Bahlool and the Bad Neighbor

A man brought a noble and swift horse to Harun al-Rashid. The attendees at the gathering were amazed at the beauty of the horse. Harun rewarded the man with a gift and dismissed him. He then turned to the guests and asked, “Do you know what this horse is good for?”

One of the guests said, “Your Majesty, ride the horse and go on a pilgrimage.” Another said, “You could use this horse to send messages.” A third person suggested, “Your Majesty, you can use the horse during the summer holidays.”

Amidst all these suggestions, Bahlool stood up, bowed respectfully, and said, “Your Majesty, this horse is best used for fleeing from a bad neighbor.”

In this story, Bahlool humorously highlights the wisdom of avoiding troublesome situations, particularly bad neighbors, using the horse as a metaphor for escape.