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]

Ibn es Semmak and er Reshid.[FN#161]

It is related that Ibn es Semmak[FN#162] went in one day to Er Reshid and the Khalif, being athirst, called for drink.  So his cup was brought him, and when he took it, Ibn es Semmak said to him, “Softly, O Commander of the Faithful!  If thou wert denied this draught, with what wouldst thou buy it?” “With the half of my kingdom,” answered the Khalif; and Ibn es Semmak said, “Drink and God prosper it to thee!” Then, when he had drunken, he said to him, “If thou wert denied the going forth of the draught from thy body, with what wouldst thou buy its issue?” “With the whole of my kingdom,” answered Er Reshid:  and Ibn es Semmak said, “O Commander of the Faithful, verily, a kingdom that weigheth not in the balance against a draught [of water] or a voiding of urine is not worth the striving for.”  And Haroun wept.

El Mamoun and Zubeideh[FN#163]