The Caliph asked, "Why art thou silent,
O son of Yahya?" and he answered: "O Commander of the Faithful,
there hath come out on this paper, 'Naught shall be given to the
fisherman."' Then said the Caliph: "His daily bread will not come from
us. Bid him fare forth from before our face." Quoth Ja'afar: "By the
claims of thy pious forefathers, let him take a third paper. It may be
it will bring him alimony," and quoth the Caliph, "Let him take one
and no more."
So he put out his hand and took a third paper, and behold, therein
was written, "Let the Fisherman be given one dinar." Ja'afar cried
to him, "I sought good fortune for thee, but Allah willed not to
thee aught save this dinar." And Khalifah answered: "Verily, a dinar
for every hundred sticks were rare good luck. May Allah not send thy
body health!" The Caliph laughed at him and Ja'afar took him by the
hand and led him out. When he reached the door, Sandal the eunuch
saw him and said to him: "Hither, O Fisherman! Give us portion of that
which the Commander of the Faithful hath bestowed on thee whilst
jesting with thee." Replied Khalifah: "By Allah, O Tulip, thou art
right! Wilt thou share with me, O nigger? Indeed, I have eaten stick
to the tune of a hundred blows and have earned one dinar, and thou art
but too welcome to it.
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