Appointment in Samaria

There was a merchant in Baghdad who sent his servant to the market to buy provisions. In a little while the servant came back trembling, and said "Master just now when I was in the marketplace I was jostled by a woman and when I turned, I saw it was Death. She looked at me and made a threatening gesture; now lend me your horse and I will ride away from this city and avoid my fate. I will go to Samaria and there Death will not find me."

The merchant lent him his horse and the servant rode as fast as he could.

Then the merchant went down to the market and saw Death in the crowd. He went to it and said, "Why did you make a threatening gesture to my servant when you saw him this morning?"

"That was not a threatening gesture," said Death, "it was only a stare of surprise. I was astonished to see him in Baghdad, for I had an appointment with him tonight in Samaria."