“By the beard of the prophet, it is my ring,” cried the tall handsome man. “Grand Vizier, come and let us embrace our deliverer.”
It seemed to Said that he must be dreaming when the two embraced him, and immediately he flung himself upon his face and said, “Pardon me, Ruler of the Faithful, for having spoken as I did before you, for I perceive now that you are none other than Harun Al-Raschid, the Great Caliph of Bagdad.”
“I am your friend,” answered Harun, “and from this time your troubles are all over. Come with me to Bagdad and you shall be one of my most trusted officials, for you proved your metal the night you saved my life.”
Said thanked him and said how gladly he would remain with him always if only he would allow him first to go and visit his father, who must be in great sorrow and trouble on his account. The Caliph assented readily to this and so they mounted their horses and rode into Bagdad, which they reached just as the sun was setting.
The Caliph ordered a magnificent suite of apartments to be prepared for Said, and besides this promised to build him a house of his own.
The Caliph’s brother and the Grand Vizier’s son, Said’s old companions in arms, hastened to come to him as soon as they heard what had occurred. They embraced the gallant defender of their ruler and begged him to be their friend. But they were speechless with astonishment when he handed the gold chain to them and said: “I have been your friend for a long time, do you not remember this chain?”
They had only known him with a beard and a dark brown complexion, and when he told them why he had disguised himself, and when he had proved to them by a bout of fencing that he really was Almansor, they embraced him joyfully and said they reckoned themselves fortunate in having such a friend.
The following day, as Said was sitting with the Caliph and the Grand Vizier, the Chamberlain Messour entered and said, “Ruler of the Faithful, I wish to ask a favour.”
“Tell me first what it is!” answered the Caliph.
“Without stands my cousin, Kalum-Bek, a well-known merchant of the Bazaar. He has a curious affair with a man from Balsora, whose son was Kalum’s servant, but who robbed him and ran off, no one knows whither. And now the father demands his son from Kalum, who cannot produce him. And Kalum begs that you should, in virtue of your wisdom and great learning, decide between him and the man from Balsora.”