The Kitāb al-aghānī (Book of Songs) by Abū l-Faraj al-Iṣfahānī (d. ca 363/972) includes a lengthy biography of the Umayyad poet al-Aḥwaṣ (d. ca 110/728), which is replete with amusing stories about his profligacy and flippancy, and the trouble he repeatedly got himself into with the local authorities in Medina. One of the more striking (and convoluted) of these stories may be summarized as follows. Al-Aḥwaṣ paid a visit to the caliph al-Walīd b. cAbd al-Malik (r. 86–96/705–15) and offered him a panegyric. The caliph gave him lodging and ordered that his kitchens be put at his disposal. Al-Aḥwaṣ then proceeded to attempt to seduce some of the caliph's slave boys, who worked for him as bakers. Also staying with the caliph was a man named Shucayb, who apparently got wind of what was going on. Fearing exposure, and looking for a way to get this man out of the way, al-Aḥwaṣ took advantage of the fact that Shucayb had quarreled with one of his (Shucayb's) clients, and he persuaded this client to go to the caliph and tell him that Shucayb had attempted to seduce him. The caliph, however, was suspicious, and immediately queried Shucayb himself, who denied the allegation and suggested that the client be roughed up a bit until he came out with the truth – which he did, admitting that al-Aḥwaṣ had put him up to it.