The Thousand and One Nights Volume I Part 22

NOTE 92. As this marriage is described as conducted in an irregular manner, I need say nothing at present of the ceremonies usually practised on such an occasion.

NOTE 93. Every person who has visited Eastern cities will bear testimony to the plausibility of this excuse. I have several times been thrown down by the wide load of a camel in the streets of Cairo, and seen loads of firewood sc.r.a.ping the houses on both sides of a street at the same time.

NOTE 94. Women suspected of infidelity to their husbands have not unfrequently been thus punished in Egypt in modern times, in violation of the law.

NOTE 95. "Sa?d" signifies "happiness," or "prosperity," and also "happy," or "prosperous."

NOTE 96. Pity is of more important service to the Muslim after death than during life; for the prayers which it inspires increase his happiness in futurity, or diminish his misery.

NOTE 97. This allusion to religious faith is peculiarly apt in the mouth of a Muslim; for the chief dogma of his creed is the denial of any partners.h.i.+p in the Divine essence. He calls persons of all other religions "mushriks," or those who attribute partners to G.o.d.

NOTE 98. In the original, she is here called an 'Efreeteh, which is an improper term.

NOTE 99. This salutation and its reply are only to be given by and to Muslims.

NOTE 100. It is implied by this e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.n that the two ladies were admirable beauties, evidences of the perfection of their Creator.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

[175] See ?ur-an, ch. ii. v. 96.

[176] See ?ur-an, ch. ii. v. 96.

[177] El-?azweenee, account of the well of Babil, in "'Ajab el-Makhloo?at."

[178] Mishkat el-Ma?abee?, vol. ii. p. 339.

[179] De Sacy's Chrestomathie Arabe, vol. i. pp. 125-131, Arabic text, 2nd ed.

[180] That is, a race-course for sallies of wit and eloquence on the subject of wine: the word "k.u.meyt" being used, in preference to more than a hundred others that might have been employed, as signifying "wine," because it bears also the meaning of "a dark bay horse."

[181] His name is not mentioned in my copy; but D'Herbelot states it to have been Shems-ed-Deen Mo?ammad Ibn-Bedr-ed-Deen ?asan, el-?a?ee; and writes his surname "Naouagi," or "Naouahi."

[182] Ch. ii. v. 216.

[183] Ch. iv. v. 46.

[184] Leviticus, ch. x. v. 9.

[185] ?ur-an, ch. v. v. 92.

[186] ?albet el-k.u.meyt, ch. ix.

[187] Idem, khatimeh, or conclusion.

[188] Ibid.

[189] Fakhr-ed-Deen, in De Sacy's Chrestomathie Arabe, vol. i.

p. 23, Arabic text, 2nd ed.

[190] "While tears of blood trickle from the strainer, the ewer beneath it giggles." (E?-?adr Ibn-El-Wekeel, quoted in the ?albet el-k.u.meyt, ch. xiii.)--The strainer is called "rawoo?."

[191] The Mo?tesib is inspector of the markets, the weights and measures, and provisions, &c.

[192] Mir-at ez-Zeman, events of the year 295.

[193] In Arabic, "ba?iyeh."

[194] "Ba??ah."

[195] "?inneeneh."

[196] "Ibree?s."

[197] The cup, when full, was generally called "kas:" when empty, "?ada?" or "jam." The name of "kas" is now given to a small gla.s.s used for brandy and liqueurs, and similar to our liqueur-gla.s.s: the gla.s.s or cup used for wine is called, when so used, "koobeh:" it is the same as that used for sherbet; but in the latter case it is called "?ulleh."

[198] "Nu?uldans."

[199] "Nu?l."

[200] "Bela?."

[201] "Ru?ab."

[202] Es-Suyoo?ee, account of the fruits of Egypt, in his history of that country (MS. in my possession)

[203] Ibid.

[204] Es-Suyoo?ee, account of the fruits of Egypt, in his history of that country (MS. in my possession).

[205] El-?azweenee (MS. in my possession).

[206] "Jummar."

[207] "Bi??eekh," vulg., "ba??eekh."

[208] El-?azweenee.

[209] "Moz."

[210] Es-Suyoo?ee, _ubi supra_.

[211] "Rumman".

[212] Es-Suyoo?ee, _ubi supra_.