ABSTRACT
IT is related that, one night, when the Khalifah Harun al-Rashid was suffering from sleeplessness, he called his wazir, Jafar al-Barmaki, to him and said: ‘My breast is heavy; I would walk the streets of Baghdad and go as far as the Tigris, to distract myself for the rest of the night.’ Jafar at once helped the Khalifah to dress himself as a merchant, and provided the same disguise for himself and Masrur, the sword-bearer. They left the palace by the secret door and walked the silent streets of Baghdad until they came to the banks of the river. There they saw an old boatman, about to wrap himself in his coverlet, before going to sleep on board his craft. They went up to him, saying: ‘Old man, we would be very much obliged if you would take us on board your boat and row us about for a little upon the river to enjoy the delicacy of the fresh breeze. Here is a dinar for your trouble.’ ‘What are you asking, my lords?’ answered the old man in a terrified voice. ‘Do you not know the order? Do you not see the Khalifah’s boat coming towards us even now?’ In their astonishment, they asked: ‘Are you sure that boat contains the Khalifah himself?’ ‘As Allah lives,’ replied the other, ‘is there anyone in Baghdad who does not know the appearance of the Khalifah? It is alRashid himself, my lords, with his wazir Jafar, and Masrur his swordbearer. See, there are his mamluks and singers! Listen to the herald standing in the bows and proclaiming: “It is forbidden to great or small, young or old, noble or simple, to be upon the river! Who disregards this warning shall have his head cut off or be hanged to the mast of his own boat!”’
