One day a rich man of Baghdad
sent his servant to the market to buy food. But the servant returned very soon.
He ran into his master’s room, his whole body shaking with fear.
“Master!”
the servant cried. “As I was walking through the market, a woman knocked
against me and nearly fell down. When I turned to help her, I saw that it was
death. She raised her hand and was about to touch me, but I ran away and did
not look back. Now I must go away from this town at once.”
“But
how do you know that this woman was Death?” asked his master.
“
I know her very well,” replied the servant. His voice dropped to a Whisper as
he remembered the moment when he had looked into her face and known who she
was.
“I
have good reason to know her, master,” continued the servant. “Two year ago,
when I was very ill, I was alone with her, face to face, for six long days and
nights. At another time, which is only a month ago, she looked me in the face
when a madman threw a knife at me. But the knife just missed me. Now, master,
please give me your fastest horse and I will ride like the wind to samarra,
where she will not touch me.”
The
master gave the poor man a horse, and watched him ride away.
Then
the man walked to the market and looked about for the old woman from whom his
servant was running away. At last he saw a woman he did not know.
He
greeted her and told her who he was. Then he asked her, “Why did you lift your
hand and try to take my servant?”
“I
was not going ot take him then,” she replied. “I raised my hand in surprise. I
was really surprised to see your servant in Baghdad today, because I am to meet
him in Samarra tonight.
***
GATHERED FROM MY OLD TEXT BOOK
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