THE SCENE: When the great Khalifah wants a laugh, he asks his servant Masrur for suggestions of a comedian. Masrur drives a hard bargain with a local funnyman, but lives to regret his greed.
THE TEXT: Masrur ran off in search of the humorous Ibn al-Karibi and, having met him, said: “I have spoken of you to the Khalifah; he wishes you to come and make him laugh.” “I hear and I obey!” said the man, and Masrur continued: “I am very willing to conduct you to the Khalifah, but it must be on condition that you give me three-quarters of any reward he makes you.” “That is too much,” answered Ibn al-Karibi. “I will give you two-thirds as commission.”
After making a few more difficulties for form’s sake, Masrur accepted the bargain and conducted the man into the presence of the Kialifah.
On seeing him enter, al-Rashid said: “They tell me that you say very amusing things. Let us have a sample of your quality; but I must warn you that, if you do not make me laugh, the stick awaits you.”
This threat effectually froze all Ibn al-Karibi’s wit and he could think of nothing but disastrous commonplaces; therefore al-Rashid, instead of laughing, grew more and more irritable and at last cried out: “Give him a hundred blows on the soles of his feet to bring down the blood which is obstructing his brain!” At once the man was stretched out on the ground and the soles of his feet soundly beaten; but suddenly, when the number of strokes had passed thirty, the victim cried out: “The rest are for Masrur, because we agreed that he should have two-thirds of all I got!” Hearing this, the Khalifah made a sign and the guards stretched Masrur out in the other’s place and began to make his feet feel the rhythm of the stick. After the first few blows, however, the eunuch cried out: “As Allah lives, it was unjust of me to ask more than a quarter! I forfeit the rest of my share.”
Straightway the Khalifah so laughed that he fell over on his backside and, after, gave each of the sufferers a thousand dinars.
– One Thousand and One Arabian Nights, 15th Century AD
