IBN AL-SAMMAK AND AL-RASHID[280]
It is related that Ibn al-Sammák[281] went in one day to Al- Rashid, and the Caliph, being athirst, called for drink. So his cup was brought him, and when he took it, Ibn al-Sammak said to him, "Softly, O Prince of True Believers! An thou wert denied this draught, with how much wouldst thou buy it?" He replied, "With the half of my reign;" and Ibn al-Sammak said, "Drink and Allah make it grateful to thee!" Then, when he had drunken; he asked him, "An thou wert denied the issuing forth of the draught from thy body, with what wouldst thou buy its issue?" Answered Al-Rashid, "With the whole of my reign;" and Ibn al-Sammak said, "O Commander of the Faithful, verily, a realm that weigheth not in the balance against a draught of water or a voiding of urine is not worth the striving for." And Harun wept.
AL-MAAMUN AND ZUBAYDAH[282]
It is said that Al-Maamún[283] came one day upon Zubaydah, mother of Al-Amín,[284] and saw her moving her lips and muttering somewhat he understood not; so he said to her, "O mother mine, art thou cursing me because I slew thy son and spoiled him of his realm?" Said she, "Not so, by Allah, O Commander of the Faithful!" and quoth he, "What then was it thou saidest?" Quoth she, "Let the Prince of True Believers excuse me." But he was urgent with her, saying, "There is no help but that thou tell it." And she replied, "I said, Allah confound importunity!" He asked, "How so?" and she answered, "I played one day at chess with the Commander of the Faithful, Harun al- Rashid, and he imposed on me the condition of forfeits.[285] He won and made me doff my dress and walk round about the palace, stark naked; so I did this, and I felt incensed against him. Then we fell again to playing and I won; whereat I made him go to the kitchen and lie with the foulest and fulsomest wench of the wenches thereof; but I found not a slave-girl fouler and filthier than thy mother;[286] so I so bade him tumble her. He did my bidding and she conceived by him of thee, and thus was I the cause of the slaying of my son and the spoiling of him of his realm." When Al-Maamún heard this, he turned away, saying, "Allah curse the importunate!" that is, himself, who had importuned her till she acquainted him with that affair.
AL-NU'UMAN AND THE ARAB OF THE BANU TAY[287]
It is said that Al-Nu'umán[288] had two boon-companions, one of whom was hight Ibn Sa'ad and the other Amrú bin al-Malik, and he became one night drunken and bade bury them alive; so they buried him. When he arose on the morrow, he asked for them and was acquainted with their affair, whereupon he built over them a building and appointed to himself a day of ill-luck and a day of good fortune. If any met him on his unlucky day, he slew him and with his blood he washed that monument, which is a place well known in Kufah; and if any met him on his day of good fortune he enriched him. Now there accosted him once, on his day of ill- omen, an Arab of the Banú Tay[289] and Al-Nu'uman would have done him dead; but the Arab said, "Allah quicken the king! I have two little girls and have made none guardian over them; wherefore, and the king see fit to grant me leave to go to them, I will give him the covenant of Allah[290] that I will return to him, as soon as I shall have appointed unto them a guardian." Al-Nu'uman had ruth on him and said to him, "An a man will be surety for thee of those who are with us, I will let thee go, and if thou return not I will slay him." Now there was with Al- Nu'uman his Wazir Sharik bin Amru: so the Táí[291] looked at him and said,