The Thousand and One Nights Volume I Part 29

NOTE 48. "Sitt-el-?osn" signifies "the Lady of Beauty."

NOTE 49. "?asheesh" is the intoxicating hemp, which has been mentioned in former notes.

NOTE 50. Thus in the Breslau edition, and in the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights; but in the edition of Cairo, the cook is merely termed a prodigal.

NOTE 51.--_On Adoption._ The Mohammadan law allows the adoption of sons, provided that the person to be adopted consents to the act, if of age to judge for himself; also, that he has been deprived of his parents by death or other means; and that there be such a difference of age between the two parties as might subsist between a natural father and his son.

The adopted son enjoys the same right of inheritance as the natural son; but the adoptive father is not prevented by this act from marrying any relation of his adopted son.

NOTE 52. In the houses of Arabs of the more wealthy cla.s.ses, there is usually a chair upon which the turban is placed at night. It is of a large size, but slight make; the bottom and back being generally of cane-work; and sometimes it has a kind of canopy constructed over it.

The turban, when placed upon it, is covered with a kerchief of thick silk stuff, often embroidered or interwoven with gold thread.

NOTE 53. "Mo?ilee" may be understood as meaning either "of the fas.h.i.+on of El-Mo?il," or "of muslin:" but the former, according to my sheykh, is the signification here intended. I think there is nothing peculiar in the common modern turban of El-Mo?il.

NOTE 54. This is done under the idea that it strengthens the infant's eyes.

NOTE 55. "'Ajeeb" signifies "Wonderful."

NOTE 56. The meaning of this is, that he grew in a day as other children in a month; and in a month, as others in a year.

NOTE 57. The death of the cook is mentioned in the edition of Breslau; but not in that of Cairo.

NOTE 58. This e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.n is generally uttered at the mention of a deceased Muslim.

NOTE 59. "?a?eb" is a t.i.tle given to Wezeers, as mentioned in Note 8 to the Introduction.

NOTE 60. In the original, fifteen. The age of 'Ajeeb has been shewn to have been little more than eleven at this period; therefore I have subst.i.tuted twelve for fifteen. In page 243 I have made a similar correction, subst.i.tuting fifteen for eighteen.

NOTE 61. This alludes to a custom common in the East,--that of giving a present of a dress, or some article of clothing, to a person who has brought good news.

NOTE 62. The term "boy" is not used here to imply that the eunuch was a youth; but in the sense in which it is often employed by us; as synonymous with "servant."

NOTE 63. "Er-Reydaneeyeh" is the name of a tract on the north of Cairo, where travellers arriving from Syria generally halted. In the original, by errors in the diacritical points, this name is converted into "Ez-Zebedaneeyeh."

NOTE 64. The word which I translate "a cross," literally signifies "an effigy;" but I suppose this term to be employed merely because a cross bears a rude resemblance to a man with extended arms.

NOTE 65. "The name of Allah encompa.s.s thee!" (or, literally, "--be around thee!") is an e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.n often used, especially by women, agreeing exactly with the expression in the first verse of the twentieth Psalm,--"The name of the G.o.d of Jacob defend thee!"--the "name" of G.o.d here signifying his power. "The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe." (Proverbs xviii. 10.)

NOTE 66. Here, for a reason given above, I have subst.i.tuted "twelve" for "ten."

NOTE 67. In the original, the last of these verses is here omitted, but my sheykh has supplied it in the margin of my copy, and it occurs afterwards, in the 75th night, in which the preceding verses, with some slight variations, are repeated.

NOTE 68.--_On the Expiation of Oaths._ The law clearly allows expiation for an inconsiderate oath, and, according to vulgar opinion, for the violation of a deliberate oath.[322] The expiation consists in once feeding or clothing ten poor men, liberating a Muslim slave or captive, or fasting three days. An unintentional oath requires no expiation; but the swearing to a falsehood can only be expiated by deep repentance.

NOTE 69. Hole observes (page 222), that "the discovery of Bedreddin in the Arabian Nights by the tarts he had made, bears internal evidence of having been copied from Nella Raja's detection by the same means:" and he refers to Kindersley's "Specimens of Indian Literature."

[Ill.u.s.tration]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

[276] Mir-at ez-Zeman, events of the year 289.

[277] Sale's Preliminary Discourse, sect. iv.

[278] The call to prayer, which is chanted from the mad'nehs (or menarets) of the mosques. It is as follows:--"G.o.d is most great!" (four times). "I testify that there is no deity but G.o.d!" (twice). "I testify that Mo?ammad is G.o.d's Apostle!"

(twice). "Come to prayer!" (twice). "Come to security!"

(twice). "G.o.d is most great!" (twice). "There is no deity but G.o.d!"

[279] Nuzhet el-Mutaammil wa-Murs.h.i.+d el-Mutaahhil, sect. 9.

[280] Nuzhet el-Mutaammil wa-Murs.h.i.+d el-Mutaahhil, sect. 9.

[281] Compare Exodus xiii. 13; and xii. 46.

[282] Nuzhet el-Mutaammil, &c., sect. 9; and Mishkat el-Ma?abee?, vol. ii. pp. 315, 316.

[283] Nuzhet el-Mutaammil, &c., _loco laudato_.

[284] Nuzhet el-Mutaammil, &c., sect. 9.

[285] Ibid.

[286] Nuzhet el-Mutaammil, &c., sect. 2.

[287] Idem, sect 7.

[288] ?ur-an, ch. xxiii. v. 117.

[289] "G.o.d! there is no deity but He," &c., to the words, "He is the High, the Great."--Idem, ch. ii. v. 256.

[290] Nuzhet el-Mutaammil, &c., sect. 9.

[291] Nuzhet el-Mutaammil, &c., sect. 9.

[292] A similar custom is mentioned in a note appended to the account of circ.u.mcision in vol. i. ch. ii. of my work on the Modern Egyptians.

[293] Mir-at ez-Zeman, events of the year 302.

[294] Nuzhet el-Mutaammil, &c., sect. 9; and Mishkat el-Ma?abee?, vol. ii. p. 86.

[295] Mishkat el-Ma?abee?, ibid.

[296] Nuzhet el-Mutaammil, &c., sect. 6.

[297] See my work on the Modern Egyptians, vol. ii. ch. v.

[298] Mishkat el-Ma?abee?, vol. ii. p. 79.