It is said that Al-Maamún[283] came one day upon Zubaydah, mother of
Al-Amín,[284] and saw her moving her lips and muttering somewhat he
understood not; so he said to her, “O mother mine, art thou cursing me
because I slew thy son and spoiled him of his realm?” Said she, “Not so,
by Allah, O Commander of the Faithful!” and quoth he, “What then was it
thou saidst?” Quoth she, “Let the Prince of True Believers excuse me.”
But he was urgent with her, saying, “There is no help but that thou tell
it.” And she replied, “I said, Allah confound importunity!” He asked,
“How so?” and she answered, “I played one day at chess with the
Commander of the Faithful, Harun al-Rashid, and he imposed on me the
condition of forfeits.[285] He won and made me doff my dress and walk
round about the palace, stark naked; so I did this, and I felt incensed
against him. Then we fell again to playing and I won; whereat I made him
go to the kitchen and lie with the foulest and fulsomest wench of the
wenches thereof; but I found not a slave-girl fouler and filthier than
thy mother;[286] so I bade him tumble her. He did my bidding and she
conceived by him of thee, and thus was I the cause of the slaying of my
son and the spoiling him of his realm.” When Al-Maamún heard this, he
turned away, saying, “Allah curse the importunate!” that is, himself,
who had importuned her till she acquainted him with that affair.