It is said that the most extraordinary of that which happened to
Er Reshid was as follows: His brother El Hadi,[FN#153] when he
succeeded to the Khalifate, enquired of a seal-ring of great
price, that had belonged to his father El Mehdi,[FN#154] and it
came to his knowledge that Er Reshid had taken it. So he required
it of the latter, who refused to give it up, and El Hadi insisted
upon him, but he still denied the seal-ring of the Khalifate. Now
this was on the bridge [over the Tigris], and he threw the ring
into the river. When El Hadi died and Er Reshid succeeded to the
Khalifate, he came in person to that bridge, with a seal-ring of
lead, which he threw into the river at the same place, and bade
the divers seek it. So they did [his bidding] and brought up the
first ring, and this was reckoned [an omen] of Er Reshid's good
fortune and [a presage of] the continuance of his reign.[FN#155]
When Er Reshid came to the throne, he invested Jaafer ben Yehya
ben Khalid el Bermeki[FN#156] with the vizierate. Now Jaafer was
eminently distinguished for generosity and munificence, and the
stories of him to this effect are renowned and are written in the
books. None of the viziers attained to the rank and favour which
he enjoyed with Er Reshid, who was wont to call him
brother[FN#157] and used to carry him with him into his house.
The period of his vizierate was nineteen years,[FN#158] and Yehya
one day said to his son Jaafer, "O my son, what time thy reed
trembleth, water it with kindness."[FN#159] Opinions differ
concerning the reason of Jaafer's slaughter, but the better is as
follows. Er Reshid could not brook to be parted from Jaafer nor
from his [own] sister Abbaseh, daughter of El Mehdi, a single
hour, and she was the loveliest woman of her time; so he said to
Jaafer, "I will marry thee to her, that it may be lawful to thee
to look upon her, but thou shalt not touch her." [Accordingly,
they were married] and they used both to be present in Er
Reshid's sitting chamber. Now the Khalif would rise bytimes [and
go forth] from the chamber, and they being both young and filled
with wine, Jaafer would rise to her and swive her. She conceived
by him and bore a handsome boy and fearing Er Reshid, despatched
the newborn child by one of her confidants to Mecca the Holy, may
God the Most High advance it in honour and increase it in
venerance and nobility and magnification! The affair abode
concealed till there befell despite between Abbaseh and one of
her slave-girls, whereupon the latter discovered the affair of
the child to Er Reshid and acquainted him with its abiding-place.
So, when the Khalif made the pilgrimage, he despatched one who
brought him the boy and found the affair true, wherefore he
caused befall the Barmecides that which befell.[FN#160]