Salim Al-Bahili.

Said Sa'id bin Sálim al-Báhilí, "I was once in very narrow case, during the days of Harun al-Rashid, and debts accumulated upon me, burdening my back, and these I had no means of discharging. I was at my wits' end what to do, for my doors were blocked up with creditors and I was without cease importuned for payment by claimants, who dunned me in crowds till at last I was sore perplexed and troubled.

The Sons of Yahya Bin Khalid. 95

So I betook myself to Abdallah bin Málik al-Khuza'í and besought him to extend the hand of aid with his judgment and direct me of his good counsel to the door of relief; and he said, 'None can save you from this your strait and sorrowful state save the Barmecides.' I, said, 'Who can brook their pride and put up patiently with their arrogant pretensions?' and He said, 'You will put up with all this for the bettering of your case.' "—

When it was the Three Hundred and Ninety third night

"So I left him suddenly (continued Sa'id) and went straight to al-Fazl and Ja'afar, sons of Yahyá bin Khálid, to whom I related my circumstances; whereto they replied, 'Allah give you His aid, and render you by His bounties independent of His creatures and vouchsafe you abundant weal and bestow on you what shall suffice you, without the need of any but Himself; for whatever He wills that He can, and He is gracious with His servants and knows their wants.' So I went out from the twain and returned to Abdallah, with straitened breast and mind perplexed and heavy of heart, and repeated to him what they had said. He said, "You would do well to abide with us this day, that we may see what Allah Almighty will decree.' So I sat with him awhile, when lo! up came my servant, who said to me, 'O my lord, there are at our door many laden mules, and with them a man, who says he is the agent of Al-Fazl and Ja'afar bin Yahya.' Abdallah, said, 'I trust that relief is come to you: rise up and go see what is the matter.' So I left him and, hastening to my house, found at the door a man who gave me a note in which was written the following: 'After you had been with us and we heard your case, we betook ourselves to the Caliph and informed him that ill condition had reduced you to the humiliation of begging; whereupon he ordered us to supply you with a thousand thousand dirhams from the Treasury. We represented to him: 'The debtor will spend this money in paying off creditors and wiping off debt; from where then shall he provide for his subsistence? So he ordered you other three hundred thousand, and each of us has also sent you, of his proper wealth, a thousand thousand dirhams: so that you have now three thousand thousand and three hundred thousand dirhams wherewithal to order and amend yours estate." See, See, then, the munificence of these magnificos: Almighty Allah have mercy on them! And a tale is told