What: A tale that originates as far back as Ancient Mesopotamian first appearing in the Babylonian Talmud.
What: The Appointment in Samarra, paraphrased and shortened by the writers of the BBC Show Sherlock
Authors: Unknown and retold by British writer W Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) in his 1933 short fable An Appointment in Samarra
Publisher: Humanity through the centuries until the 1930s
Author: Humanity through the centuries John O’Hara including W. Somerset Maugham‘s retelling as an epigraph for his novel: The Appointment in Samarra
The Tale (albeit shortened):
There was once a merchant in the famous market at Baghdad. One day he saw a stranger looking at him in surprise. And he knew that the stranger was Death. Pale and trembling, the merchant fled the marketplace and made his way many, many miles to the city of Samarra. For there he was sure Death could not find him. But when, at last, he came to Samarra, the merchant saw, waiting for him, the grim figure of Death.
“Very well,” said the merchant. “I give in. I am yours. But tell me, why did you look surprised when you saw me this morning in Baghdad?”
“Because,” said Death, “I had an appointment with you tonight, in Samarra.”
Sherlock; BBC; Season 4, episode 1
Spoken and Media Version of the shortened tale:
Sherlock; BBC; Season 4, episode 1
The Tale – The full version:
Appointment in Samarra; Epigraph; 1930
My Comments:
The very obvious message is that death is something that can not be escaped no matter what we do, whether it’s the full or shortened version. But something else stuck out at me given my history over the past 2-3 years. That is to say that the servant or the merchant, both ran into death before their actual time was due. Had they not run into death they may of never of ran off to Samarra, hoping to avoid what was already laid out to happen. I’ve had a few brushes with death in many forms, and definitely have felt like I have wanted to and death never showed. Meaning here that it’s not my time, I see death a lot, a lot more than I ever used to or even thought would be a possibility. But I don’t knee jerk react and go bonkers on some rash action that leads me closer. I wait for it all to happen then process it as best as I can. It’s true that death is guaranteed, but I don’t believe the time is something set in stone. People are beating medical oddities and percentages time and time again. I’ve bested these cards stacked against me, with the odds clearly showing that, now, during the holiday season of 2023 I shouldn’t even be alive. I’m not saying one can simply put off death, I’m saying that when you’re smart about it, you control your own life.