Bahlool and the Lard and Turnips

One day, Bahlool went to Harun al-Rashid and requested some lard (known as “pieh piyaz,” a cheap food for the poor) to prepare a meal. Harun instructed his servant to bring some peeled turnips to see Bahlool’s reaction and test if he could tell the difference between lard and turnips. Bahlool looked at the turnips, brought them close to his mouth, sniffed them, and said, “I don’t know why, but since you’ve become the ruler of the Muslims, even the fat has left the lard.”

Bahlool’s clever response humorously critiques Harun’s rule, suggesting that even something as basic as lard has lost its quality under his leadership.