[1][2] Ibn Sallam al-Jumahi places Al-Mutalammis in the seventh of the later classes of poets that lived before Islam.
[1][4] The three men had generally good relations until Tarafa recited a poem which was insulting towards 'Amr ibn Hind.
[1][4] After the two poets had left Al-Hira, 'Amr ibn Hind sent a message to both of them which ordered them to come forward to ancient Bahrain for their execution.
[1][4] Tarafa, not wanting to break the royal seal, went ahead to Al-Hira for his execution, while Al-Mutalammis instead ignored the letter and threw it away, hence saving his life.
A fictionalized version of him appears in the book 1001 Arabian Nights, where he escapes from the king Al-Nu'man III ibn al-Mundhir.