Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand and One Nights — Volume 3 (of 6) Part 2

In this night‑long episode from the classic Arabian collection, the famed Caliph Harun al‑Rashid awakens uneasy and unable to shake a lingering melancholy. Seeking relief, he summons his trusted vizier, Ja’afar, and together they decide that fresh, strange stories might lift his spirits. Disguised as humble merchants, the pair slip away from the palace, slipping through the gardens and across the Euphrates to explore the bustling outskirts of Baghdad.

Their nocturnal wanderings lead them to a blind beggar who, instead of a simple handout, demands an odd favor—a light tap on his ear—before accepting any alms. The Caliph, intrigued and amused, complies, only to find the stranger’s request hints at a deeper purpose. As the encounter unfolds, the tale weaves humor, curiosity, and a subtle moral about generosity and hidden motives, all while offering vivid glimpses of medieval court life and the rich tapestry of folklore that once enchanted listeners night after night.