One day he was sitting on his balcony drinking and listening to singers, when three boats belonging to al-Rashid’s vizier came into view. The vizier heard the singers and asked whose house this was. ‘It belongs to al-Anjab the son of Muhammad son of Sulaiman who was lord of Basra,’ he was told. ‘Praise be to God!’ he exclaimed. ‘Does the grandson of Sulaiman come to Baghdad, buy a house and live in it without us knowing that he has come or meeting him? This is wrong. Steersman, put in to the bank.’ This was done, and the vizier and his chamberlain left the boat and went to knock on the door of al-Anjab’s house. When a eunuch came out to ask who was there, they said: ‘Go in and tell your master that the vizier is here.’
The eunuch went to al-Anjab and said: ‘Master, the caliph’s vizier has come and is at the door.’ Al-Anjab got up, wearing a shirt of fine gold-embroidered linen and a headband set with gold and, quicker than lightning, he opened the door, saying: ‘In God’s Name.’ The vizier entered with his chamberlain and, on looking, he saw a man black as pitch. ‘Praise be to Almighty God the Creator!’ he exclaimed. ‘Muhammad the son of Sulaiman was a white man with a reddish-fair complexion, but God has given him this black son, and He creates what He wants.’
The vizier took his seat on the dais with al-Anjab sitting in front of him and he said: ‘Sir, what is this wrong you have done us by coming to Baghdad and not telling us so we could come to meet you and present our services? That was not right.’ Al-Anjab said respectfully: ‘I did not want to burden you or the noble caliph by telling you that my brother al-Ashraf and I have parted because of our inheritance. He did not give me my proper share but only what he wanted, but I did not want a quarrel, which would have pleased our enemies and saddened our friends. So I took what I had and came here to live under the shadow of my master and cousin, al-Rashid, may God grant him long life.’ ‘In God’s name,’ said the vizier, ‘come to my house so that we may finish drinking there.’ Al-Anjab suggested leaving this to another time, but the vizier swore by al-Rashid that he must come that same day. He took al-Anjab by the hand, and the two of them embarked on the barge and sailed to the vizier’s house, which overlooked the Tigris.
Al-Anjab sat on a balcony, while the vizier produced plates of food as well as fruits in vessels of gold and silver, together with singers. They drank for two days and two nights, and the vizier, who was drunk, took a pillow, put it under his head and fell asleep, leaving al-Anjab in a state of perplexity. Just then one of al-Rashid’s eunuchs came in, carrying a note. Al-Anjab, whom he saw seated there like a mountain of pitch, asked him what he wanted, and he said: ‘I have a note from our master al-Rashid for the vizier.’ ‘Hand it over,’ al-Anjab told him, ‘so I can give you a reply.’ The eunuch did this, and when al-Anjab opened it he read: ‘The vizier has caused us unease. Why has he stayed away, although he has been sent for, and people are calling for help? I have heard that my cousin al-Anjab, the son of Muhammad, has come to Baghdad without our knowledge. Come yourself and bring him with you so that we can find out why this was. Goodbye.’
Al-Anjab stretched out his hand and opened the ink-well, took a sheet of paper and wrote: ‘From the servant al-Anjab son of Muhammad son of Sulaiman to the High Court. It was to you that I came. This vizier of yours to whom you have entrusted your affairs made me ashamed by sending me fifty letters telling me to come and saying: “This al-Rashid cannot do anything except through me. He is under my control, but I do not like him, as he is a treacherous man and is plainly planning a coup against me. I propose to forestall him and give the throne to you, as it is only you who are fit to hold the caliphate.” Your servant is only here to tell you to be on guard against this vizier. Look into the matter, for yours is the supreme authority.’
He folded up the letter, sealed it and called for the eunuch, to whom he handed it, urging him with all vehemence to hand it only to al-Rashid. The eunuch did this, and, having opened it, al-Rashid handed it back to him to read out and when he did so al-Rashid trembled with rage, and the veins of his throat swelled up. He shouted for Masrur and when he came he said: ‘Take your sword; go to the house of the vizier and cut off his head. Then get my cousin al-Anjab son of Muhammad; put him on a horse and bring him here quickly. Take care to show no pity or mercy and put someone in charge to guard the house.’
This pleased Masrur, who took a hundred eunuchs armed with swords and made for the vizier’s house. When he broke in he found the vizier still asleep on his pillow and struck a blow that cut off his head. A cry of grief arose, but Masrur helped al-Anjab to mount and went with him into the presence of al-Rashid, who was with his wife Zubaida. When he showed her the letter she called on God to protect him and exclaimed on the far-sightedness of his cousin. Then, when he saw Masrur, he asked and was told that his orders had been carried out. He then asked where al-Anjab was and, on being told that he was at the door, he told Masrur to fetch him. Masrur went to tell him to enter, and when he did he kissed the ground respectfully, while al-Rashid looked and saw a man like a black camel.
When al-Anjab greeted him and kissed the ground before him for a second time, al-Rashid returned his greeting. He then turned to his wife Zubaida and said: ‘Rest your eyes on this man. There is no doubt that he is your cousin for his nose, lips and eyes are those of Muhammad son of Sulaiman.’ She was incredulous and asked: ‘Have you a black son?’ ‘This man is black as a negro,’ he told her, ‘with red eyes, a nose like a clay pot and lips like kidneys.’ He then turned and told al-Anjab to come forward, which he did. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘your servant had not thought it proper to write to you, or else he would have told you about your vizier a year ago.’ ‘Take over his tasks,’ al-Rashid told him, adding: ‘his house, his wealth and everything he owned are yours as a gift.’ He gave him a robe of honour and he left, calling down blessings on the caliph. Surrounded by servants and mamluks, with an advance guard of Turks, he made his way first to the diwan and then to what had been the vizier’s house. News of him spread through both east and west, and people began to fear his power, almost dying of terror if he looked at them.
So much for him, but as for al-Ashraf, he deluged people with so many gifts that not the smallest thing was left him. He sold estates, property, orchards and their produce until, when he and his mother had not eaten for two days, she said to him: ‘My son, if you go to your brother al-Anjab he will scarcely believe it when he sees you and he may give you a town or else five thousand dinars on which you can live, for I cannot think that in such a case he would be content to give you only a little.’ ‘Mother,’ he told her, ‘I have nothing that I can use to get food.’ She said: ‘I still have a golden armband whose weight makes it worth a hundred dinars. Take it and sell it when you get to Baghdad. Then buy a mule, a grand turban and a long gown, as well as a mamluk and a black slave to walk in front of you so as not to go to your brother in a miserable state.’ He agreed to this, and she took out the bracelet and passed it to him, still with his father’s note sealed inside it. He put it in a belt, which he fastened to his hand and then, after saying goodbye to his mother, he set off to walk to Baghdad.
There he looked with admiration at the river with its bridges and the balconies that faced each other before going into the market of the money-changers and selling his bracelet for ninety dinars. He took the money, fastened it to his waist and went out. There on the square he saw jugglers, storytellers and buffoons, but as he was staring at them with wonder a cut-purse came up behind him, pressed against him and slit away the gold. Al-Ashraf then felt hungry and made his way towards to a cook-shop in the market belonging to a man named ‘Ubaid who had five cooking-pots standing over a fire. He told himself that he would go there and have something to eat before going on about his business.
‘Ubaid had a fondness for the young, and al-Ashraf looked like a full moon, with a lock of hair hanging down to his trouser belt. When ‘Ubaid saw him he greeted him and said: ‘Please be so good as to come to your servant ‘Ubaid, and do him the honour of taking a bi
te to eat in his shop.’ ‘Ubaid then came down to the bench outside the shop, kissed al-Ashraf’s hand and helped him to take his seat on the bench. He then spooned out three portions of various types of food and, after putting this in front of him, together with a flat loaf of bread, he said: ‘Eat, master.’ When he had eaten, ‘Ubaid brought him sweetmeats, and he ate these too.
Al-Ashraf said: ‘I told myself to give him something and so I put my hand to my waist to produce a dinar, but there was nothing to be found. He saw me put my hand in and take it out empty and, thinking that I was making a fool of him, he slapped me and threw me down from the bench, making what I was wearing on my head fall off. I looked down with tears in my eyes, and when he saw that I had nothing to say he came back, picked me up and sat me down again on the bench. “Did I ask you for anything?” he said and I said: “No, but why did you hit me?” “I was angry with you,” he told me, and I explained that a cut-purse had removed ninety dinars from my waist, and I showed him where the slit had been made. “That’s true,” he said, “and by God, master, I wronged you.”
‘He kissed my hand and asked me where I came from. I told him that I was from Basra and that I was coming to ask the vizier, my brother, to appoint me to some post or perhaps give me something that I could take back home. “Is the vizier your brother?” he said, and when I confirmed that he was, he asked me not to hold anything against him, saying that he had done wrong. “No harm will come to you,” I told him, “for I don’t hold this against you and would like you to join up with me and help me.” “Yes, by God,” he exclaimed, “with my money and my life!”
‘When I had thanked him he asked me what I wanted, and I said: “An ink-well and paper so that I can write to my brother al-Anjab the vizier to tell him that I have come. When he knows he will send to fetch me and, God willing, I shall be able to help you and I shall be like a brother to you.” ‘Ubaid agreed and went off, coming back sometime later with five sheets of paper and an ink-well.
‘I took a sheet and wrote: “From al-Ashraf to the vizier. This is to let you know of the arrival of your brother al-Ashraf. I had goods and money with me, but robbers attacked me and took everything that I had. I am at your gate but I am too dishevelled to go in to you and I should like you to be kind enough to send someone to fetch me without anyone knowing that I am your brother. I have no one to help me except God and you.” ’
Al-Ashraf then folded the paper and handed it to ‘Ubaid, telling him to take it to al-Anjab. He agreed, saying: ‘Everyone in the vizier’s house knows me, and they are all friends of mine.’ ‘Ubaid’s shop was opposite the vizier’s house, and so he took the note and went in. The servants greeted him, calling him a rare bird, and he told them that he had a note which he wanted to deliver to the vizier. The vizier’s private attendant said that he would do this and, taking it from him, he presented it to the vizier as he sat. When the vizier had read it he turned to him and said: ‘Are you an attendant or a chamberlain?’ ‘I am only an attendant,’ replied the man. ‘Go and fetch the man who gave you this note,’ the vizier said, and he then ordered a Turkish mamluk to go with him and when he saw the man who had written the note to cut off the head of the attendant.
A eunuch went to ‘Ubaid and asked him: ‘What was in that note that you gave to the attendant?’ ‘By God, I don’t know,’ said ‘Ubaid. The eunuch told him that the attendant who had taken it to al-Anjab had had his head cut off. When al-Ashraf was told of this, he said that this must have been because of some personal quarrel between the two of them, and he wanted to write again. ‘Ubaid told him to do that and when the letter had been written he took it and went to al-Anjab’s door. This was guarded by one of his personal eunuchs, and when ‘Ubaid, on being asked, said that he had come with a note for the vizier it was this man who told him to hand it over and he would give it to him. He did this, and when al-Anjab had read it he said: ‘Are you a eunuch servant or a chamberlain? Why are you interfering in someone else’s job?’ and he ordered his head to be cut off.
This was done by a mamluk, and another eunuch went out and said: ‘Save yourself, ‘Ubaid, for the eunuch who took the note has been beheaded, and if things go on like this the vizier will have no one left.’ Al-Ashraf insisted that his brother must have had some grudge against the two whom he had killed and that he wanted to write again. ‘Write,’ said ‘Ubaid, adding, ‘and may God cut off the vizier’s right hand and let him be as angry as he likes.’ Al-Ashraf wrote again, and ‘Ubaid took the note and sat down by the vizier’s house, where he came across a chamberlain who was carrying notes that people had written to him. ‘Ubaid jumped up to greet him respectfully and asked him to take the letter to his master. The chamberlain took it and went to al-Anjab, with whom he left all the notes, including that sent by al-Ashraf.
When al-Anjab had read it he asked the chamberlain who had brought it. ‘ ‘Ubaid the cook, who is at the door,’ the man replied. ‘Put him to the sword and plunder his shop this instant,’ ordered al-Anjab. The chamberlain, who was one of ‘Ubaid’s friends, went out and told him to flee at once to save his life before he could be killed and his shop plundered. ‘Ubaid ran off and went up to the shop roof to see what was going to happen. Meanwhile al-Anjab had told ten of his attendants: ‘Go at once to ‘Ubaid’s shop, where you will find a beardless youth with long hair and a handsome face. Say: “Are you al-Ashraf?” and if he says “yes”, beat him until the front of his face is indistinguishable from the back of his head. Then bring him to me.’
They went and plundered ‘Ubaid’s shop, breaking everything in it, while ‘Ubaid was exclaiming in grief and saying: ‘By God, no good has come to me!’ Al-Ashraf was weeping for what the men had done to ‘Ubaid’s shop. They asked him if he was al-Ashraf and when he said ‘yes,’ he was beaten with clubs until he could no longer move while ‘Ubaid was struck on the head until blood flowed from his nostrils. Al-Ashraf was taken to al-Anjab, and his face was uncovered so he could see. ‘Brother, what have you done with me?’ he said, and al-Anjab answered: ‘You’re still healthy, are you? Throw him down.’ His men did this and then beat him unconscious with a hundred lashes, after which a smith was sent for, who made him an iron corselet, studded on the inside with what were like the heads of needles. Heavy fetters were put on his legs, and he was taken to the underground dungeon.
So much for al-Ashraf, but as for ‘Ubaid the cook, he stayed where he was for a day and a night, and then was shattered to hear what had happened to al-Ashraf and that he was in al-Anjab’s dungeon. He called to God for help and said: ‘By God, the only thing left me is this silver ring which I can sell.’ He took it from his finger and sold it for two carats, after which he went to knock on the gaoler’s door. ‘Who is there?’ called out the gaoler. ‘ ‘Ubaid the cook,’ he replied, and the gaoler said: ‘ ‘Ubaid, I feel for you. What did you do to get your shop plundered?’ but instead of replying ‘Ubaid asked him what had been done with the young al-Ashraf. ‘By God, he is like a son to me,’ said the gaoler,’ and I am filled with pity because of the misery he is suffering. He has had no food for two days now, and though I used to hear him groaning there is no sound now and I’m not sure whether he is dead or alive.’ ‘Take these two carats,’ ‘Ubaid said, ‘and open the door so I can talk to him.’ The gaoler agreed and went to the top of the dungeon and opened it. ‘Ubaid then called to al-Ashraf, who answered in a weak voice: ‘Who is there?’ ‘Your servant ‘Ubaid,’ the cook replied. Al-Ashraf called down God’s blessing on him and said: ‘I am heartbroken because your shop was plundered, and it has all been thanks to me that your sufferings have been worse than mine.’ ‘I wish this had happened to me, not you,’ replied ‘Ubaid, ‘and that none of it had affected you.’
‘Stop all this useless talk,’ said the gaoler; ‘buy him something to eat and then think of some way of freeing him from this miserable plight of his. Take back these two carats and buy some food.’ ‘Ubaid took the money and went out to the market, where he bought a pomegranate, three f
lat loaves, some roast meat and a jug of water. He went into the prison and was shown to the dungeon where he saw al-Ashraf. ‘I take refuge with Almighty God!’ he exclaimed, adding that he was sure he would die, but that God would judge between him and the one who wronged him. Then, making al-Ashraf sit up, he rested him against his chest and fed him the pomegranate, as well as giving him water. When he felt stronger ‘Ubaid asked: ‘Is there anyone who can help you?’ ‘Yes,’ said al-Ashraf, ‘I have a mother in Basra and I should like her to know what is happening to me.’ ‘Whereabouts in Basra is she?’ asked ‘Ubaid, and al-Ashraf told him: ‘Go to the river and ask for the house of Muhammad son of Sulaiman.’
‘Ubaid willingly agreed, took his leave and left, but he said to himself: ‘How are you going to get to Basra when you haven’t got anything? I have only got my mother and I shall go to her and get something that will take me there.’ It was a year since he had seen his mother, but he went to her little house in Baghdad, where he found her sitting at her spindle, saying: ‘I would give my life to have ‘Ubaid restored to me.’ He went into the hall and knocked on the door but didn’t answer when she asked who was there. ‘Little wretches,’ she exclaimed, ‘you are always throwing stones at my door!’ ‘Ubaid went back and knocked again and this time when she asked he told her who he was. ‘Welcome,’ she cried and she jumped up, opened the door and embraced him in tears, saying: ‘My son, have you only just remembered me? It is a year since I saw you.’ ‘Well, here I am,’ he said. ‘I had a dream that I was eating bread with a piece of meat and a jelly, but all I have is two carats and a habba.’ She took these and a bit of cotton and went out.
Tales of the Marvellous and News of the Strange (Hardcover Classics) Page 46
