Accordingly El Merouzi repaired to the market and fetching that
which he sought, returned to Er Razi's house, where he found the
latter cast down in the vestibule, with his beard tied and his
eyes shut; and indeed, his colour was paled and his belly blown
out and his limbs relaxed. So he deemed him in truth dead and
shook him; but he spoke not; and he took a knife and pricked him
in the legs, but he stirred not. Then said Er Razi, 'What is
this, O fool?' And El Merouzi answered, 'Methought thou wast dead
in very sooth.' Quoth Er Razi, 'Get thee to seriousness and leave
jesting.' So he took him up and went with him to the market and
collected [alms] for him that day till eventide, when he carried
him back to his lodging and waited till the morrow.

Next morning, he again took up the bier and went round with it as
before, in quest of alms. Presently, the master of police, who
was of those who had given alms on account of the supposed dead
man on the previous day, met him; so he was angered and fell on
the porters and beat them and took the [supposed] dead body,
saying, 'I will bury him and earn the reward [of God].'[FN#35] So
his men took him up and carrying him to the prefecture, fetched
grave-diggers, who dug him a grave. Then they bought him a shroud
and perfumes[FN#36] and fetched an old man of the quarter, to
wash him. So he recited over him [the appointed prayers and
portions of the Koran] and laying him on the bench, washed him
and shrouded him. After he had shrouded him, he voided;[FN#37] so
he renewed the washing and went away to make his
ablutions,[FN#38] whilst all the folk departed, likewise, to make
the [obligatory] ablution, previously to the funeral.