An Appointment in Samarra

Seraphim —

There was a merchant in Bagdad who sent his servant to the market to buy provisions and after a little while the servant returned, white and trembling, and said, "Master, just now, when I was in the marketplace I was jostled by a woman in the crowd and when I turned I saw that it was Death that jostled me. She looked at me and made a threatening gesture! Now, please lend me your horse and I will ride away from this city and avoid my fate. I will go to Samarra and there Death will not find me."
The merchant lent him his horse, and the servant mounted it, and dug his spurs into its flanks and as fast as the horse could gallop he went.
Later on the merchant went down to the marketplace and he came across Death standing in the crowd. Walking up to Death he asked "Why did you make a threating getsture to my servant when you saw him this morning?"
"That was not a threatening gesture," said Death, "it was only a start of surprise. I was astonished to see him in Bagdad, for I had an appointment with him tonight in Samarra."

7 comments

Seraphim Sat, 25 Dec 2010 - 21:16

OceanWhy is Death feminine and why are these stories always about men?

Does Death have a gender? Men created the world we live in today, does that make women anyless important? As usual Ms Ocean your asking all the wrong questions.

Seraphim Sat, 25 Dec 2010 - 21:52

Oceanyou don't answer a question with another. So Seraphim, when I ask a question I expect an answer NOT another question.

OFCOURSE I CAN! Im JUST that special 😉

Sometimes questions lead to other questions. While some questions may seem the most important can also be the most irrelevant.

Ergo ipso facto columbo oreo you may understand my answer or you may not. But as the famous philosopher Jagger once said, 'You can't always get what you want.'

You Sat, 25 Dec 2010 - 22:19

its a figure of speech and the story teller can use either gender for the character of death.

Since often enough the story tellers are men, they willl inject a female character.

Seraphim Sat, 1 Jan 2011 - 14:38

Samarra is a city in Iraq. Medieval Islamic writers believed that the name “Samarra” is derived from the Arabic phrase “Sarr man ra’a”, which translates to “A joy for all who see”.

Scott (not verified) Fri, 29 Jun 2012 - 00:04

Too many alibi. I believe you can't explain the question rather than its irrelevant. LOL to you!

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