Barmecide

bar'me-sid, a prince of Bagdad. He is the principal character in a story of the Arabian Nights. He called in a beggar and seated him at a bare table, on which he pretended that a sumptuous repast was laid out. Whether because he fell in with the humor of the situation, or was afraid to do otherwise, the beggar pretended to partake of the various viands, and praised their flavor. When the prince had enjoyed himself sufficiently at the beggar's expense, he ordered his servants to bring in a generous meal. One who loudly proclaims his liberality where no favor is conferred is called a barmecide. A barmecide feast is an expressive term applied to a lot of favors that exist only in the mind of the bestower. It is said that the great feasts given by the emperor of China to a vast number of guests are managed on some such plan. The emperor's own table is loaded with genuine delicacies. Other tables are decorated chiefly with papier-mache ducks, wooden chickens, wax fruits, highly colored water, etc., after the style of stage feasts. All this is done by grafting officials desirous of profit. Should any be questioned by the emperor, etiquette requires him to bow low, hand on chest, saying, "Oh, Light of the Sun and Brightest Orb of the Night, your slaves have feasted to satiety." See Bagdad