Bahlool Outsmarts the Greedy Governor of Kufa

The governor of Kufa was notorious among the people for his stinginess and greed, but no one dared to reveal this flaw to his face. One day, as the governor was feeling cheerful and looking for some amusement, he decided to find Bahlool and bring him to the palace. He thought this would be a fun way to spend the day with his friends, and, even better, it wouldn’t cost him a dime. So he told a few of his guards, “Go find Bahlool and bring him here.”

The guards carried out the order and brought Bahlool to the palace.

When the governor saw Bahlool, he began joking with him, but each time, he received a firm and sharp response from Bahlool. The governor’s friends, who were present at the gathering, quietly laughed to themselves, knowing that the governor had been outwitted.

To get out of the awkward situation, the governor decided to say something that would make Bahlool leave on his own. He said, “I’ve heard that you know a lot about dogs.”

Bahlool replied, “Perhaps. Could knowing the dogs of Kufa help His Excellency, the governor?”

The governor said, “You know I’m very fond of hunting. I want you to find me a good hunting dog.”

Bahlool replied, “I will do so.”

The governor, eager for Bahlool to quickly go and get the dog, said, “You can go now and return with the dog in a few days.”

A few days later, Bahlool returned to the palace, dragging a large, heavy dog on a leash. When the governor saw the dog, he became furious and said, “Have you gone mad?”

Bahlool calmly replied, “Why would I have gone mad?”

The governor pointed at the dog and asked, “Do you know what a hunting dog looks like?”

Bahlool responded, “Yes, I do.”

The governor, growing more irritated, said, “How could you bring me such a fat, lazy dog and call it a hunting dog?”

Bahlool answered, “A hunting dog should be lean and light so that it can jump and run easily in pursuit of game.”

The governor sighed and said, “It pains me to see you so knowledgeable, and yet you bring me this heavy, thick-necked dog.”

Bahlool, remaining as calm as ever, replied, “Your Excellency, please don’t be angry. With the stinginess and greed that people have seen from you, I’m sure this dog will lose so much weight in just one week of living in your palace, that even real hunting dogs won’t be able to keep up with it.”

The governor glanced at his attendants, and they, without thinking, nodded in agreement, silently confirming Bahlool’s words. The governor, now even angrier, shouted, “Do you all think I am stingy and miserly?”

Without giving it a second thought, the attendants responded in unison, “Yes, Your Excellency.”

This story illustrates Bahlool’s sharp wit in turning the governor’s attempt to mock him into a lesson about his own stinginess, leaving him both humiliated and embarrassed.