The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night Volume XV Part 28

[FN#218] The "Sa'ah," I may here remark, is the German Stunde, our old "Stound," somewhat indefinite but meaning to the good Moslem the s.p.a.ces between prayer times. The cla.s.sical terms, Al-Zuha (undurn-hour, or before noon) and Maghrib=set of sun, become in Badawi speech Al-Ghaylah=siesta-time and Ghaybat al-Shams. (Doughty, index.)

[FN#219] For the beautiful song of the lute, referred to here, see vol. viii. 281.

[FN#220] Alluding to the "Takht Raml," table of sand, geomantic table?

[FN#221] As before noted, her love enables her to deal in a somewhat of prophetic strain.

[FN#222] This scene may sound absurd; but it is admirable for its materialism. How often do youthful lovers find an all-sufficient pastime in dressing themselves up and playing the game of mutual admiration. It is well nigh worthy of that "silliest and best of love-stories"--Henrietta Temple.

[FN#223] The text bluntly says "Wa Nikah," which can mean nothing else.

[FN#224] Scott calls him "Yiah": vi. 354.

[FN#225] Arab. "Akhbaru-hu," alluding to the lord Yahya.

[FN#226] Here I presume a "Kala" (quoth he) is omitted; for the next sentence seems appropriate to Yusuf.

[FN#227] In Arab. "Tastaghis"=lit. crying out "Wa Ghausah"--Ho, to my aid!

[FN#228] The "Zug" or draught which gave him rheumatism--not a romantic complaint for a young lover. See vol. ii. 9. But his power of sudden invention is somewhat enviable, and lying is to him, in Hindustani phrase, "easy as drinking water."

[FN#229] Who evidently ignored or had forgotten the little matter of the concubine, so that incident was introduced by the story-teller for mere wantonness.

[FN#230] In text "Mazbuh"=slaughtered for food.

[FN#231] i.e. "I suffer from an acute attack of rheumatism"--a complaint common in even the hottest climates.

[FN#232] Needless to say that amongst Moslems, as amongst Christians, the Israelite medicine-man has always been a favourite, despite an injunction in the "Dinim" (Religious Considerations) of the famous Andalusian Yusuf Caro. This most fanatical work, much studied at Tiberias and Safet (where a printing-press was established in the xvith century) decides that a Jewish doctor called to attend a Goi (Gentile) too poor to pay him is bound to poison his patient--if he safely can.

[FN#233] Lit. "The-Bull-(Taur for Thaur or Saur)numbered-and-for-battle-day-lengthened." In p.30 this charger is called, "The-bull-that-spurneth-danger-on-battle-day."

See vol. vi. 270 for a similar compound name, The-Ghul-who-eateth-man-we-pray-Allah-for-safety.

[FN#234] In text "Al-Jariyah radih," the latter word being repeated in p.282, where it is Radih a P.N. [Here also I would take it for a P.N., for if it were adjective to "al-Jariyah" it should have the article.--ST.]

[FN#235] The "Radif," or back-rider, is common in Arabia, esp. on dromedaries when going to the Razzia: usually the crupper-man loads the matchlock and his comrade fires it.

[FN#236] The text has "thirty," evidently a clerical error.

[FN#237] Arab. "Sakhtur" for "Shakhtur," vol. vii. 362.

[FN#238] Doggerel fit only for the coffee-house.

[FN#239] In text "Ta'ayyun"=influence, especially by the "'Ayn,"

or (Evil) Eye.

[FN#240] I have somewhat abridged the confession of the Princess, who carefully repeats every word known to the reader. This iteration is no objection in the case of a coffee-house audience to whom the tale is told bit by bit, but it is evidently unsuited for reading.

[FN#241] In text "Irham turham:" this is one of the few pa.s.sive verbs still used in popular parlance.

[FN#242] This formula will be in future suppressed.

[FN#243] I spare my readers the full formula:--"Yusuf took it and brake the seal (fazza-hu) and read it and comprehended its contents and purport and significance: and, after perusing it,"

etc. These forms, decies repet.i.ta, may go down with an Eastern audience, but would be intolerable in a Western volume. The absence of padding, however, reduces the story almost to a patchwork of doggerel rhymes, for neither I nor any man can "make a silk purse from a suille ear."

[FN#244] Here again in full we have:--"He mounted the she-camel and fared and ceased not faring until he drew near to the Palace of Al-Hayfa, where he dismounted and concealed his dromedary within the same cave. Then he swam the stream until he had reached the Castle and here he landed and appeared before Al-Hayfa," etc.

[FN#245] "'Tis dogged as does it" was the equivalent expression of our British Aristotle; the late Charles Darwin.

[FN#246] Arab. "Jannat al-Khuld"=the Eternal Garden: vol. ix.

214.

[FN#247] [I read: Wa inni la-ar'ak.u.m wa ar'a widada-k.u.m, wa-hakki-k.u.mu antum a'azzu 'l-Wara 'andi=And I make much of you and of your love; by your rights (upon me, formula of swearing), you are to me the dearest of mankind.--ST.]

[FN#248] In text: "He swam the stream and bestrode his she-camel."

[FN#249] In text "Then she folded the letter and after sealing it," etc.

[FN#250] Not "her hands" after Christian fas.h.i.+on.

[FN#251] In text, "Ahyaf," alluding to Al-Hayfa.

[FN#252] Arab. "Al-Kawa'ib," also P. N. of the river.

[FN#253] This is moralising with a witness, and all it means is "handsome is that handsome does."

[FN#254] In text "'Arsh" = the Ninth Heaven; vol. v.167.

[FN#255] The s.h.i.+'ah doctrine is here somewhat exaggerated.

[FN#256] "Them" for "her," as has often occurred.

[FN#257] In the original "entrusted to her the missive:" whereas the letter is delivered afterwards.

[FN#258] The cloud (which contains rain) is always typical of liberality and generous dealing.

[FN#259] The Koranic chapt. No. xx., revealed at Meccah and recounting the (apocryphal) history of Moses.

[FN#260] The "broken" (wall) to the North of the Ka'abah: Pilgrimage iii. 165.

[FN#261] i.e. "Delight of the Age:" see vol. ii. 81.

[FN#262] In the text written "Imriyyu 'l-Kays": for this pre-Islamitic poet see Term. Essay, p. 223. "The Man of Al-Kays"

or wors.h.i.+pper of the Priapus-idol was a marking figure in Arabian History. The word occurs, with those of Aera, Dusares (Theos Ares), Martabu, Allat and Manat in the Nabathaean (Arabian) epigraphs brought by Mr. Doughty from Arabia Deserta (vol. i. pp.

180-184).

[FN#263] In text "Zakka," which means primarily a bird feeding her young.

[FN#264] In the text "months and years," the latter seeming de trop.