once i wanted to go to alqatool the blessed one while i was leaving baghdad and i saw horsemen from khurasan and the sons and other types of soldiers a horse had been lent to them and they were riding purebred horses seeking it but they were unable to take it. a turk passed by and he was not one of their appearance or rank and he was riding a lowly mule and they were on wellmannered horses. the horse intercepted him and killed him alive and someone came to him to rebuke him so those soldiers stopped and became spectators. some of them who used to despise that turk said this by your father is an affectation and exposure a horse has defeated them and they are the lions of the land and this one came with his short stature and weak mount so he hoped to take it. as soon as he finished speaking he turned to him and handed him over to them and went to seek him. he did not wait for their praise or their prayers nor did he show them that he had done anything or done them a favor.
وأردت مرة القاطول وهي المباركة وأنا خارج من بغداد، وأرى فوارس من أهل خراسان والأبناء وغيرهم من أصناف الجندي، قد عار لهم فرس، وهم على خيل عتاق يريغونه فلا يقدرون على أخذه، ومر تركي ولم يكن من ذوي هيئاتهم وذوي القدر منهم، وهو على برذون له خسيس، وهم على الخيول المطهمة، فاعترض الفرس اعتراضا، وقتله قتلا وحيا؛ وأتاه من زجره بشيء، فوقف أولئك الجند وصاروا نظارة، فقال بعضهم ممن كان يزري على ذلك التركي هذا وأبيك التكلف والتعرض أن فرسا قد أعجزهم وهم أسد البلاد، وجاء هذا مع قصر قامته وضعف دابته، فطمع أن يأخذه. فمى انقضى كلامه حتى أقبل به ثم سلمه إليهم ومضى لطلبته، لم ينتظر ثناءهم ولا دعاءهم، ولا أراهم أنه قد صنع شيئا، أو أتى إليهم معروفا.