Two infamous rogues, Ahmad abDanaf and Hasan Shuman, are appointed the new captains of the guard in Baghdad and are provided with a good salary. Dalilah the Crafty, the widow of the caliph's old keeper of carrier pigeons, and her daughter Zaynab the Coney-Catcher, are angry because they claim the right to a similar salary. Since it seems that in the rogues' case, their crimes were rewarded, Dalilah sets to work becoming a master thief. Pretending to be a holy woman, she cons a beautiful but childless noblewoman Khatun to come with her to see a sheikh who can help her get pregnant. She also gets a young man smitten with Khatun to come along, telling him he can marry Khatun. She relieves both parties of their money and clothes, as well as robbing the house where they go to eat.