The Seat of Caliph Bahloul

This article was previously published in Indonesian at 19/7/2004

Caliph Harun was fond of Bahloul, a naïve young man who was a little bit silly but who often conveyed wisdom that stunned the Caliph into silent pondering. Bahloul also had the usual function for every king: that of being an entertainer. 

He had a thousand ways to cheer the Caliph up. Sometimes he deliberately stumbled on a chair so that the Caliph giggled to see his bad luck. Sometimes he pretended to lose in playing chess or playing riddle with the Caliph or his harems; Bahloul would grumble –and the whole palace would laugh at his silliness.

Once, Bahloul went through the palace hall as usual. The Caliph’s seat was vacant in that quiet luxurious place. “Where is His Majesty? he thought. He sat on the sacred throne for fun. Suddenly, two guards caught him and dragged him off the golden seat.

“You fool!” they snarled and beat him up. “Although you are the Caliph’s favorite, you are far too much!”

Bahloul screamed for he was powerless to bear the beatings on his tiny body. His loud shriek awakes the Caliph up who was resting on his royal bed.

“What’s up? Caliph Harun said startled.

The both guards stopped beating Bahloul and told the story. “Is that true, Bahloul?” the Caliph asked him.

“That’s true Your Majesty, hoaaaa….” Bahloul answered and screamed.

“It’s fine. It is all right then. So, stop screaming! I am sick to hear that! Why do you cry while the guards do not beat you up any longer anyway?

“I just cry on Your Majesty’s luck, hoaaaa….”

“What? Why do you cry on my luck? What is wrong with me?

“Your Majesty, I sat on Your Majesty’s seat for three minutes only, but I got this hard torments.. hoaaa. Your Majesty have been sitting on the throne for thirty years.. hoaaa… I cannot even imagine how hard will the torture that Your Majesty will bear in the future be.. hoaaa..”

Now is the Caliph’s turn to sob.

“What should I do then?” the Caliph asked, and sobbed.

Bahloul got up, and jogged around the luxurious palace hall and pointed his fist upward: “Justice, Your Majesty! Justice! Give the justice for all people! Justice! Justice! Justice!”

Afterward the Caliph swore to fulfill Bahloul’s wish. He admitted that he promised that for thousand times, with beautiful and serious expressions – but he had never attempted to actualize it. “Since now I will give justice to all my folks”.

Bahloul returned home, and said that he did not believe in Caliph’s promises. “I will remind Your Majesty about the promise.”

Caliph Haruns are available everywhere, all the time. He need bahlouls who have to remind him about how hot his seat is. (Hamid Basyaib)

(Translated by Lanny Octavia, edited by Jonathan Zilberg)