Page:Muhammad Diyab al-Itlidi - Historical Tales and Anecdotes of the Time of the Early Khalîfahs - Alice Frere - 1873.djvu/311

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BN-HARÎMAH went into the presence of el-Mansûr, and offered him congratulations. And el-Mansûr said to him, "Ask of me thy desire." So he replied, "That thou shouldst write to thy vicegerent at el-Medînah, that should he find me drunk he is not to punish me."

"There is no means of escaping that," said el-Mansûr.

"I have no other wish," said Ibn-Harîmah.

So el-Mansûr commanded his scribe, "Write to my vicegerent at el-Medînah: If the son of Harîmah is brought to thee drunk, flog him with eighty strokes, but flog him by whom he is brought with a hundred strokes."

And the guard found him drunk; but they said, "Who would buy eighty with a hundred?" So they passed on and left him.