THE BÉDAWY WHO TAUGHT THE
KHALÎFAH MANNERS.
TRANSLATOR'S PREFATORY NOTE.
Hishâm-ibn-ʾAbd-el-Málik was the fourth of that Khalîfah's sons who reigned over the Muslims. He succeeded his brother Yezîd A.H. 105 (A.D. 724), and died of quinsy at er-Rusâfa, A.H. 125 (A.D. 742), aged from fifty-three to fifty-six years, according to different authors. He was buried at er-Rusâfa, a town which lay opposite to er-Rákkah, at one day's journey west of the Euphrates; and which is placed by Abuʾl-Fedâ in lat. 36° N. It was founded by Hishâm, who made it his summer residence, and retired there to avoid the plague which desolated Syria. Hishâm governed without any prime minister, and greatly harassed his subjects by his rapacious and covetous disposition. He was richer than any of his predecessors, but the Persian historian Khondemir says that Hishâm would not trust any person with the keys of his coffers, and that he was one of the most avaricious princes that ever lived.
IT is related, amongst other anecdotes, that Hishâm-ibn-ʾAbd-el-Málik was engaged one day in hunting and sport. And he saw a gazelle being pursued by the dogs. And he followed it. And it passed round the hut of an Arab who was pasturing his flocks. So
