Story No. 23

One of the slaves of Amr Layth had run away. His men went after him and brought him back. The vizier held a grudge against him and ordered him killed, so that the other slaves would not dare do the same. The slave laid his head on the ground before Amr and said: Whatever happens to me, if you approve, it is right. What claim can a slave make? The verdict belongs to the master. But because I was raised on the bounty of this household, I do not want you to be held accountable for my blood on the Day of Judgment. Give me leave to kill the vizier first; then, in retribution for him, order my blood to be shed, so that you will have killed me justly. The king laughed and asked the vizier: What do you think is best? The vizier said: Lord of the world, for God's sake, and as alms for the grave of your father, set this shameless rascal free, so that he does not drag me into disaster. The fault is mine, and the saying of the wise is sound, who have said: When you picked a fight with the man throwing clods of dirt, you broke your own head through foolishness. When you shot an arrow at your enemy's face, know this: you set yourself up as his target.