ABSTRACT
IT is related, O auspicious King, O crown upon my head, that the Khalifah Harun al-Rashid-whom may Allah bless!—left his palace in disguise one day, accompanied by his wazir Jafar, and Masrur his sword-bearer, to walk about the streets for his diversion. When he came to the stone bridge which spans the Tigris, he saw a very old blind man sitting cross-legged upon the ground and begging alms from the passersby in the name of Allah. The Khalifah paused and placed a gold dinar in the extended palm, but the beggar strongly seized the royal hand, saying: ‘O generous giver, may Allah repay your gift with the choicest of His blessings! But before you pass on I beg you to lift your arm and give me a buffet on the lobe of the ear.’ So saying, he let go Harun’s hand but took care to hold him by the skirts of his long robe until he should comply with this extraordinary request.
