The man who conquered the Aztecs, Hernan Cortez, ordered his soldiers that they must not loot from defeated tribes. This was punishable by death.

A tribe of his Mexican allies, the Zempoalans, began looting from the Cingapacinga. Cortez ordered all that was taken be given back, and gained another ally in the form of the Cingapacinga.

But then something adverse happened, one of his Spanish soldiers was caught looting! How could he deal with this? If he didn't hang the man then the Zempoalans would see his laws as unfair, and he would lose the support of 2000 Mexican tribesman. If he did hang the man, then he would lose one of his valuable conquistadors, and the support of his 500 Spaniards. How could he win?

His solution was to tie the man to a tree by a rope, and when his army marched into the distance, cut him down before he strangled to death. Thus the natives were convinced the man was dead but infact he had been saved, to the appreciation of the Spanish troops present. Clever eh?