28 October, 2024

Beware the Man You Think You Know


***In the spring of 1959, George H. Conn edited an anthology of literary material, he found in out-of-print and rare books, focused upon the Arabian horse. The diverse collection includes poems, essays, scripture, inspirational quotes and short stories, including excerpts from the books written by Lady Anne Blunt, Roger Upton and Major General G. Tweedie.  My favorite is the story of Duldul and His Master, a work of fiction written by James Baldwin in the late 1800's and originally published in his book titled, The Horse Fair. I "tweaked" it a little bit, just in time for the spooky holiday we know as Halloween.

Once, there was a Bedouin chieftain by the name of Hatim. He was the most prosperous of all the desert sheikhs, his camp occupied a fertile oasis, in the middle of the great desert. His flocks of sheep, goats, camels and horses were the largest in the land. Hatim was a noble man, generous and kind. No guest ever left his camp empty-handed, receiving far more than a person could ever expect to receive. His compassion for his fellow man was legendary and many of his people never forgot the day when 400 men, women and children arrived in their camp, driven from their homeland by famine. Hatim ordered the slaughter of forty camels, which he then had roasted, so the people without a country could begin to satisfy the hunger that burned within them. Even in the most mundane moments of life, Hatim honored the code of conduct established by those who came before him, with honor, tolerance and kindness. When he was a child, the story of Abraham and how he had unknowingly entertained angels, had made a strong impression upon him, which he never forgot. Should an angel ever decide to visit him, he would find a comfortable place to rest, where his hunger and thirst would be met while a guest, until the moment he decided to continue his journey. 

Hatim practiced his beliefs, always with a smile upon his face and love in his heart, giving freely to all who asked, never questioning the need of those who stood before him and asked for help. Despite the goodness of Hatim's generosity, some were suspicious of his altruistic nature and felt the need to test Hatim's good nature. One such man was the Sultan of Roum, a cold-hearted ruler who was jealous of Hatim and the love people felt for him. He wasn't willing to share his people's affection with anyone, much less Hatim. He believed that Hatim's philanthropic nature was pretense, a way in which Hatim built trust, to then manipulate it for personal gain. For example, a man would say, "here is Hatim, who freely gives to the poor.  I will buy from Hatim, because he defrauds no one and I will pay his full price, rather than haggle with him, as I believe that he is being as fair with me, as he is with others." 

One day, the Sultan decided to put Hatim's generosity to the test. He wondered what Hatim cherished, that he would find impossible to give to another. He asked this question of his Vizier, who was convinced that the stories of Hatim's generosity were too powerful to be false. Here was a man who would freely give even his last mouthful of bread to anyone who asked for it. The Vizier told the Sultan that there was nothing in Hatim's possession that he would find difficult to part with. And so spies were sent out into the oasis where Hatim lived, to observe him and to find the one thing that Hatim loved, more than anything else he had ever known.  

Duldul was a sparkling white stallion, rumored to be the finest horse bred by any Bedouin in the desert. Many Bedouins have spent their lifetimes trying to breed a horse like Duldul, never to realize the level of quality that Hatim had bred within his own herd.  Duldul was raised with Hatim's children, living in the same tent with them, sharing daily life and all that goes with it. Duldul loved Hatim, for he had never been spurred or whipped and was a cherished member of Hatim's  family. 

Duldul was the fastest horse in the desert, the winner of many races, the prizes of which had made Hatim a celebrated breeder of asil desert horses. The horses that Duldul sired were the envy of the other tribesman who did not dare to wage war against Hatim, for fear of the skilled horsemen mounted on Duldul's get, who were not only as fast as their sire was but never tired. When the spies returned and told the Sultan of Duldul, the Sultan then decided that Duldul offered the greatest opportunity to test the generosity of Hatim. "I will not ask him for a price," the Sultan explained, "but I will ask for the horse as a gift. If he refuses, which I believe he will, then all the world will know that Hatim's generosity is a farce and I will finally destroy him!" 

Accompanied by ten of his finest soldiers, the Sultan sent his trusted Vizier towards the camp of Hatim. It was a long journey, made during the wettest season of the year.  For 20 long days the group made their way in the desert, meeting many challenges and experiencing great hardship. They had underestimated the difficulty of their journey and when they finally arrived at Hatim's camp, they were half-starved and in pitiable condition. Soon, a horseman, astride a magnificent stallion met them. It was none other than Hatim, mounted on Duldul, who immediately took pity on the Vizier and his men. He had quickly assessed the situation and realized that the men were in dire shape. He hastened to provide quickly for their comfort and ushered them into the most comfortable section of the largest tent in the camp. Their wet clothing was exchanged for warm, dry clothes, the best that Hatim could offer them, taken from his own personal chests. Dinner was delayed but when finally served, the men were amazed over the great variety of meats served to them. There was little food in the camp, as the rest of the tribe was still on their way back from the summer pastures. There was no fruit and a little bread to offer, however, the meats, which were broiled, boiled, roasted, made into soups and savory dishes, were beyond anyone's imagination, a reminder  of the royal meals they enjoyed at the Sultan's palace. After eating their fill, the men retired and slept soundly, which they had not done since leaving the palace. In the morning, after personally experiencing all of the bounty of Hatim's generosity, the Vizier was ashamed of the errand that the Sultan had charged him with and so,  the Vizier explained to Hatim, the Sultan's wishes.  To which Hatim replied, "if only you had told me this, when you first arrived at my camp. I was not prepared to receive guests, as we have only arrived in this oasis for a few days, the rest of my tribe and the flocks of sheep, goats, camels and horses are still on their way, having been slowed by the torrents of rain we encountered on our way home  from our summer pastures. When you arrived, wet, hungry and at death's door, what else could I do but provide comfort to you? For what would be said of me, if I failed to provide you with a warm place to sleep, dry clothes to wear and nourishing food to eat? Then my hospitality and generosity would be a falsity and people would forever know me as Hatim, who sent the hungry away from his tent unfed. I could not bear the thought of not offering my guests the nourishment that you so obviously needed. When you return to the Sultan, tell him that the horse he wished for, the horse that he sent his most trusted advisor and soldiers to find, Duldul, who knew my every wish, obeyed my every word, who brought joy to my heart and put a spring in my step, was cooked for your supper.

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