Page 188 - The Book of Rumi

The Jester and the Chess Game

eyyed Ajal, the powerful ruler of the province of Termez, had a great
4
Slove for the game of chess. One day, relaxing in his opulent palace, he
summoned the court jester to set up the chessboard, as he fancied a challenge.
Happy to comply, the jester eagerly prepared the board and sat before his
master, ready to begin. Only a few minutes into the game, though, the jester
suddenly jumped up and shouted, “Checkmate! Checkmate!” signaling that he
had beaten the ruler at his favorite game.
Seyyed Ajal was a sore loser and did not appreciate being embarrassed.
On this occasion, his anger got the better of him, and he began to hurl the
chess pieces at the jester. “All right, you won!” he screamed. “Here’s your
reward, you lowlife good-for-nothing.”
Seyyed Ajal cursed and threw every object within his reach at the poor,
innocent jester, who begged for forgiveness. But soon the Seyyed’s anger sub-
sided and boredom got the better of him; he decided that he wanted another
game and so beckoned the jester back. The frightened man approached the
chessboard apprehensively but sat down to play. Once again, he beat his sov-
ereign in a blink of any eye and had to call out the customary “Checkmate!
Checkmate!” But before he did, he ran to an adjacent room and hid under-
neath several layers of bedding to save himself from Seyyed Ajal’s anticipated
blows.
“What are you doing? Why are you hiding?” asked the ruler, when he
eventually located the jester.
“Checkmate! Checkmate! Checkmate!” called out the jester in fright.
“While in your service, this is the only way I dare to announce my win, my
lord!”
Such is the predicament of those who must live under unjust rulers with
no respect for their subjects, whom they are supposed to be protecting.

4 The name “Seyyed” indicates a descendant of the prophet Mohammad.

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