An Appointment in Samarra

Traditional Iraqi Folktale

There was once a fellow who met death unexpectedly and surprisingly right in the middle of the great marketplace of life. He was the servant of a wealthy merchant in the old market town of Isfahan. The adventure began on a fine morning with the sun warming the face of the earth and with promise in the air. The servant rode off on his errands feeling content and carefree. His purse jingled with coins as he anticipated a feast being planned by his master. He was ready to discover what fresh items the market had to offer on such a fine and promising day.

As he moved amidst the teeming crowd, the servant suddenly saw the figure of Death. In the midst of the great marketplace of life Death seemed to beckon as if about to speak to him. Before a word could be uttered, the servant turned and fled with the utmost speed. He had heard the old belief that once death speaks to you, your life will end. He had no interest in having the final conversation at that time, so he raced off on his master’s horse striking out on the road that led through the desert toward the distant town of Samarra.

By nightfall he had left Isfahan far behind and arrived on the outskirts of the distant city. Seeing an inn nearby, he drew the tired, sweating horse to the door. Using the merchant’s coins, he purchased a room for the night. Exhausted in both body and soul, he stumbled to his room and collapsed onto the waiting bed. His fears and fatigue mingled with a sense of relief at the idea that he had preserved his life and had outwitted Death. As the night closed around him, the servant fell into the arms of sleep.

In the middle of the night he suddenly awakened at the sound of something moving in the room. When he looked up, he saw Death standing at the foot of the bed, smiling at him.

“How can you be here?” demanded the servant, beginning to tremble with fear again. “I saw you this morning far from here, in the midst of the marketplace in Isfahan.”