like buyers and handling him. Then said they to the money-changer, "Indeed we were deceived in him. This is not the ass we sought and he is not worth to us more than ten nusfs."[477](#linknote-477) Then they left him and offered to go away, whereat the Shroff was sore chagrined and cried out at their speech, saying, "O folk, ye asked me to buy him for you and now I have bought him, ye say, we were deceived in him, and he is not worth to us more than ten nusfs." They replied, "We thought that in him was whatso we wanted; but, behold, in him is the contrary of that which we wish; and indeed he hath a blemish, for that he is short of back." Then they made long noses[478](#linknote-478) at him and went away from him and dispersed. The money-changer deemed they did but play him off, that they might get the donkey at their own price; but, when they walked away from him and he had long awaited their return, he cried out saying, "Well-away!" and "Ruin!" and "Sorry case I am in!" and shrieked aloud and rent his raiment. So the market-people assembled to him and questioned him of his case; whereupon he acquainted them with his condition and told them what the knaves had said and how they had cozened him and how they had cajoled him into buying an ass worth fifty dirhams[479](#linknote-479) for five thousand and five hundred.[480](#linknote-480) His friends blamed him and a gathering of the folk laughed at him and admired his folly and over-faith in believing the talk of the sharpers without suspicion, and meddling with that which he understood not and thrusting himself into that whereof he had no sure knowledge. "On this wise, O King Shah Bakht" (continued the Wazir), "is the issue of greed for the goods of the world and indeed coveting that which our knowledge containeth not shall lead to ruin and repentance. Nor, O King of the age" (added he), "is this story stranger than that of the Cheat and the Merchants." When the King heard these words, he said in himself, "Indeed, had I given ear to the sayings of my courtiers and inclined to their idle prate in the matter of my Minister, I had repented to the utterest of penitence, but Alhamdolillah—laud be to the Lord—who hath disposed me to endurance and long-suffering and hath vouchsafed to me patience!" Then he turned to the Wazir and dismissed him to his dwelling and gave congé to those who were present, according to his custom.
---
Moral of the Story
Greed and meddling in affairs one does not understand can lead to ruin and repentance.
Characters
The Shroff ★ protagonist
A man of average height and build, likely with a slightly rounded figure from a sedentary profession. His hands might show the calluses of handling coins. His skin tone would be consistent with a person from the Middle East, possibly sun-kissed from market exposure.
Attire: He would wear practical, yet respectable, clothing befitting a wealthy merchant in a Middle Eastern market setting. This might include a loose-fitting, light-colored thobe or a tunic over trousers, possibly with a vest (sadriya) and a simple turban or kufi cap. The fabric would be linen or cotton, in muted earth tones or white.
Wants: To increase his wealth and make a profit, especially by outsmarting others.
Flaw: His overwhelming greed and over-faith in believing the sharpers' talk without suspicion, leading him to meddle in affairs he doesn't understand.
He begins as a shrewd, wealthy merchant, confident in his abilities. He is then tricked by the sharpers, losing a significant sum of money, and ends the story in utter despair and public humiliation, learning a bitter lesson about greed and trusting strangers.
Greedy, shrewd (initially), easily swayed by the prospect of greater wealth, trusting (to his detriment), easily chagrined, foolish.
The First Sharper (Ass Owner) ⚔ antagonist
A lean, agile man, likely with a weathered appearance from travel and outdoor life. His build would be suited for walking alongside an ass and carrying bags.
Attire: Simple, practical clothing suitable for a traveler or a man of the lower classes in a Middle Eastern setting. This might include a coarse cotton tunic (qamis) over loose trousers, perhaps a worn vest, and a simple headscarf (ghutra) secured with an agal, or a plain turban. Colors would be dusty and muted.
Wants: To swindle the Shroff out of his money through an elaborate trick.
Flaw: His reliance on deception and manipulation, which could be exposed.
He remains consistent throughout the story, successfully executing his part of the deception and leaving with the Shroff's money, unchanged in his cunning nature.
Cunning, deceptive, persuasive, patient, a skilled actor, greedy.
The Other Three Sharpers ⚔ antagonist
These three would be similar in general appearance to the First Sharper, perhaps slightly less distinctive, designed to blend into a market crowd. They would be of average height and build, with a practiced air of feigned interest.
Attire: Similar to the First Sharper, practical and somewhat worn clothing, but perhaps slightly varied in color or style to suggest they are separate individuals. Simple tunics, trousers, and head coverings in earthy tones.
Wants: To assist their comrade in swindling the Shroff and share in the ill-gotten gains.
Flaw: Their success depends on the Shroff's gullibility and their collective acting skills.
They remain consistent throughout, playing their roles perfectly to ensure the success of the scam. They do not change.
Cunning, deceptive, collaborative, good actors, opportunistic.
The Ass ○ minor
A sturdy, grey or brown donkey of average size, with long ears and a shaggy coat. It would appear unremarkable, perhaps a bit scruffy from travel, but otherwise healthy.
Attire: A simple, worn saddle blanket or cloth, and a rope halter. It carries a bag on its back.
Wants: To carry its load and follow its owner.
Flaw: Its inability to communicate or defend itself from being used as a prop in a scam.
Remains an object throughout the story, changing hands from the First Sharper to the Shroff, but its nature and purpose remain the same.
Placid, docile, unwitting participant.
Locations
Shroff's Shop in the Market
A busy, open-fronted shop belonging to a money-changer (Shroff), likely situated within a bustling souk or marketplace. The shop would feature a counter for transactions and space for customers, with the general hubbub of market life surrounding it. The ground would likely be packed earth or rough paving stones.
Mood: Initially bustling and transactional, then becoming tense and manipulative, finally devolving into public humiliation and despair.
The entire scam unfolds here, from the initial exchange to the Shroff's realization of being swindled and his public outcry.
Story DNA
Moral
Greed and meddling in affairs one does not understand can lead to ruin and repentance.
Plot Summary
Four sharpers conspire to swindle a wealthy Shroff. One sharper brings an ass to the Shroff's shop, while the other three arrive and theatrically inspect the animal, hinting at a hidden treasure within it. The sharpers engage in a loud, fake negotiation for the ass, demanding an exorbitant price. Driven by greed and the belief in a secret hoard, the Shroff secretly buys the ass for a high sum. However, the sharpers then return, declare the ass is not the one they sought, and abandon it as worthless, leaving the Shroff ruined and publicly shamed for his gullibility and covetousness.
Themes
Emotional Arc
confidence to despair
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
The story is presented as a tale told by a Wazir to a King, a common framing device in Arabian Nights-style literature, emphasizing its didactic purpose within a larger narrative.
Plot Beats (14)
- Four sharpers conspire to trick a wealthy Shroff out of his money.
- One sharper brings an ass with a bag of money to the Shroff's shop for small change, establishing a rapport.
- The other three sharpers arrive and theatrically examine the ass, hinting at a hidden treasure within it.
- The sharpers engage in a loud, exaggerated negotiation for the ass, with the owner demanding an impossibly high price (10,000 dirhams).
- The Shroff, observing the scene, becomes convinced of the ass's secret value and advises the owner to sell.
- The three sharpers secretly approach the Shroff, offering him a small commission to buy the ass for them.
- Driven by greed, the Shroff negotiates with the ass's owner and buys the animal for 5,500 dirhams of his own money.
- The first sharper (the owner) warns the Shroff not to sell the ass to the others for less than 10,000 dirhams, reinforcing the idea of a hidden hoard, then departs.
- The three sharpers return, re-examine the ass, and then declare it is not the one they wanted, claiming it has a blemish and is worthless to them.
- The sharpers leave, abandoning the Shroff with the ass.
- The Shroff realizes he has been duped, cries out in anguish, and tears his clothes.
- Market-people gather, and the Shroff explains how he was conned into buying a cheap ass for an exorbitant price.
- The Shroff's friends blame him, and others laugh at his foolishness and greed.
- The Wazir concludes the story, using it as a lesson against greed and meddling in unknown affairs, which the King applies to his own situation.
